Japan Market Update

The last activity we hold for members each year in Japan is the Nikkei Architectural and Construction Materials Show at Tokyo Big Sight in early March. This year’s show was held from March 8th through 11th and we once again had a strong group of members and Canada Wood partners in the BC Wood organized Canadian pavilion. Six BC Wood members took part in the pavilion showcasing products ranging from structural lumber and engineered wood to finishing materials, furniture, WRC, and 2×4 home packages. We maintained our WRC inspired central reception display, which featured traditional Japanese wood connection art created by the famous Japanese designer Hiroyuki Takamura, who tragically passed away a week before the show. This space always draws in show visitors both with its visual as well as aromatic appeal.

The power of the Nikkei Newspaper brand and organization always ensures that this will be a well-attended show. This year saw 208,195 visitors over the four days. It is important to note that this show is for industry professionals only, so the attendance is not inflated by consumers. The show is very popular with architects and designers and in particular those involved with commercial and retail space design. We were not only happy to see the strong attendance figures, but also the positive mood of the attendees. With preparations for the 2020 Olympics in full swing and 2015 showing another record year for inbound tourism, resort, and hospitality facilities, overseas guests were one of the main topics discussed by visitors to the show.