Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. (http://www.imhds.co.jp/english/), Japan's largest department store group, announced on Sept. 29 that it is further expanding its "omotenashi" (hospitality) services for foreign visitors on the basis of its "This is Japan" new corporate message sent out since January 2015. The move is timed with an expected increase in visitors from abroad on the occasion of China's long National Day holiday season in early October.

Mitsukoshi and Isetan have always had an eye for the finest quality ever since we started operating as kimono merchants. The sense of touch as silk meets the skin, the sound of sashes (obi in Japanese) tightening, and the calming aroma from incense are just a few examples of essential components of hospitality in our trade, which focuses on refining our experience through the five senses.

We keep creating and providing fine products with our sense, focusing on communication in all its forms, including the grace and beauty of Japanese omotenashi, to present "This is Japan" as part of our management strategy and to further improve our corporate activities.

With the number of tourists from overseas increasing rapidly since last year, our group has been expanding and enhancing our various services such as a faster tax-refund procedure and also providing our "sprit of hospitality" called omotenashi. We hope to provide and continue to create a new and distinct value to not only Japanese customers but also tourists from overseas who visit our stores.

"We strive to offer a unique experience that exceeds our customers' expectations by providing the best hospitality that only a Japanese department store can present through the great efforts by our stylists (sales staff), our products and atmosphere," says President Hiroshi Ohnishi.

For details on service expansion upon China's National Day on Oct. 1:

--The Mitsukoshi Ginza Store (http://www.imhds.co.jp/english/)

--Japanese Brand Tour (https://isetan.mistore.jp/store/shinjuku/info/form/iclub/brandtour/iclub_brandtour.form?rid=306852ca2fe14622b222664d74371eaf )

--Branch network, sales volume and other data (http://www.imhds.co.jp/english/company/about.html)

(http://www.imhds.co.jp/english/company/number.html)

Source: Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd.