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Wish List Concourse WindowPut your thoughts for children into the window.

The huge display and concourse window decorate the front of Hankyu Umeda Main Store.
The gorgeous decorations and surprising features make you want to take photos, delighting the eyes of those passing through the concourse.
In conjunction with the "wish list" event, which begins on Wednesday, April 24th, a Hankyu x familiar collaboration window will be on display for approximately one month, from Wednesday, April 10th to Monday, May 6th (national holiday).
We spoke to the two designers who worked on the window, Kazuhiro Kameyama and Hironori Kokubun, about the behind-the-scenes stories of its creation and its highlights.

(Right) Kazuhiro Kameyama, Art Director of the OMO Sales Promotion Department and Store Design Department at Hankyu Umeda Main Store. He joined the company as a designer in 1972, the year the concourse windows were created.
Since then, he has been in charge of the interior and window decorations for many years, continuing to lead the creations of Hankyu Department Store.

(Left) Hironori Kokubun, Decoration Manager, Store Design Department, OMO Sales Promotion Department, Hankyu Umeda Main Store
He will be involved in window decorations from 2022. In 2024, he will be in charge of planning the entire window display for the "Valentine Chocolate Expo" event at Hankyu Umeda Main Store.

What is the concourse window at Hankyu Umeda Main Store?

Kameyama: Concourse windows were created in 1972. They are not just for displaying or advertising products, but also for creating windows with messages that convey a unique message from Hankyu Department Store's unique perspective. The beautiful, cutting-edge decorations and performances inside the windows often become a hot topic.

Kokubun: A major feature of the concourse windows is that there are a total of seven windows, each 4 meters high. You won't find windows of this scale anywhere else in the country, even if you search around department stores. They have been familiar to many people for a long time as the face of Hankyu Umeda Main Store.

Thoughts on the Hankyu×familiar collaboration

Kameyama: The first department store that Familiar opened was the Hankyu Umeda Main Store. We have had a long and deep relationship with the store since 1951, just two years after Familiar was founded. Children's clothes were unusual at the time, as they were full of ingenious ideas that housewives came up with in their daily lives, such as making sure the seams wouldn't irritate the skin, and I think they were attracted to this and asked us to open a store there.
As a company that always keeps the customer in mind, we at Hankyu Department Store empathize with Familiar, which is committed to creating products that put the wearer first.

Kokubun: I visited Familia's headquarters several times for meetings, and I was impressed by how kind the employees were and how they worked freely and enthusiastically. It was also impressive to see how they carefully framed and hung on the wall the pictures that children had drawn in the workshop, and how they carefully sorted and kept scraps of fabric by color. I worked on creating the window in a way that reflected Familia's unique style, which is the desire to cherish such things and the careful manufacturing that takes children into consideration.

Window Concept

Kameyama: The main theme is "The future is filled with happy checks, connected." We used check patterns as a symbolic motif to create a colorful visual.
Additionally, themes such as "ART," "EAT," and "EDUCATION" were selected from Familiar's brand book "Wish List," which introduces the things and experiences that the company wants to leave for the future, and these were set as the themes for each window. Sympathizing with Familiar's wishes for children's future (= WISH), we incorporated the feelings of Hankyu Department Store into these and used the full seven windows to express them.

Kokubun: It expresses how children's free ideas take shape through their play and drawings. Flowers that the children have drawn bloom and fish swim. We have created a pop, colorful window that is fun to look at.

Highlights of the windows and behind-the-scenes stories

Kameyama: We have been preparing for this window display since September of last year. As the saying goes, strike while the iron is hot, so as soon as I heard what Familia had to say, I immediately started thinking about how to express it, and one by one I gave shape to the ideas I had written down in my notebook. I selected items to use for decoration, made models, etc.
When creating a window display, I always keep in mind that I don't want it to end with just "It's pretty" or "It's cute." I intentionally include elements that will attract the viewer's attention. This time too, I put a lot of effort into making it interesting, making customers wonder "What is this?", and leaving a lasting impression on them.

Kokubun: When I was looking at Familiar's past clothing, I was intrigued by the picture book-style product tags. Each tag had an illustration and story that matched the design of the clothing, and it served as a communication tool with children. I thought this was interesting, so I decorated one of our windows with a product tag motif.
Also, something I learned from Kameyama is that we have installed various devices at low positions in the windows to match children's line of sight. We hope that children will enjoy the fun of discovery.

What we want to communicate through the window

Kameyama: We aimed to create a window that conveys the concept of "passing on the bonds and wishes of family and friends to the future." We hope that it will inspire people to think about the infinite possibilities of children and their hopes for a hopeful future.
It would also be great if the window could inspire some new realizations for both children and their parents. For example, they could try remaking something they've had stored away at home, or printing their child's drawing on a T-shirt. Each of these fun experiences will not only become a precious memory, but I think it could also help to spark children's interest in art and their creativity.

Message to those who view the window

Kameyama: I hope that three generations will come and enjoy the visit. There will also be a window displaying various clothes from the past, so I hope it will spark conversations like, "Mom used to wear clothes like this when she was a child."
When I create windows, I always aim to create "memorable windows." Architecture will remain even 100 years from now, but windows are only on display for a short period of time. I would be happy if they remain in people's memories, are remembered someday, and are passed down through the generations.

Kokubun: I struggled a lot with how to express the message on the seven windows, but when I finished, I found that it was more fun than anything else. I hope that the excitement I felt is conveyed to those who view it. By the way, Fami-chan is in all seven windows, so please try and find her.

We've picked out some of the windows to introduce to you!

Connecting Manufacturing