PARIS MIKI

Quick Facts

What it is

PARIS MIKI (パリミキ), founded in 1930 in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, is one of Japan's most historic luxury optical houses, acclaimed internationally. Expanding to Paris's prestigious Rue de la Paix in 1973 and London in 1979, PARIS MIKI proved to the global fashion world that Japanese craftsmanship rivals Swiss watchmaking in precision. Anchored by its own dedicated artisanal production facility in Sabae City, Fukui Prefecture, PARIS MIKI's private labels—such as PARIS MIKI Collection, Kawa-Kiwami, and DIGNA Classic—are hand-carved, hand-filed, and hand-polished by master craftsmen using aerospace-grade pure titanium, vintage Japanese celluloid, and solid gold. Staffed by government-certified "Master Glasses Makers" (眼鏡作製技能士) who measure facial bone structure down to the millimeter, PARIS MIKI delivers the ultimate bespoke optical luxury experience in Japan.

How to shop

1. Step into a Flagship Salon: Enter prestigious flagships such as PARIS MIKI Ginza or grand department store salons. Stores feature polished mahogany woodwork, soft jazz, and private consultation tables.
2. Personal Optical Consultation:
   • Settle into a leather armchair with complimentary Japanese green tea.
   • A licensed master optician (Megane Sakusei Ginoushi) will discuss your lifestyle, computer usage, driving habits, and facial aesthetics.
   • Browse museum-quality display cases showcasing handcrafted Sabae titanium frames, vintage acetate revivals, and international luxury fashion houses.
3. Medical-Grade Clinical Vision Examination:
   • Step into the private refraction testing suite.
   • Opticians perform advanced binocular vision assessments, testing depth perception, focal accommodation, astigmatism axes, and corneal vertex distance to eliminate any possible visual distortion.
4. Checkout & 2026 Tax-Free Refund Registration:
   • Present your selections at the cashier salon.
   • Inform the optician: "Tax-Free kudasai".
   • Present your original physical passport with valid temporary visitor landing sticker — or, if the store supports it, show your Visit Japan Web tax-free QR code instead.
   • Under Japan's refund-based tax-free system (2026 rules), you pay the tax-inclusive retail total, while staff electronically register your passport (or QR code) and optical export details with Japan Customs.
   • Before you fly out (within 90 days of purchase), present your passport at an airport tax-free procedure terminal before checking your luggage: if the terminal clears the purchase, export confirmation is complete; only if it flags the purchase do you take the eyewear to the customs inspection point for a physical check. Once Customs has confirmed the export, the store refunds the tax through the refund method you registered at purchase — for example back to your card, or cash at a contracted refund counter (a handling fee may be deducted). There is no general airport counter that pays out refunds for every shop, so confirm the store's method when you buy.
5. Master Fitting & Hand-Finished Delivery: Standard single-vision lenses in stock can be prepared in approximately 45 to 60 minutes; custom artisanal lenses, engraved gold pieces, or complex bifocals require several days. When collecting, the master optician meticulously micro-bends the temple tips and nose pad arms to match your unique facial anatomy with surgical precision.

Services & options

1. DIGNA Classic Heritage Eyewear (ディグナ クラシック): Handcrafted in Sabae using vintage 1950s tooling dies, authentic celluloid, and pure titanium, reviving historic American and European Golden Age silhouettes.
2. PARIS MIKI Pure Titanium Collection (パリミキ チタンコレクション): Featherlight, hypoallergenic Japanese pure titanium frames celebrated for their extraordinary structural rigidity and feather-touch comfort.
3. Kawa-Kiwami Traditional Japanese Acetate (細見・極): Exquisite hand-polished Japanese acetate frames featuring traditional hand-carved temple cores and riveted hinge barrel joints.
4. Nikon & Hoya Precision Japanese Lenses: Partnered custom optical lenses featuring proprietary double-aspheric aberration control and diamond-hard anti-scratch coatings.

Payment & practical info

• Payment Accepted: Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, Diners, UnionPay, Suica/PASMO, PayPay, Alipay, WeChat Pay, and cash.
• Hours: Typically 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM (department store branches follow host hours).
• International Support: As PARIS MIKI operates branches across France, Southeast Asia, and Australia, international warranty adjustments and cleaning are recognized globally.

Good to know / Common mistakes

• Not Just a Cheap Fast Shop: PARIS MIKI is a premier optical atelier; if you want ¥5,000 throwaway plastic glasses, choose JINS or Zoff. If you want an heirloom Made-in-Japan titanium frame that will last 20 years, PARIS MIKI stands apart.
• Certified Master Opticians: Look for staff wearing the prestigious gold "眼鏡作製技能士" lapel pin—these opticians have passed Japan's rigorous national board examinations in optical physics and ocular anatomy.
• Custom Prescription Delivery: For international visitors staying only a few days in Japan, ask the optician to select "Stock Single-Vision Lenses" for same-day or next-day delivery before your departure flight.

Sources

• PARIS MIKI Official Website (Verified: 2026-11-07)
• PARIS MIKI Store Locator & Flagship Boutiques (Verified: 2026-11-07)
• DIGNA Classic & Sabae Artisan Craftsmanship (Verified: 2026-11-07)