Hon Kawagoe Pepe closing down

I was not surprised when I came back to Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, after a few months abroad to see many changes. Kawagoe is changing all the time. New shops open almost every day, old shops close frequently, buildings get face lifts or are demolished and replaced. The wheel keeps turning!

However, I was very surprised to hear that Seibu Hon Kawagoe Pepe mall is closing, after almost 34 years of business. And it will close in less than a month, on January 13th 2026. They are having a closing down sale currently, until the 31st of the month. I haven't been to it yet, but in my experience closing down sales in Japan are pretty good. However, most of the concessions in Pepe have branches elsewhere so they will not be under pressure to sell all their stock, as excess stock can just be shipped to another branch. So the sale might not be as good as others.

They are also currently selling exclusive Pepe goods, that people might want as a keepsake of the mall. There are other branches of Pepe in Saitama Prefecture, such as in Iruma. I wonder are they under threat of closing too. I also wonder what will replace Hon-Kawagoe Pepe - its prime real estate. Watch this space!