Started as a charity project 'tokyo gakudan' during Mercedes Benz fashion week Berlin in July 2011, and shortly after the tsunami catastrophe in japan, where Huy Thong Tran Mai and friends invited 40 Japanese fashion designers to show their collections, it quickly developed into a much bigger project: The wish to permanently bring Japanese brands to the german market by creating a space for their unique avant-garde approach to fashion and lifestyle products formed Oukan. During fall 2011, the concept store was finally opened. Previously under the project name ‘Oukan71', a hint to the address Kronenstrasse 71 and its Japanese equivalent, it has now developed into Oukan. Today, as an on-going service, Oukan also works closely with Japanese designers who wish to establish themselves on a European and especially german market by consulting and supporting them with all occurring questions. Located in a remarkable old building not far from the 'most sophisticated shopping area' on Friedrichstrasse, Berlin now has its own love story between Japanese fashion and international avant-garde.