Nohara by Mizuno (Noharabaimizuno) celebrated its grand opening in Harajuku on April 5, 2014. "Nohara" means "field" in Japanese and the facility is based on the interesting concept of a “Sports Living Room." The idea is to support the health and wellness lifestyle while enjoying activities in areas such as green fields. Nohara offers four functional areas in the heart of Meiji-Jingumae St and Ometesando: Retail shop, Café & kitchen, Fitness studio and Run & fitness station. It is the first of its kind in Japan by the popular Mizuno brand. Mizuno Corporation itself is a 108-year-old Japanese sports equipment and sportswear company, founded in Osaka in 1906 by Rihachi Mizuno. As an avid runner and big fan of Mizuno brand running shoes back in the United States, I was excited to see what Nohara had to offer. Follow the shopping experience with me!
As I stood front and center of the boutique style athletic shop, I was amazed by the variety of merchandise available. As with most retail shops, the products on display were centered on the current season and popularity of activities in Japan. This month's pop up display highlights enjoying the outdoors like camping, rock climbing, hiking and running. The retail area itself is split into three distinct shopping areas: Men’s, Women’s and Shoes.
The Men’s section carries every day apparel by Highland Park, having graphic seafarer designs for the spring and summer months. For the athlete in you, simple t-shirts made with high quality cotton or dry-fit technology, are also available. While lightweight jackets, shorts, and hats are just an arms reach away. Just on the other end, you might be in the market for accessories such as sunglasses, watches and running pouches.
The Women’s section is located in a more private area towards the back. Here you can find the +me apparel for everyday comfort, yoga, outdoors or running. One of the more popular items for females is the one-piece romper made of 100% polyester and is Made in Japan. Lightweight and affordable, the woman who wears this has a carefree, get up and go spirit who just wants to get outdoors and run!
The Shoe section was the favorite part of my visit. Having an upwards of 60 pairs on display, the selection offers a good variety of athletic styles for running, walking, hiking and strengthening. While staring at a few of the Mizuno neon bright designs, I was immediately approached by a staff member who introduced me to the Foot Navi. Shoes and socks removed, you must step onto the platform to initiate the personalized scanning process. During the scan, the monitor will show temperature, pressure points, size and dimension. After the scan, I was asked to walk within the store so they could observe pronation, if any, and I also performed a few squats to check balance. Based on these steps and a discussion about my running history, they recommended two different pairs. I ended up selecting the Wave Mercury 3 with the Wave technology for short distance runners. The wavy plate embedded into the sole serves as suspension to the direction of impact and reduces shock when landing. This technology also prevents excessive roll over offering cushioning and keeping your foot centered during your run. Needless to say, I walked out as a very satisfied customer and excited to go for a run in beautiful Japan! A Marathon just might be in store for me in the coming year.
Here's a fun fact! If you put the two words Mizuno and Harajuku side by side, the middle letters spell out Nohara! I hope you also get to enjoy the shopping experience at Nohara by Mizuno as much as I did. One of these days I'll have a chance to run the trails near Meiji Shrine and return to use the Run & Fitness station and Studio. Until then, I'll enjoy a wonderful green smoothie in their charming Cafe & Kitchen.
