While Japan might not have invented the idea of the "select shop," it has certainly refined the idea to an art form. The original models for Japanese shops such as Ships and Beams, which opened in the 1970s, were Barneys in the United States and Brown's in the U.K. — outlets that offered a special selection of merchandise from a wide range of manufacturers.

Now Tokyo-based shop producer Yoshitaka Haba says he has developed the successor to the select shop. The emphasis in what he calls the "editorial shop" is placed not on the selection of goods, but on their combination.

"The idea is to inspire people through interesting juxtapositions," the 32-year-old retailer says. The move stems partly from the arrival of online shopping. In the past, consumers turned to select shops to offer them the best shaving cream or manicure set the world had to offer. Nowadays, consumers cannot only search for themselves online, but order almost anything from anywhere.