KEMA JAPAN recently held its first pop-up shop at Tsuruya Department Store, a long-established and iconic department store in Kumamoto Prefecture. The event took place during Golden Week, from Wednesday, April 29th (a national holiday) to Monday, May 5th (a national holiday), 2026. Bringing KEMA, our Korean liposomal hair care brand, to a location that symbolizes the quality and prestige of Kumamoto—the heart of Kyushu—marked a major milestone for us. In this report, we share the background of this pop-up, the significance of Tsuruya Department Store, and a look at our booth during the event.

— 01 — The Venue: Tsuruya Department Store in Kumamoto

Founded in 1952, Tsuruya Department Store is Kumamoto's representative long-established department store. With the slogan "A local department store offering a high-quality lifestyle," it celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2022. Its history, having grown alongside the city of Kumamoto and remaining close to the lives of its citizens, is truly part of Kumamoto's culture itself.

Tsuruya operates across four facilities: the Main Building, the East Building, and the nearby New-S and WING buildings. The department store's total sales floor area reaches 76,592 square meters, ranking it among the largest in Japan. It is located in the Shimotori district, the heart of Kumamoto's city center, near Kumamoto Castle.

Situated right where the Kumamoto City Tram runs and directly connected to the shopping arcade, the location is the true center of the city. It has long been cherished by locals as a "go-to destination for special occasions" and by visitors as a "place to discover the quality of Kumamoto." Today, as the only department store in Kumamoto City, it serves as a hub for regional culture.

The character of "The Land of Fire," Kumamoto

With the grand nature of Mt. Aso, pure water, and a warm-hearted populace, Kumamoto—known as the "Land of Fire"—is located almost in the center of Kyushu and has long served as a strategic point for transportation and culture. To bring the KEMA worldview to the people of Kumamoto, who possess an aesthetic sense nurtured by rich nature and a keen eye for authenticity, was deeply meaningful for our brand.

Advanced hair care technology from Korea meets the refined sensibilities of Kumamoto. With the hope that these two worlds, seemingly far apart, would come together to create a new form of beauty, we knocked on the doors of Tsuruya Department Store.

— 02 — Pop-up in the First-Floor Cosmetics Corner

For this event, KEMA was located in a corner of the first-floor cosmetics section of Tsuruya's Main Building. In a department store, the first floor is the "face" of the establishment, and its cosmetics section is a special space that discerning customers visit first.

We set up our KEMA booth among an impressive lineup of brands including SUQQU, COVERMARK, ADDICTION, and COACH. To ensure we held our own against the presence of these famous neighbors, we created an elegant, eye-catching space using fixtures based on our brand color, bronze, and a gold KEMA logo sign.

Booth Layout

To convey the KEMA worldview as effectively as possible within a limited space, we divided the booth into two main zones.

One was the hair care product zone, where our flagship Miracle Bond Balm, Leave-in Balm, Crema Shampoo, Crema Treatment Black, and Penta S Oil were displayed alongside visual posters. The other was the SPASYS hair iron zone, where we displayed the professional-grade DBST-24 and AIO models, allowing customers to pick them up and feel their quality.

— 03 — Hair Care Line Display

In the hair care zone, we featured five products that represent KEMA. Visual panels were placed for each item, designed to convey the products' features and usage sensations at a glance.

What particularly captured customers' interest was KEMA’s iconic Miracle Bond Balm. The philosophy of "Maximum hydration, protects against heat & helps seal split ends. For severely damaged hair" resonated deeply with those struggling with significant hair damage.

We also showcased the professional-grade Crema series. Copy such as "Salon-quality results start with this shampoo" and "Transforming luxury into hair structure. With charcoal and 17 amino acids" expressed KEMA's philosophy of bringing "salon quality to your home."