37°by Ishizuka: Stylish Eyewear and Superior Service

Published: October 1, 2019

For 50 years now 37° by Ishizuka has been purveying quality glasses, watches, jewelry, and much more to the residents of Koto-ku, mostly from its current location on Sunamachi Ginza, the famed shopping street in the centre of the ward. On a recent late-summer morning I dropped in for a chat with the assistant shop manager, Ms. Tomomi Ishizuka.

 

 

The Ishizuka group traces its beginnings back to a single glasses shop opened in the western Tokyo area of Suginami by Ms. Ishizuka’s mother and father, the current chairman. After moving to Sunamachi Ginza, the business thrived and expansion soon followed, with the group now boasting five shops, all in Koto-ku. The selection of products, reasonable pricing and top-quality service have led to the enormous popularity of the shops among the residents of the ward. It’s a real Koto-ku success story!

 

 

As befits the flagship store, the variety of glasses is extremely wide, from cutting-edge Japanese technology and materials to the latest fashions from Europe, the US, and the rest of the world. Ms. Ishizuka explains that the current eyewear trend among Japanese designers is rounded lenses in thin frames.

 

 

Totally unique and available only at Ishizuka group shops are these remarkable glasses in the Nakamura Kanzaburo range. The glasses brand of the immensely popular late kabuki actor and scion of the Nakamura family, the frames are made from sheep horn. “They look heavy but are actually very light,” explains Ms. Ishizuka, “Because the sheep horn is a natural material the body heat of the wearer causes the frame to fit better over time.” Very classy indeed.

 

 

Another popular range is Samurai Sho, the eyewear brand of the dapper, tough-guy actor Show Aikawa. A household name in Japan, Mr. Aikawa is perhaps best known to international audiences for his roles in the movies of Takashi Miike and Kiyoshi Kurosawa. He is well-known for sporting these half-rim glasses with a slanting upper frame. If you’re in the mood for channeling your inner yakuza movie star, then these frames would be perfect!

 

 

Perhaps the most remarkable of all the various bifocals are these Line Art by Charmant ladies’ glasses. Constructed with Excellence Titan, the company’s patented titanium alloy, the Line Art frames are both extremely durable and astonishingly flexible.

 

 

Ms. Ishizuka bends the frames hither and yon without any damage at all. Incredible!

 

 

The number of domestic and global brands available at 37° by Ishizuka is astonishing: Gucci, Katharine Hamnett, Tom Ford, Charmant, Anna Sui, Seiko, Bulgari, Lanvin, Holemans, Grès, Polaris, Herrlicht, Tiffany, Mario Alessi, Daks, Dunhill, Rodenstock, Tony Same and many, many more. Whatever your requirements, there’s eyewear for everyone here.

 

 

Summer may be officially over but the sunlight is still strong enough to make shades a necessity. You can’t go wrong with these two classic brands. Wise shoppers will also keep an eye out for late season discount sales when the fine Indian summer weather finally fades into autumn.

 

 

Customers can have their eyes tested for free, irrespective of whether they make a purchase.

 

 

It’s not all high fashion brands at 37° by Ishizuka though. For a very reasonable 6,980 yen you can pick up a set of colourful frames and lenses.

 

 

“Our second main business line is jewelry,” explains Ms. Ishizuka. There’s a wide range available for all occasions including pearls, gold and silver accessories, formal jewelry, casual items and wedding or engagement rings.

 

 

The pearls, both white and grey, are stunningly beautiful.

 

 

While eyeglasses may not be a regular gift, jewelry, watches, and bags most certainly are. There’s a fine selection of wristwatches, from the massive, chunky faces of the Police brand to the cool, polished stainless steel of Seiko.

 

 

37° by Ishizuka offers an intriguing jewelry remodeling service. If your old pieces are out of style but have sentimental value why not have them remodeled into something more contemporary? Or you could even just sell them, in yet another service offered by the store.

 

 

While eyeglasses may not be a regular gift, jewelry, watches and bags most certainly are. There’s a fine selection of wristwatches, from the massive, chunky faces of the Police brand to the cool, polished stainless steel of Seiko.

 

 

The German company Feiler, one of the world’s leading makers of terry and chenille bags, towels and other items remains immensely popular in Japan.

 

 

These eyewear cleaning cloths in distinctive Japanese designs make for an unusual souvenir.

 

 

Or even a traditional strap!

 

 

The service at 37° by Ishizuka is exemplary and the professional knowledge as deep as one would expect from a company with 50 years of experience. Whatever your needs, from eyewear to earrings or even a hearing aid, Ms. Ishizuka and her superior staff such as Mr. Matsuzawa here, are always ready to assist.

 

 

Story and Photos by Stephen Spencer