SEIKO HOUSE GINZA Opens Friday, June 10. On its 90th anniversary, the clock tower building overlooking the main Ginza intersection will be re-launched as Seiko’s brand communications hub.

Seiko Holdings Corporation (Chairman & Group CEO, CCO: Shinji Hattori; head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan; hereinafter “Seiko”) has created a brand communications hub for its corporate group in the iconic Ginza structure formerly known as the Wako Main Building. The re-purposed building will officially open on June 10, 2022 and will be known as SEIKO HOUSE GINZA.

This landmark building, which has been Seiko’s home since the company’s early days, sits on one of the most famous corners in Tokyo. In an area with few pre-war buildings, the elegantly curved “Wako store” quickly became a symbol of Ginza and of Japan’s resurgent prosperity. In fact, the world-famous Wako specialty store occupies only the lower half of the building. The transformation into SEIKO HOUSE GINZA will see the upper floors and rooftop area become a dedicated space for the Seiko Holdings group’s brand communications.

The rooftop area has been re-developed as Seiko Sky Garden. In addition to the clock tower, it features a wooden deck made of sustainable materials. The garden will be open to the public at specified times, including use for children’s educational events as part of Seiko’s corporate social responsibility activities.

The fifth floor traditionally housed the President’s office, originally occupied by Seiko’s founder, Kintaro Hattori. Even today, the fifth floor retains some of the look and feel of his time, and in SEIKO HOUSE GINZA it will be used both as a conference room, equipped with state-of-the-art digital technologies, and as a salon to host special guests.

The former Wako Hall on the sixth floor, which was used for exhibitions of traditional art and crafts, will now feature exhibitions related to Seiko Holdings Group companies, as well as for other branding activities. It will be known as Seiko House Ginza Hall.

The seventh floor is scheduled to reopen by the end of the year, renamed as the Atelier Ginza. Here, master watchmakers will explore new ideas for the design and creation of tomorrow’s timepieces.

Commenting on the launch, Chairman & Group CEO, CCO, Shinji Hattori stated, “Seiko has always been responsive to society’s needs. We envision SEIKO HOUSE GINZA as a place to address various social issues as well as providing an outstanding customer experience.”

To celebrate the opening, the company is presenting a series of events entitled Seiko Harmony. These will include lighting up the famous clock tower at night to mark its 90th anniversary and also a ceremonial bell-ringing. On the ground floor, one of the building’s famous display windows will feature a giant turntable with an LP called Seiko Harmony that spins every hour on the hour, synchronized to the clock tower’s chimes.

On the sixth floor, a special exhibition entitled Seiko Harmony—Twelve Sounds of Craftsmanship will feature an art installation based on sound — a dozen disparate sounds related to types craftsmanship found in the Seiko group, coming together to form a unique harmony. There will also be a display featuring both old and new approaches to keeping time. One is a decorative table-clock called DECOR Seiko Yu-kyu, which is inspired by an ancient Chinese design. While the Song Dynasty original was a water clock, this modern recreation uses a metal ball to move the gears. The clock sits on a dark blue lacquer stand decorated with a light dusting of platinum foil, bringing to mind the night sky over Ginza. And, as a special treat for watch lovers, we will display Grand Seiko’s newest sensation — Kodo. This remarkable watch, Grand Seiko’s first mechanical complication, was presented to widespread acclaim at the Watches and Wonders Geneva event in March of this year.