At Ecute Shinagawa, the shopping facilities are right inside the station. Enlarge photo

Along with the redevelopment of land around railway stations in recent years, a new style of commercial facility has been springing up inside the buildings, right next to the platforms themselves. New railway station shopping malls suited to the active lifestyles of Japanese people are rapidly becoming a part of everyday life, making life in Japan more comfortable and convenient than ever.

In Japan, travelers access train platforms by passing through automated subway-style ticket gates. Although there have always been newspaper kiosks in railway stations and standing-room only food stalls providing commuters with a place to slurp down a quick bowl of Japanese noodles, until recently there were very few facilities inside the ticket gates themselves.

But since 2005 a new, more sophisticated, kind of retail facility has started to appear. The idea was to transform stations from places that people merely passed through to places where they could enjoy quality shopping or other activities. The first to turn this concept into reality was Ecute Omiya, set inside Omiya Station in Saitama Prefecture. Omiya is a mammoth station, used by some 600,000 people every day. In 2005, a new shopping mall was built inside the station’s ticket gates, incorporating 68 shops and covering roughly 2300 square meters of retail space.

With the shops located directly above the tracks, the ekinaka facilities help reduce shopping time for busy commuters. Enlarge photo

With its collection of quality shops, the new mall was an instant hit, allowing travelers to revel in the aromas of sweets and freshly baked bread, check out the latest fashions at retail outlets, or pick up tasty treats at the deli on their way home. The word ekinaka, meaning “inside the station,” entered the Japanese lexicon, and ekinaka facilities began popping up everywhere.

Tokyo Station Shopping ParadiseOne of the most impressive collections of ekinaka facilities anywhere in the country can be found in Tokyo Station, the heart of the Japanese rail network. Travelers spend an average of 30 minutes in the station—the abundance of facilities helps to turn unproductive waiting time into something enjoyable. The GranSta complex opened its doors in 2007. Fifty shops occupy 1500 square meters of underground space between the Marunouchi and Yaesu exits, including 10 new brand stores. The careful attention given to the lighting and displays create a luxurious atmosphere quite different from regular department stores. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the biggest demand is for deli items. For commuters, being able to use the time between trains to pick up high-quality goods not available at their local supermarket is a huge convenience. And office workers have been indulging in trips to confectionary counters on their way home—finding the "ekinaka" atmosphere more agreeable than crowded department store basements. There are also standing bars serving sake from across Japan and cafes specializing in popular vinegar drinks.

Ecute Tokyo followed in 2010. The complex aims to introduce customers to the very best of Japanese craftsmanship, putting a contemporary twist on traditional Japanese techniques and designs via a total of 31 stores, including 10 new brand shops and 6 businesses retailing in Tokyo for the first time. Food options include exclusive meals made with fresh vegetables from anorganic farming NGO. Next to a book café is an area dedicated to introducing the work of leading Japanese creators in fields like literature, music, the traditional performing arts, and cooking. A wide variety of other services is also on offer, including a baggage check, home-delivery service, currency exchange, and a "Tokyo concierge" service desk offering information on the wide range of restaurants and shopping facilities available inside the station.

At Ecute Tokyo, growing numbers of office workers are being lured in by the tempting ekinaka food courts on their way home from work. Enlarge photo

This stylish hair salon is located inside the station concourse in fashionable Omotesando. Enlarge photo

Daycare Centers, Facials, and Nail SalonsDifferent stations are used by different kinds of customers, and specialized ekinaka facilities are cropping up to meet their various needs. At Tachikawa station in the suburbs of Tokyo, for example, facilities include a daycare center that takes in children between the hours of 7 am and 10 pm, reflecting the large number of young families in the area. At the major commuter hub of Ueno station, customers can fit in some golf practice on their way home from work or keep in shape at a fitness club. The station in fashionable Omotesando features trendy hair and nail salons and body care shops. A massive ten-floor ekinaka complex opened recently at Ikebukuro station, a favorite spot with young people that is visited by more than 2 million people every day.

The development of ekinaka facilities has changed train stations into places of entertainment. Without leaving the station, people in Japan can squeeze the most out of every minute of the day—even during their daily commute. (January 2011)