In the Darwinian world of consumer retail, few markets are as tough, fickle, and potentially lucrative as the Japanese market. There are more than a million enterprises and 160,000 restaurants in Tokyo alone, competing for the attention of around 35 million consumers. Trends come and go on a weekly basis.
Japanese companies have to stand out in order to create attention and keep consumers interested. To do this, companies either need to follow a trend right away or start one for themselves. Consumer marketing in Tokyo is constantly evolving, often innovative and always competitive. As a laboratory of techniques, Tokyo can offer potential tools to markets further afield.