Photo/Illutration An image from a web wedding via an online conferencing system (Provided by Uglad)

It might not offer the same delectable samples or odors, but a major department store is hoping its online food fairs make its customers' mouths water.

“Please try the delicious smelt from Mukawa town in Hokkaido,” a producer said on Takashimaya Co.'s online shopping website as it set up the “Hokkaido, Tohoku and Kyushu regions food fair" in April.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, companies that have been forced to cancel events or minimize their operations are trying to weather the crisis with online services.

While no one knows when the pandemic will be contained, these streaming services are becoming popular as the best option to a bad situation.

After the government declared a national state of emergency and asked people to stay home as much as possible, all 18 Takashimaya stores have been closed, and the company canceled scheduled local food fairs.

As a replacement, the company not only pitches local products on its online food fairs, but shows videos filmed by buyers in each local area along with messages from producers.

“Local food fairs are very popular, so we hope customers can experience some of the same atmosphere from them,” said a Takashimaya official.


WEDDINGS, MATCHMAKING ONLINE

Uglad, a Tokyo-based video production company for wedding ceremonies, started a web wedding service. It streams wedding ceremonies held at the bride and groom’s home via the Zoom online conferencing system.

Staff host the ceremony remotely and invitees can join in via a video chat. The company is currently providing the service for 74,000 yen ($689), excluding tax.

A new high-tech way of matchmaking is also emerging. IBJ Inc., a major spouse hunting service, is offering online matchmaking events through Zoom. After a go-between introduces the participants, the singles then pair up and talk.

At a matchmaking event held by the company at the middle of April, 316 pairs participated for two days. Half the participants who had a favorable impression of each other moved to the next tentative dating stage.

The ratio for prospective couples going to the next stage is higher than for the usual matchmaking events held between January and March.

“In a face-to-face meeting, they place more importance on the other’s attitude and behavior, but in online meetings, they are more focused on the conversation," said an IBJ official. "So it might be easier for them to get to know each other.”

The company will continue the online matchmaking events, and will consider offering an option to allow clients to select between an online or face-to-face gathering. 


LIVE STREAMING OF FUNERALS

Hibiya-Kadan Floral Co., which sells flowers and provides funeral services in Tokyo, started offering a live streaming service for funerals this month. The company provides the service as an option free of charge.

More families who are having funerals are minimizing the number of attendees as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus pandemic. The company is trying to meet the needs of people who want to attend a funeral, even if only online.

According to the company, an average of 15 mourners attended each funeral in March, about half the attendees compared with last year's average. Hibiya-Kadan Floral has recommended that funerals be limited to fewer than 10 people since April. 

“We aim to lessen people’s sadness as much as possible by allowing them to spend some final time with the deceased even if only online,” said a company official.

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