Just a few days remain until the Reiwa era starts on May 1 and the marketing war tapping into Heisei nostalgia is at its peak. Reproductions of food and goods that became big hits in the last 30 years are gaining in popularity, as are golden oldies at karaoke venues. All of this is likely to lead to a rise in consumption across many generations.
Karaoke chain Pasela has created a list of 80 hit songs covering every year in the Heisei era for some stores in the Tokyo metropolitan area. It distributes this list to customers who order a multicourse meal looking back on Heisei. Among the songs listed are Hibari Misora's "Kawa no Nagare no Yoni" (Like a river flows) from 1989, the first year of the Heisei era, and the Southern All Stars' "Tsunami" from 2000.
Pasela customers who come with their hair done in "tosaka maegami" permed bangs like the kind pop idol Shizuka Kudo and others made fashionable around 1990 will receive 3 percent off courses, reflecting the consumption tax rate at that time. For those who come in the "ganguro" makeup look popular in the late 1990s receive 5 percent off courses. These discounts are available until April 30, the last day of the Heisei era.
"Music represents the era," said a male office worker in Tokyo. "I want to enjoy the taste of the Heisei meal, while looking at the list of songs from that era."
When the era name of Showa ended and Heisei began, a mood of self-restraint prevailed, and commercial competition was limited. This time, in contrast, the government could announce when the new era would begin more than a year ago. The amount of preparation time for product planning is also boosting competition.
In the stationery industry, Kokuyo Co.'s Campus Notebook and Showa Note Co.'s Japonica Learning Book will be reprinted in small notepad sizes with successive historical designs to be sold in limited quantities. These are mainly intended for middle-aged people who are nostalgic for their school days.
Lotte Co. is now conducting a popular vote of the 24 flavors of Yukimi Daifuku ice cream wrapped in mochi released in the last 30 years. The No. 1 flavor will be revealed and released in January next year.
Major tour bus operator Hato Bus Co. has created a plan titled "One day to follow the royal family," which will be held at the end of this month. Participants take a walk around the Imperial Palace while a storyteller explains the history from the Edo period.
Sociology Prof. Masahiro Yamada of Chuo University said, "With the spread of SNS, there is also a growing desire to let others know what you are enjoying, which will help boost consumption."
Changing spending patterns
The Heisei era, which began in 1989 during the bubble economy, was also a period when domestic consumption patterns gradually changed.
According to the Family Income and Expenditure Survey by the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry, the annual consumption expenditure per household of two or more people was about 3.6 million yen in 1989, but decreased to about 3.4 million yen in 2018. An economist said, "The main factor is that wages did not rise" due to corporate downsizing after the burst of the bubble economy and global competition.
What people spend money on has changed dramatically. In particular, the proportion spent on "transportation and communication" increased from 10 percent in 1989 to 15 percent in 2018, due to the spread of the internet and smartphones. With the aging population, "medical care" also increased from 3 percent to 5 percent. On the other hand, "clothing and footwear" was halved from 8 percent to 4 percent. With consumers' desire to save money and increased communication costs, low-cost and mass-produced fast fashion has become popular, with the Uniqlo and Zara brands as typical examples.
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