Victorinox

Kanto | Tokyo - Shibuya Ward

Architecture & Design

For more than 130 years, the original creators of Switzerland’s signature tool have increasingly diversified their products and design. And what better place than the Japanese archipelago to showcase their innovations?

A Swiss icon

In Switzerland, it is often assumed that everyone, at some point in life, has owned at least one. In 1897, Swiss cutler Karl Elsener, based in Ibach (canton of Schwyz), patented an unusual object of functional design that would forever change the image of Switzerland: the original “Swiss Officer’s and Sports Knife”, known around the world today as the “Swiss Army Knife”.

Soon flanked with a trademark Swiss-like blazon (the cross and shield) and a name that combines the first name of Elsener’s late mother Victoria and stainless steel (inox) - a revolutionary new material, Victorinox multi-purpose knives took over the world throughout the 19th century. Thanks to their precision engineering and durability, they quickly became the favorites of the Swiss Army, of US soldiers stationed in Europe after World War II, of the NASA, or of casual explorers seeking for a convenient yet light all-in-one tool to follow them in their adventures.

From Swiss to Japanese pockets

At the turn of the new millennium, in addition to an abundance of variations on the original pocketknife in every color and tool combination conceivable, Victorinox decided to put its creativity to generate new products, such as timepieces, travel bags, and fragrances aimed at conquering new foreign markets. Nevertheless, it has never betrayed its core values: quality, functionality, innovation, and iconic design! And what other country than Japan to apply such principles?

In 2011, the release of the multipurpose model specifically redesigned by a Japanese designer, had already been a notable effort of the Swiss company to adapt to the Japanese market. On July 7, 2017, however, Victorinox took another important step by opening a new large Japanese store in Harajuku, Tokyo’s trendy area, which offers new shopping experiences and a wider selection of products and services that target female and younger consumers as well. Yet another evidence of the Swiss company’s impressive expansion in Japan!

Cutting-edge design all over Japan

As of April 2019, aside from 4 franchise stores nationwide, there are 18 Victorinox stores in Japan. In Harajuku Jingumae Store as well as in other stores, customers have the possibility to choose their pocket knife from over hundreds of models, including the Standard Spartan (12 functions), Explorer (16 functions) and Classic SD (7 functions). They can also select their favorite engravable handles of their favorite color to make the one and only original multipurpose knife by using the Handle Select Service provided at the latest brand stores (Harajuku Jingumae Store, Ginza Store, Grand Front Osaka Store and Sapporo Factory Store). In addition, numerous household and professional kitchen knives in all shapes and colors are available, and can even be tried out by customers themselves!

Of course, Swiss-made quality watches (including the “I.N.O.X. collection” that have cleared no less than 130 severe tests), a wide range of travel and business bags with practical compartments, and an exclusive fragrances collection for both men and women are also featured in the stores, which at each visit unmistakably convey the impressive dynamism of Swiss design, innovation, and quality in Tokyo… and in Japan as a whole!