Onitsuka Tiger Returns to its Hometown

Japanese legendary sports fashion brand Onitsuka Tiger will open a flagship store in Kobe, where the brand was born in 1949, on November 25.

Onitsuka Tiger Kobe is located in the Kyukyoryuchi district where foreign merchants lived when the port of Kobe was first opened in the 1860s. Contrasting with the stone facade, the store interior is a mixture of Japanese classic and modern. The use of paperboards decorated with crafted wood creates a feel of a traditional house with a sophisticated touch.

Like all other stores worldwide, Onitsuka Tiger Kobe will hold a full range of Onitsuka Tiger product lines including footwear, apparel and accessories.

Onitsuka Tiger Kobe is the 11th store in Japan and 19th worldwide. It follows a series of openings that marks the biggest domestic expansion since the first store in Tokyo’s Daikanyama district was opened in 2003. In 2006, including Kobe, a total seven new stores in Japan have been opened.

The upcoming opening in the Japanese harbor town and the recent opening of Onitsuka Tiger Kyoto on October 15 reinforce the brand’s presence in the Kansai region.

Onitsuka Tiger Kyoto can be found along the Takasegawa River in centrally located Sanjoukawaramachi. The B1 floor space of Times Building, designed by the famous Japanese architect Tadao Ando in 1984, offers visitors a view of the small river and the bustling atmosphere in the area.

The traditions of Kyoto and the modern and young vibe in the neighborhood mirror the Onitsuka Tiger tradition of combining heritage and contemporary design.

Store Details

Onitsuka Tiger Kobe
Address: Nihon Building, 79 Banchi Kyoumachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe 650-0034
Telephone: 078-333-0577
Store Hours: 11:00 - 20:00

Onitsuka Tiger Kyoto
Address: Times Building, 92 Nakajima-cho, Sanjo-dori Kawaramachi, Higashi-iru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8004
Telephone: 075-211-8881
Store Hours: 11:00 - 20:00

About the Onitsuka Tiger Brand

In 1949, Kihachiro Onitsuka established Onitsuka Co. Ltd., the forerunner of ASICS. An idealist, he wanted to promote youth health through sports. Regular consultation with sportsmen and their coaches helped him to make the best sports shoes in Japan. Since then Onitsuka Tiger shoes have played a part in most major Marathons and Olympic games.

Onitsuka Tiger footwear production stopped when ASICS was established in 1977 through the merger of Onitsuka Co. Ltd., and two other companies. The company name ASICS came from the acronym of the Latin phrase Anima Sana In Corpore Sano, meaning "a sound mind in a sound body."

In 2001, as a commitment to the lifestyle market, ASICS Corporation launched the Onitsuka Tiger brand as a lifestyle footwear brand. Two years later, Onitsuka Tiger apparel and accessories were released.

The legend from the late 1940s continues today. Based on the original sports shoes, Onitsuka Tiger combines its unique Japanese heritage with contemporary design.

Onitsuka Tiger stores in Japan - in historical order:

1. Onitsuka Tiger Tokyo (Daikanyama) 2003
2. Onitsuka Tiger Ginza 2005
3. Onitsuka Tiger Fukuoka 2005
4. Onitsuka Tiger Osaka (Shinsaibashi) 2005
5. Onitsuka Tiger Roppongi Hills 2006
6. Onitsuka Tiger Sendai 2006
7. Onitsuka Tiger Sapporo 2006
8. Onitsuka Tiger Namba Parks 2006
9. Onitsuka Tiger Shibuya Parco 2006
10. Onitsuka Tiger Kyoto 2006
11. Onitsuka Tiger Kobe 2006

Onitsuka Tiger stores abroad - in historical order:

1. Onitsuka Tiger Myeong-Dong (Seoul) 2004
2. Onitsuka Tiger E-Dae (Seoul) 2004
3. Onitsuka Tiger Kwangbok (Busan) 2004
4. Onitsuka Tiger Galleria Department Apgujung (Seoul) 2004
5. Onitsuka Tiger Paris 2005
6. Onitsuka Tiger London 2005
7. Onitsuka Tiger Sydney 2005
8. Onitsuka Tiger Berlin 2006