Japan Post Co. on Thursday opened a large commercial center in a prime location in Fukuoka in a bid to capitalize on a national tourism boom.
The KITTE Hakata retail and restaurant facility is located on an old post office site in front of JR Hakata Station. Japan Post, a unit of Japan Post Holdings Co., opened a similar facility in Tokyo in 2013.
KITTE Hakata, an 11-story building with a total floor space of around 65,000 sq. meters, accommodates about 180 shops and restaurants.
As a major tenant, department store chain Marui Group Co. occupies the first through seventh floors, while Fast Retailing Co. has opened a Uniqlo casual clothing store in the mall.
The facility opened at 10:30 a.m., 30 minutes earlier than scheduled, after around 600 people lined up in the rain.