Emina Barnes, the visionary founder of Eikuru Ltd. and Select JAPAN Exhibit, has spent over a decade crafting pathways for Japanese businesses to expand into international markets. With her deep-rooted expertise in bridging cultures and business practices, Barnes saw an opportunity to leverage her own company’s success to help small and medium-sized Japanese enterprises break into global markets. Eikuru began as a resource for language support and small business trading between Japan and the UK, helping companies navigate the complexities of international expansion. This experience laid the foundation for Select JAPAN, an exhibition designed to introduce high-quality Japanese products to European buyers while minimizing the financial burden for smaller companies, offering a cost-effective and strategic approach to global outreach.
One of the pivotal moments for Barnes and her team was the decision to showcase Japanese products at the prestigious Top Drawer London event, a leading trade fair that brings together retailers, buyers, and designers from all over Europe. For years, smaller Japanese businesses have faced the daunting challenge of participating in such events due to high costs, leaving many without the opportunity to tap into the European market.
Through the Select JAPAN Exhibit at Top Drawer, Barnes was able to offer a solution that combines the strengths of her company’s expertise in trade show logistics, market research, and customer relationship management. By curating a collective exhibition space, Eikuru provided an affordable and impactful way for several Japanese businesses to make their mark in a competitive international market.
In this Q&A, we dive into the details of Barnes’s journey from launching Eikuru to the realization of her dream with Select JAPAN at Top Drawer. Barnes shares her insights into why this exhibition was such a crucial step in her mission to support Japanese businesses abroad, the challenges that smaller companies face when expanding internationally, and the long-term vision she has for both Select JAPAN and Eikuru.
Barnes’s answers provide invaluable lessons for businesses looking to break into new markets and offer a unique perspective on the power of strategic partnerships in creating lasting global connections.
Bridges: You’ve mentioned that “Select JAPAN” is the culmination of a 10-year dream. Can you share what sparked this vision and why participating in Top Drawer was so crucial for you and Eikuru? What personal significance does this milestone hold and how does it connect to your broader mission of supporting Japanese businesses?
Emina Barnes: The concept of Select JAPAN is to provide a place to introduce Japanese products to European buyers and offer opportunities for Japanese manufacturers looking to expand their business overseas. The vision was inspired by the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. As a British company but a Japanese manager, I wondered what I could do for Japan. Since then, Eikuru has supported Japanese companies in advancing to overseas exhibitions for over 10 years. Exhibiting at trade shows is one of the most efficient ways to introduce products to buyers and the UK market.
While the number of small and medium-sized companies wishing to expand their business overseas, including in the UK, is increasing, not many can afford the high costs of exhibiting on their own. We realized that Eikuru’s support for these companies was insufficient, so we explored how to help them take the first step into overseas expansion with low cost and minimal risk. The result was the joint exhibition as Select JAPAN. Eikuru took the lead in signing the exhibition contract, designing the booth, procuring furniture and fixtures, sending invitation emails to buyers, and carrying out marketing activities.
In addition, during the event, everything from booth construction to stand attendance, sales activities, and booth removal was handled by our own staff, reducing expenses. As a result, we were able to have five Japanese companies exhibit at the Top Drawer trade fair at a very low price. Our next goal is to make more companies aware of this project and to expand the scale so that we can accept all companies that wish to participate.
Many smaller Japanese companies struggle to break into the global market. How does “Select JAPAN” and the joint exhibition model specifically address these challenges? What unique advantages does Eikuru offer in helping these businesses participate in events like Top Drawer, gain valuable market feedback, and establish lasting connections with international buyers?
Those interested in entering the global market tend to hesitate to take the first step due to the humility typical of the Japanese. They wonder if their products will sell on the world stage and if they’ll be well evaluated. From a global perspective, the passion and sincerity that Japanese people have towards their products is amazing. They produce them with genuine care for the people who will use them.
It feels strange that these products are sold at lower prices than in other countries due to the weak yen. In Japan, there are countless products that should be recognized for their international value. As mentioned earlier, even if Japanese companies want to expand overseas, they tend to be reluctant to take the first step. They cannot make large investments or bold decisions due to uncertainty about success. Traditional exhibiting at trade shows is very costly, but by co-exhibiting with Select JAPAN, companies can take that first step with a “trial feeling.”
Furthermore, when entering a global market, local feedback and research are essential. What products are popular in that country? What categories of buyers like them? How should they be sold? The purpose of your first exhibition is to gather this type of feedback. At Select JAPAN, we collect and analyze that information and consult with companies about their future direction. The advantage of Eikuru is that we are not just a short-term support company; we are a long-term partner, working with companies to develop a strategy to establish their market over time.
Now that you’ve successfully launched “Select JAPAN” at Top Drawer, what are your key takeaways from this experience? What were some of the most valuable insights you gained about the European market, and how will you apply these learnings to make the September 2025 event even more successful? Are there any specific areas you plan to focus on or improve upon?
The lesson learned from the first Select JAPAN project is that ‘persistence is power.’ Eikuru has strong connections with buyers, retailers, and agents thanks to the trust and track record it has built up in the UK over the past 16 years. 80% of the orders placed at this exhibition were from buyers who were already familiar with Eikuru. Because of the trust in Eikuru, even if the products displayed at Select JAPAN were from manufacturers who were new to the market, they trusted Eikuru because they knew the products were from Eikuru.
This is not limited to the European market—trust is the most important thing when doing business. At this exhibition, a total of 150 buyers from various categories visited the Select JAPAN booth, including not only shops but also buyers from the British Museum, Japan House, Japan Gallery, and other art galleries and museums. Therefore, at the next Top Drawer in September, they will be familiar buyers.
Through this visit, they have come to understand that Select JAPAN’s concept and products are of the highest quality. In order to make the Top Drawer in September 2025 even more successful, Eikuru will strengthen its relationship of trust with buyers. Furthermore, for the next exhibition, we will send out invitations and introduce products before the event, arrange as many appointments as possible in advance, and put more effort into building connections with buyers. Rather than simply introducing products, we are also considering researching what kind of Japanese products buyers are looking for and inviting companies that have those products.
For participating companies, continuing to exhibit will lead to further success. This is where the benefits of Eikyuru’s low budget can be fully utilized.
For Japanese companies considering expanding globally, what makes Eikuru an ideal partner for navigating the complexities of international trade shows and market entry? What specific expertise and resources do you bring to the table, and what kind of support can companies expect from Eikuru throughout the entire process, from initial consultation to post-show follow-up?
Companies who work with Eikuru will feel as though we are a part of their company. First and foremost, we spare no time and effort in serving our customers. That may seem like a given, but it’s not always easy to provide detailed support. We hold unlimited online meetings with Japanese companies, and if you request a meeting, we will definitely accommodate.
There may be other support companies out there, but Eikuru’s greatest weapon is this sense of distance. We build relationships of trust with our customers that can truly be called partners. In terms of specialized knowledge and resources, many of Eikuru’s staff have lived in the UK for nearly 20 years and are extremely familiar with British and Japanese tastes, trends, and what sells and doesn’t. Eikuru’s greatest advantage is that we are also a buyer’s company. In addition to exhibiting at trade shows, we travel all over the UK to purchase products and sometimes even go to other countries. In short, we have the perspective and sensibilities of a buyer. And because we are Japanese at heart, we are extremely familiar with the merits of Japanese products and can naturally see the way forward for how to introduce these products.
From the first consultation to after the exhibition, Eikuru always keeps customers updated. ‘Leaving everything to Eikuru’ does not mean ‘before you know it, the exhibition is over.’ We always keep our customers updated on what Eikuru is doing for them and where their exhibition preparations stand, whether it’s booth design concepts, consultation on promotional materials, product displays, or the progress of invitation emails to buyers. This allows our clients to feel at ease when they’ve entrusted Eikuru with their work.
Furthermore, even after the support period ends, we will continue to provide companies with useful information, such as information about products that buyers are looking for, magazine interviews, and awards that your company’s products may be eligible for, and by valuing our relationships, we will build long-term relationships of trust. We are also looking forward to many good encounters as we head toward our joint exhibit in September 2025.
Date: September 14-16, 2025
Location: Olympia London, UK
Focus: Autumn/Winter (A/W) season
Trade Show Type: Design-led retail trade show
www.topdrawer.co.uk
Visit them at stand number L39.
