Arab News Japan

TOKYO: With the Tokyo Olympics in doubt for a long time and tourists banned from Japan, souvenirs of the Tokyo Olympics weren’t in great demand. It was so bad at one point that many leading souvenir stores in Tokyo shut down.

But with the Games closing on Sunday and Japan exceeding all expectations in the sporting events, official goods for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics have been selling well.

The atmosphere of the Olympics has changed entirely in Japan, and it seems more and more people want a souvenir as a memory of the Olympics. The rush of Japanese medals has helped to increase sales.

At the end of April last year, 89 Olympics souvenir stores were in operation in Japan. However, as of June 1 this year, 33 closed down, including two leading stores in Narita Airport. The Tokyo 2020 organizing committee attributed the closure to the spread of COVID-19.

Currently, about 21 official shops are selling official goods in Tokyo. Further, some supermarkets set up corners for the Olympic souvenirs for customers.

Products on sale include mugs, umbrellas, pens, pins, notebooks with the Olympic logo cover, and T-shirts.

Goods featuring the official mascot character Miraitowa are popular, along with small stuffed toys.

There are 67 official shops nationwide and 21 in Tokyo. Inside the 70-square-meter Yurakucho store near the ritzy Ginza district, 1,200 kinds of goods, including T-shirts, towels, chopsticks, and masks decorated with Olympic emblems, were displayed.

As Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games are around the corner, the momentum created by the Olympics opts to activate this souvenir business, market sources predict.