Kyoto Showcases Artisanal Handicrafts on Tmall Global

Main Content

Kyoto Showcases Artisanal Handicrafts on Tmall Global



Kyoto, long hailed as a treasure trove of Japanese culture, has begun offering some of its best-known handicrafts over Tmall Global, the Alibaba e-commerce platform said Thursday.

Japan’s ancient capital is a favored destination for Chinese travelers, who go to view its picturesque cherry blossoms, visit temples and teahouses and bring back elegant, handcrafted gifts. Now, in a themed event, Tmall Global is showcasing 12 Kyoto brands as part of a rev-up to Chinese New Year. The brands include Asahido, a craft shop established in 1870 and known for its pottery tea sets, as well as century-old store, Takaoka, which makes famous futons.

The event is aimed not only at offering high-end products from Kyoto to Chinese consumers, but also to showcase the city as an ideal vacation getaway for Chinese travelers, said Tmall Global.

In all, 30 “made-in-Kyoto” products are on Tmall Global, such as organic facial-care products, hand-sewn cushions, geisha-themed silk makeup bags and aromatic incense sticks. They’ll remain as featured products through the mid-February holiday.

“We hope to take this opportunity to bring the products made by professional Kyoto artisans to China,” said Keiji Yamada, the governor of Kyoto Prefecture in a statement. “And we sincerely welcome all to visit Kyoto.”

Tmall Global is China’s most popular and biggest cross-border e-commerce platform for shoppers and overseas vendors with a 25% market share. Established in 2014, its product offerings include 14,500 brands from 63 countries and regions.

The partnership with Kyoto is Tmall Global’s first collaboration with a local government to feature products from that area, underscoring the platform’s commitment to bringing more quality foreign, and 100% authentic, goods to Chinese consumers. The partnership also illustrates that international brands recognize Tmall Global’s ability to raise their overseas visibility.

Japanese brands and Japan-made products are among favorites of TMall Global shoppers. For three years running, Japan has ranked as the number-one country of origin for products sold on the platform.

As a tourist destination, Japan also is extremely popular among Chinese travelers. In the first 11-months of 2017, Japan welcomed approximately 26.2 million visitors, and a quarter of them, or around 6.8 million, were from China, according to figures provided by Japan National Tourism Organization.

 

 

AlibabaJapanpromotionRest of WorldTmall
Reuse this content

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Stay updated on the digital economy with our free weekly newsletter