This year marks a decade since the founding of Saikai Europe. It also signals new beginnings for our company, with the establishment of an office in the South Holland city of Leiden.

As a place, Leiden may be better known for academia than commerce, yet its historic, human-scale streetscapes and comfortable atmosphere felt like a natural match for our company, which takes pride in both heritage and shaping contemporary life. In the same way our Japan-based parent company, Saikai Toki, has established itself without succumbing to mainstream trends, we believe there is much value in following our own path, away from commercial centres such as Amsterdam, Paris and London.

Based in the former Ambachtsschool building, which dates back to 1892, our new base will provide a platform for showcasing Saikai’s in-house brands, as well as building partnerships that extend from the local community to the broader European market. In a year that represents a small milestone in our journey thus far, we look forward to welcoming you to Leiden in the future.