Developer GuocoLand has announced it will be bringing a world first to Singapore, the tourist-themed Japan Rail Cafe.
It is among a range of new-to-market F&B concepts comprising 70 per cent of retail space at Tanjong Pagar Centre.
Run by Japan’s largest rail company, East Japan Railway Company (JR East), the Japan Rail Cafe is set to open in the fourth quarter this year. It will offer customers an experience of Japanese culture through kawaii (Japanese for “cute”) products, gourmet food and in-store educational workshops.
It will also feature items and services to encourage travel to Japan, such as travel itinerary recommendations, ticket counters for train passes, and pop-up displays of tourist destinations, in collaboration with the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO).
“We decided to open our world-first tourism-themed cafe in Singapore as we believe Singapore travellers are extremely experienced, adventurous and will influence travel trends,” says Japan Rail Cafe GM Makoto Yamataka.
GuocoLand says the venture will enhance Tanjong Pagar Centre as a “transit-oriented development” – a mixed-use residential and commercial space designed to maximise access to public transport. When completed in the third quarter, the 290m-high centre will become Singapore’s tallest building, and introduce many other F&B concepts.
It will also bring in new-to-market brands including Korean restaurant SBCD Tofu House, The Little Island serving Penang-style cuisine, and Chalong serving Thai fusion bentos.
Included in the project is a 150,000 sqft (13,935 sqm) landscaped urban park, which will offer even more F&B outlets in an al-fresco dining environment under a 16m-high glass canopy.
