The Aeon Group has created Japan’s largest commercial monument to the recent eco boom—in the form of the Aeon Lake Town Shopping Center. The center is comprised of two separate complexes, Mori (forest) managed by Aeon Retail Co. Ltd. and Kaze (wind) managed by Aeon Mall Co. Ltd. In between the two is an artificial lake (three times the size of Tokyo’s famous “Shinobazu no Ike” pond), also designed for flood control.
The concept for the center, Hito to Shizen ni Kokochi Ii, translates roughly as “people and nature feeling good together” and Aeon is billing the space as Japan’s biggest “eco shopping center.” What does that mean? At 220,000 square meters (and with five times the number of shops as Tokyo Dome) Lake Town certainly is large, but attempting to minimize its footprint just the same.
Furthermore, the space packs in green not only on landscaped lawns and centrally located inside planters, but also built into some of the “green walls,” a trend we’ve seen emerging in the last couple of years. Lake Town also uses solar panels and a hybrid gas eco system (the first of its kind in Japan). The combined efforts of these various eco-friendly systems results in an estimated 20% reduction in carbon emissions.
While not useful for the majority of drivers at this point, Lake Town also features Japan’s first consumer-ready charging station for electric vehicles. 30 minutes charging (presumably while they’re shopping) is good for 120 kilometers (75 miles) on an 80% charge.
Meanwhile, the space (and website) seeks a roll in dispatching the latest products and news from the ecology movement. Additional keywords include walkable (get those pedometers ready), universal design, and community space—the latter including the Act Green meeting and information room and a sunset terrace at Lake Town.
Trend Potential
Eco concepts mixed with retail are certainly more palatable to the public, especially in times when at least the perception of environmental catastrophe is real in their minds. Japan is doing much in both the technology and the marketing of the environmental message. We explore Japanese eco trends in more depth and compare them to other global examples in the Trendpool.
As part of its newfound bankrupcy status, Ritz Camera’s gearing up to close more than 300 of its around 700 brick-and-mortar stores across the US, or about 43 percent of its retail presence. Starting April 4th, the affect stores will begin liquidation sales that’ll go on until — in the words of the press release — “everything is sold to the bare walls.” Forget DSLRs, if you were needing any fancy, brick-and-mortal shelving units, now might be your chance! Hit up the read link for a PDF listing all the closing stores.
It goes out with a pained mumble—not quite a whisper, definitely not a bang. Today, after 50 years, 
Reader Sean sends in these photos taken outside his local 
