Seiko’s history begins with K. Hattori & Co., a watch and clock shop founded in Ginza in 1881. The brand has grown to lead Japanese watchmakers in competing with and surpassing competitors worldwide. Since registering its SEIKO trademark in 1924, the company has unveiled revolutionary technological developments and made its way into history books as a provider of stopwatches for international sports events. Even today, their contributions to timekeeping technology show no signs of winding down, as they produce even more precise and useful timepieces.

Seiko’s legacy of watchmaking can still be felt in Ginza, with the Seiko Dream Square store in Ginza’s center. The first thing you’ll see as you walk in the door is their “big dial window,” a Seiko history display designed to be reminiscent of the clock tower. Its CG visuals tell the tale of Seiko and Ginza’s interactions and feature sketches from Seiko designers, setting the scene of their “tactile showroom.”

Some of the big SEIKO-logo brands you’ll find at Seiko Dream Square are their PROSPEX, PRESAGE, KING SEIKO, ASTRON, LUKIA, and SEIKO 5 Sports lines. Each floor of the store shows you another side of Seiko tailored to the featured brands. Throughout the entire facility are touchpanels and other interactive experiences that can teach you about Seiko’s history and other neat facts.

Let’s take a look at two of the brands at Seiko Dream Square that are particularly popular amongst visitors to Japan.

First is PROSPEX, with its signature black and yellow colors, featured on the second floor. This brand was introduced in 1965 as Japan’s first domestically produced diving watch, with the philosophy “Keep Moving Forward.” Today, the brand has branched out from not only divers, but also hikers, mountain climbers, runners, other athletes, and outdoors enthusiasts. The sleek design of PROSPEX watches works even in a business context.

The strikingly-styled PROSPEX space features the history of pioneering athletes and adventurers who were supported by PROSPEX watches. Showcases feature the latest and most popular models. You’ll even find the very same model of watch worn by major leaguer, Shohei Ohtani, Seiko’s current PROSPEX brand ambassador.

One characteristic of the PROSPEX brand is how each of its series is made to specialize in a specific field. You may recall that the brand was originally for diving watches – the “Diver Scuba” series inherits Seiko’s waterproofing history and expertise. The key to PROSPEX’s popularity is how, even with all their powerful features, their design is slick, unassuming, and enough to become a part of our life.

The SPEEDTIMER series draws from Seiko’s history of international competition-recognized precision stopwatches and their pioneering Chronograph watches that incorporate stopwatch functionality. The series’ design is inherited from one of Seiko’s masterpieces, the 1969 SPEEDTIMER. Reportedly, the models with modern solar power tech are wildly popular.

While PROSPEX watches have all the functions to support athletes and outdoor activities, they’re just as great a fit for business and your everyday life. See if you can find a model that suits you from their variety of designs, colors, and patterns.

Reaching the store’s third floor, we find a totally different world. Clean white dominates the view, and showcases are built of natural wood, creating a tasteful, inviting atmosphere. This is where we encounter Seiko’s PRESAGE brand, a tribute to Japanese aesthetic sensibility in the form of mechanical watches . This brand is the torchbearer for Seiko’s mechanical watches and their century-spanning tradition.

The series has its own characteristics. The “Craftsmanship Series” includes traditional Japanese craftwork in the manufacturing process of their dials. These crafts include horo enameled metal, urushi lacquer, Arita-yaki ceramic, and shippo glazing. With the inclusion of real Japanese crafts, these truly are timepieces you wouldn’t find anywhere else in the world.

Of particular note in the Craftsmanship Series is the uniquely subtle gloss and warmth of the horo dial model. Each dial is hand-made and glazed by an experienced craftsman, making each dial a unique work of art. Seiko’s first wristwatch model, the 1913 Laurel, was similarly made with white horo. Reportedly, vintage Laurel models and their coloration are beautiful even to this day. These are the kind of watches that will be beautiful even after a century of use.

Next, we have the “Sharp Edged Series,” remarkable for their sharp silhouette and sleek stylishness. The dial’s bewitchingly beautiful, ridged pattern is styled like hemp leaves. This pattern comes straight from Japanese tradition: given the tenacity and quick growth of the hemp plant, it is historically associated with fortune in growth and success. The dial colors are all in tune with traditional Japanese hues, like navy iron and silk white, keeping the design harmonious with Japanese aesthetics.

The people at Seiko Dream Square are one more reason we recommend this store for purchasing Seiko watches. The staff are knowledgeable, experienced, and wonderfully hospitable: no matter where you’re from, it’s their pleasure to help you. “Which model would work best in this scene?” “What model would look best on me?” Feel free to ask any such question s and get help finding a watch that best suits you.

There are some other special perks when you shop at Seiko Dream Square. Your purchases will be wrapped in an original furoshiki, the pattern for which shows a map of the surrounding Ginza area. In this way, you can instantly get a great gift for someone important to you or a souvenir for your trip. An included guide shares ideas for ways to use the furoshiki after unwrapping, like how to make a table accent or even a handbag. Why the traditional furoshiki wrapping? Staff say it’s another chance to share Japanese culture with customers.

We would be remiss to not mention the Kansai area Seiko Boutique locations. You can discover the same limited edition watches and the main brands at Seiko Boutiques in Osaka at Shinsaibashi or Grand Front Osaka (a commercial complex in Osaka near Osaka Station), and in Kyoto’s Shijo shopping district. If your sightseeing brings you to Osaka or Kyoto, we recommend you stop by.

From the center of Ginza, Seiko Dream Square is the Seiko brand’s beacon to the world. This is the premiere spot to encounter the history, tradition, and majesty of Seiko wristwatches, and we would love for you to pay it a visit. Particularly so, as readers of LIVE JAPAN will receive special perks for visiting.