If you've spent any time in one of Japan's major cities, you're likely to have come across it: the bright yellow signage, the boxy font, the stubby blue penguin in a night cap. I'm talking about Don Quijote, one of Japan's most iconic discount store chains.
Upon entering any Don Quijote store, you’re immediately bombarded by a barrage of sights, sounds, and shelves stacked high with random and fascinating goods. But before you categorize Don Quijote as another crazy Japanese store full of weird things, you should know there is a purpose behind all the chaos.
Founder Takao Yasuda created Don Quijote with the customer’s experience in mind. He asked himself: what would get people to choose this store over other retail options and open up their wallets once inside? His answer came down to three principles that are at the heart of every Don Quijote store.
The first two principles are convenience and bargains, which are pretty obvious when you think about it. All Don Quijote stores open late into the night, with some even open 24 hours. In addition, the stores stock practically any item a customer may need or want. Out of toilet paper? They’ve got it. Souvenirs? Yup. Brand-name luxury items? The real deal. Cosplay supplies? Only the largest selection in the world. And being a discount chain, most of the items in a Don Quijote are cheaper than what you'll find elsewhere. It strives to be the ultimate one-stop bargain shop.
It doesn't mean you'll find what you need or want easily though. On the contrary, Don Quijote intentionally makes it harder to find what you are looking for. The store's floor-to-ceiling shelves, narrow aisles, and illogical layout are all part of the master plan. It's no accident when you find yourself wandering, disoriented, from floor to floor searching for shampoo only to end up with a body pillow, a jacket for your dog, and six different types of Kit Kats in your basket.
And this is where we see the third, more subtle principle at work: amusement.
All about your experience
While it can be frustrating when you can’t find what you’re looking for — especially if you’re in a rush — something about navigating aimlessly through the store, surrounded by walls of interesting goods is, admittedly, kind of fun. Yasuda’s goal for Don Quijote stores is that they not only meet your material needs, they also serve to intrigue, delight, and entertain you.
In other words, Yasuda doesn’t just want you to go on a shopping trip, he wants you to go on a shopping adventure. Aisles packed high with different inventory all crammed together isn’t because the stores don’t have space — it’s because they want you to feel like you’ve entered another world and need to explore what you might find there.
While most Japanese retailers are all about minimalism and efficiency, Don Quijote is about giving you such a feast for your senses that you’re compelled to take your time. They want you to comb every aisle and be tempted to buy things you didn't know you desperately needed (and it usually works). When you leave the store, there's often the feeling you've missed out on something and if you had only weaved through the aisles a bit more, you'd have found The Perfect Thing. And so you end up going back, time and time again.
Don Quijote’s attempts to entertain customers isn’t just limited to how they arrange their merchandise in store. Unlike most Japanese retailers where every location is virtually identical, Yasuda empowers each store to operate independently and do what they think is best for their local clientele. That's why every Don Quijote you visit embodies the same overall spirit — adventure, chaos, amusement — but has its own unique flavor (for example, the location at Osaka's Dotonbori even has a giant ferris wheel people can ride!)
Embrace the chaos
The aim of Don Quijote is to get you to stop thinking about the stores as a means to an end. Instead, the point is to see the stores themselves as your destination, and shopping in them the attraction, much like going to an amusement park or zoo.
So the next time you're in a Don Quijote and feel frustrated or annoyed because you're lost and can't find what you're looking for, take a step back, and remember that it's all part of the experience. Remind yourself that being in a Don Quijote isn't just about marking things off your shopping list — it's about embarking on an adventure filled with excitement, surprise, and wonder.
Happy shopping!
Written by Jen Cheng
The opinions expressed in the above article do not reflect the views of JNTO. All content and images are property of the writer unless otherwise specified.
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