Plaza House Shopping Center

Plaza House Shopping Center (プラザハウスショッピングセンター) is a mixed-use shopping center located along National Route 330 in Kubota, Okinawa City, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It opened on July 4, 1954 — American Independence Day — during the U.S. administration of Okinawa, and is widely regarded as the oldest shopping center in Japan. It was founded by Hong Kong Chinese merchants together with an American businessman operating in Tokyo, and initially served only U.S. military personnel and their families before opening to Japanese customers. The center grew out of the Rogers (ロージャース) business founded in 1950 by Roger C. Williams in Shibata-mura-cho, Minato, Tokyo, which sold imported cosmetics, jewelry, prêt-à-porter and shoes to military officers' wives, royalty, business leaders and entertainers. In 1953 Royal Trading Co., Ltd. was established in Hong Kong as the parent body for the Plaza House shopping center, and in 1954 the center opened in Koza (Rycom), near the U.S. Ryukyu Command headquarters. Rogers relocated from Tokyo to Koza and joined the restaurant and gift shop already operating at Plaza House, forming the prototype of today's center. Its low, deep walls and zigzag store layout — designed to shade visitors from Okinawa's intense sun and encourage circulation — were considered strikingly modern at the time. Plaza House is operated and managed by Plaza House Co., Ltd. (株式会社プラザハウス), headquartered at 3-1-12 Kubota, Okinawa City, with capital of ¥30 million and about 120 employees including contract staff. The company was established in 1997 by integrating the three related parties that had managed the facility and operated its core stores. Its businesses include retail, restaurant operation, wholesale, import/export trade, event planning and production, shopping center management and real estate leasing. It is the parent of A&W Okinawa, the franchisee of the A&W fast-food chain in the prefecture, and has affiliates including Ibano Co., Ltd., Asia Paint and Royal Trading. The center carries directly imported luxury fashion from Europe and the United States, watches, spirits, perfume, lighters, fountain pens, leather goods, Southeast Asian folk crafts and wood products, accessories, resort wear, Okinawan folk crafts, confectionery, cosmetics, shoes, handbags, lingerie, music CDs, food, stationery and imported books. It is an authorized dealer for brands such as GUERLAIN, HAWAIIAN HOST chocolate, CATHERINE ANDRE, BALLY, PARKER pens, DESIGUAL, OLEA ESSENCE and CHLOE. Wholesale customers include The Terrace Hotels, Ryubo Industry, Moon Hotels and Resorts, Renaissance Resort Okinawa, Okinawa Prefectural Products Public Corporation and Okinawa Bussan Enterprise Union. After Okinawa's reversion to Japan in 1972, Plaza House was designated an approved store under Okinawa's tourism tax-refund system and functioned as a kind of duty-free shop until the system was abolished in 2002. Today the center remains known for its strongly American atmosphere and hosts tenants including Rogers (with JARDIN, ARENA, PASSAGE and ECOLE), Rogers Food Market, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Getsuen Hanten, Pink House World, Kenny's Beer Restaurant, Shakey's, A&W, Señor Taco, Cinema Plaza House 1954 (a Star Theaters cinema) and a gallery/art space. Former tenants include Okinawa Mitsukoshi Plaza House, Town Plaza Kanehide Plaza House and an au shop.

Plaza House Shopping Center traces its origins to the aftermath of the Battle of Okinawa and the U.S. occupation of the Ryukyu Islands. After U.S. forces landed on Okinawa's main island in April 1945, the military established the Ryukyu Command headquarters in an area known as Rycom, near what is now southern Okinawa City. The former Awase golf course site and the Rycom housing area retained an American suburban character that deeply impressed Okinawans who had lost everything in the war. In August 1950, founder Roger C. Williams opened Rogers (ロージャース) in Shibata-mura-cho, Minato, Tokyo, a store offering imported cosmetics, jewelry, prêt-à-porter and shoes. Its clientele included Mrs. MacArthur, wives of senior military officers, members of the imperial family, business leaders and entertainers, establishing Rogers as a cosmopolitan import business. In September 1953, Royal Trading Co., Ltd. was established in Hong Kong as the parent body for the planned Plaza House shopping center. On July 4, 1954 — American Independence Day — Plaza House Shopping Center opened with a large parking lot in front, having obtained a special license from the Ryukyu Government, initially serving mainly U.S. military personnel and their families. Rogers relocated from Tokyo to Koza (Rycom), the center of the U.S. military presence in Okinawa, and joined the restaurant and gift shop already operating at Plaza House. New stores lined up between the two, creating the prototype of today's center. The low, deep walls that shaded visitors from the harsh Okinawan sun and the zigzag arrangement of stores that encouraged rhythmic circulation were considered highly modern and captivated people of the era. The corridors housed gift shops, a then-rare record shop, an American home appliance store, and the Okinawa branches of airlines including JAL. In January 1959, as Rogers' proprietor Roger C. Williams returned to the United States, Charles C. Shon took over the management, and Rogers became a sister company of Plaza House. From 1960, following the first postwar tourist group from mainland Japan, Plaza House became a shopping course for travel agencies as the only shopping center specializing in foreign goods. In 1962, Plaza House opened a shop inside the Ryukyu Tokyu Hotel, the first full-scale hotel opened in Okinawa, becoming a pioneer of in-hotel shops. From July 1966, the business switched to a foreign capital introduction license, and the customer base expanded to local residents. After Okinawa's reversion to Japan in 1972, Plaza House was designated an approved store under the Okinawa tourism tax-refund system and served as a kind of duty-free shop until the system was abolished in 2002. In 1997, Plaza House Co., Ltd. was established by integrating the three related parties that had managed the facility and operated its core stores. The company also holds A&W Okinawa, which operates the A&W fast-food chain in the prefecture; A&W Okinawa's operations were taken over through a purchase by a Chinese-heritage proprietor who decided to emigrate to Canada ahead of Hong Kong's handover to the People's Republic of China. Today Plaza House remains an active American-style shopping center in Okinawa City, with tenants spanning fashion, food, restaurants, a cinema and a gallery, and it continues to be recognized as Japan's oldest shopping center.

• 2002

  The Okinawa tourism tax-refund system is abolished, ending Plaza House's role as a de facto duty-free shop.

• 1997

  Plaza House Co., Ltd. is established by integrating the three related parties that managed the facility and operated its core stores.

• 1972

  With Okinawa's reversion to Japan, Plaza House is designated an approved store under the Okinawa tourism tax-refund system.

• 1966

  From July, the business switches to a foreign capital introduction license, expanding its customer base to local residents.

• 1962

  Plaza House opens a shop inside the Ryukyu Tokyu Hotel, Okinawa's first full-scale hotel, pioneering in-hotel shops.

• 1960

  Following the first postwar tourist group from mainland Japan, Plaza House becomes a shopping course for travel agencies as the only foreign-goods specialty shopping center.

• 1959

  Charles C. Shon takes over management of Rogers as Roger C. Williams returns to the United States; Rogers becomes a sister company of Plaza House.

• 1954

  Plaza House Shopping Center opens on July 4, American Independence Day, in Koza (Rycom) under a special license from the Ryukyu Government, initially for U.S. military personnel and families.

• 1953

  Royal Trading Co., Ltd. is established in Hong Kong as the parent body for the Plaza House shopping center.

• 1950

  Roger C. Williams opens Rogers in Shibata-mura-cho, Minato, Tokyo, selling imported cosmetics, jewelry, prêt-à-porter and shoes.

Japan's oldest shopping center; an American-style mall in Okinawa specializing in directly imported luxury and lifestyle goods, with a long history tied to the U.S. military presence and Okinawan tourism.

• Imported luxury fashion and accessories

  Directly imported high-end branded fashion from Europe and the United States, watches, perfume, leather goods, shoes, handbags and lingerie.

• Rogers retail stores

  In-mall fashion stores including JARDIN (women's fashion), ARENA (men's fashion), PASSAGE (women's shoes, bags and perfume) and ECOLE (kids' fashion).

• Rogers Food Market

  Food market succeeding the Town Plaza Kanehide Plaza House store.

• Cinema Plaza House 1954

  Movie theater operated by the Star Theaters chain.

• A&W Okinawa

  Affiliate operating the A&W fast-food chain in Okinawa Prefecture.

1. 1PLAZA HOUSE SHOPPING CENTER official websiteplazahouse.net
2. 2Company | PLAZA HOUSE SHOPPING CENTERplazahouse.net
3. 3Plaza House Shopping Center - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4プラザハウスショッピングセンター - Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org