Irix products available in Japan!
In addition to the full text in English below, there are also downloadable (.pdf) versions:
-English: Irix products available in Japan! - press release ENG
-German: Irix-Produkte in Japan erhältlich! - Pressemitteilung
-Polish: Produkty Irix dostepne w Japonii! - informacja prasowa
Irix products available in Japan!
The Land of the Cherry Blossom
Japan is a country with extraordinary traditions, and is also the cradle of the photography industry - most of the largest photography companies started their business there.
Patience
It takes time to win the trust of Japan. We were in no hurry. One of the first people who expressed their interest in Irix was Kaori Hoshimoto (IG: instagram.com/_ka0ri) - the current Irix brand ambassador - using the Irix 15mm f/2.4, Irix 45mm f/1.4, and Irix 150mm f/2.8 Macro 1:1 in her works. Her photos show the true nature of Japan - they are full of colors, grace, and beauty.
Respect
Launching products on the Japanese market is a difficult undertaking, requiring trust in the product, as well as good business relations.
Hermetic culture and the unwritten rule of protecting your own market are a barrier to entry for many photo equipment manufacturers. Only high-quality products with many years of experience have a chance to hit the shelves of the largest photo stores. Before they came to Japan, Irix products were required to pass many independent tests to confirm their high quality - both mechanical and optical. The excellent reputation of the Irix brand among both photographers and business partners was also an important factor in this process.
Availability
This is a milestone for us - the effort of the entire Irix team in creating high quality products been recognized by one of the largest distributors on the Japanese market - Kenko Professional Imaging Co., Ltd. The products themselves are available in the dealer network available: https://irixlens.com/dealers-list/
Irix Distributor website: http://www.kenko-pi.co.jp/Irix/