Urban Research
Urban Research is a privately-held Osaka-based multi-brand fashion and lifestyle retailer operating over 15 brands and 100+ stores across Japan and Taiwan, serving fashion-conscious adult consumers with apparel, accessories, and lifestyle goods through physical retail, e-commerce, and loyalty-integrated digital channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1974
- HeadquartersOsaka, Japan
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Urban Research does
Urban Research Co., Ltd. (株式会社アーバンリサーチ) is a privately-held Japanese multi-brand fashion and lifestyle retail company headquartered in Osaka. Founded in 1974 as a jeans casual shop in Kadoma City, formally incorporated in 1989, and rebranded to its current name in 2001, the company operates a portfolio of more than 15 brands spanning core fashion (URBAN RESEARCH, URBAN RESEARCH DOORS, URBAN RESEARCH ROSSO), fast fashion (SENSE OF PLACE by URBAN RESEARCH), specialty labels (KBF, Sonny Label, かぐれ/Kagure, SMELLY, EKAL, RODE SKO), and lifestyle concepts (THE GOODLAND MARKET, green bar, TINY GARDEN). It targets fashion-conscious adult consumers in Japan and Taiwan with apparel, accessories, tableware, outdoor goods, and lifestyle products. The company is family-controlled by the Take family (Kozo Take as Chairman, Keisuke Take as President) and is not listed on any public exchange. Reported revenue was ¥554 billion for the January 2026 fiscal period.
The company's go-to-market combines physical retail (over 100 stores across all Japanese regions and Taiwan), a proprietary e-commerce platform (urban-research.jp), department store consignments (Isetan, Mitsukoshi, Takashimaya, PARCO), shopping mall and outlet locations, and listings on major Japanese marketplaces (ZOZO, Rakuten Brand Avenue, iLumine, MAGASEEK, Marui, etc.). A unique distribution channel is the Urban Famima!! (アーバン・ファミマ!!) joint concept with FamilyMart, integrating fashion retail into convenience store infrastructure. The technology stack includes a proprietary mobile app (iOS/Android) with daily staff-curated styling content, the UR CLUB cross-brand loyalty program, and the URBAN TUBE media platform combining editorial content with commerce. Distribution is supported by URDC Tsurumi, a wholly-owned distribution center in Osaka.
The revenue model is primarily direct-to-consumer one-time retail sales of branded apparel and lifestyle goods across price points from accessible (SENSE OF PLACE) to premium (FREEMANS SPORTING CLUB, TINY GARDEN). The company has pursued sustainability initiatives including the commpost upcycling project (2021 Good Design Award recipient), the furugibaton (古着バトン) clothing recycling program, adoption of RETEXPET sustainable packaging, and THE GOODLAND MARKET circular fashion platform. Recent strategic activity has emphasized limited-edition collaborations (Dickies, semoh, STANDARD SUPPLY, SASSAFRAS, Lacoste in 2026), sports venue retail (FC Imabari stadium in 2026), and ESG-aligned government partnerships (Kanagawa Prefecture CO2CO2 Points+ campaign in 2025).
Urban Research firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Urban Research
- Legal name
- 株式会社アーバンリサーチ (URBAN RESEARCH Co., Ltd.)
- Website
- https://urban-research.co.jp
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1974
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Urban Research is a privately-held Osaka-based multi-brand fashion and lifestyle retailer operating over 15 brands and 100+ stores across Japan and Taiwan, serving fashion-conscious adult consumers with apparel, accessories, and lifestyle goods through physical retail, e-commerce, and loyalty-integrated digital channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Urban Research industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fashion Retail
- NAICS
- Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers (459)
- SIC
- Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Retail-Family Clothing Stores (5651)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Streetwear & Contemporary Apparel Retail (CRAAABAM)
Keywords
Where Urban Research is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Osaka
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices9 records
Markets served
Urban Research business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Apparel and Fashion Retail: Urban Research generates the majority of its revenue through the sale of apparel, accessories, and lifestyle goods under its multiple brand portfolio. Revenue is generated through physical retail stores, online store sales, department store consignments, and outlet stores. The company reported 554 billion yen in revenue for the January 2026 fiscal period.
- Multi-brand and Collaborative Products: The company regularly collaborates with other brands (Dickies, semoh, Lacoste, STANDARD SUPPLY, SASSAFRAS) on limited-edition capsule collections, which drive traffic and revenue through exclusive product offerings.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels9 records
Urban Research product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Urban Research is a Japan-based multi-brand fashion and lifestyle retailer that designs, sources, and sells apparel, footwear, accessories, home tableware, and outdoor goods through more than 15 owned brands such as URBAN RESEARCH, URBAN RESEARCH DOORS, ROSSO, KBF, SENSE OF PLACE, Sonny Label, EKAL, TINY GARDEN, and FREEMANS SPORTING CLUB. Products reach consumers through over 100 company-operated retail stores, the official urban-research.jp e-commerce site, the URBAN RESEARCH mobile app, department-store consignments, outlet centers, and listings on third-party fashion marketplaces across Japan and Taiwan.
Product overview
Urban Research is a Japanese fashion and lifestyle retail company operating a multi-brand portfolio architecture consisting of core fashion brands (URBAN RESEARCH, URBAN RESEARCH DOORS, URBAN RESEARCH ROSSO), fast fashion (SENSE OF PLACE by URBAN RESEARCH), specialty sub-brands (かぐれ, KBF, Sonny Label, SMELLY, EKAL, RODE SKO), lifestyle concepts (THE GOODLAND MARKET, green bar, TINY GARDEN), and outlet stores (URBAN RESEARCH warehouse). The company also operates a collaboration with FamilyMart (アーバン・ファミマ!!), a hospitality property (TINY GARDEN 蓼科), an official mobile app, a loyalty program (UR CLUB), an e-commerce platform (URBAN RESEARCH ONLINE STORE), and a media site (URBAN TUBE). The ecosystem integrates with multiple third-party e-commerce marketplaces including ZOZO, Rakuten Brand Avenue, and various department store platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- URBAN RESEARCH Store: Main flagship store format offering full brand selection
- URBAN RESEARCH DOORS
- URBAN RESEARCH ROSSO
- SENSE OF PLACE by URBAN RESEARCH
- URBAN RESEARCH Sonny Label
- KBF
- かぐれ (Kagure)
- THE GOODLAND MARKET
- TINY GARDEN
- FREEMANS SPORTING CLUB
- URBAN RESEARCH warehouse
- EKAL
- RODE SKO
- SMELLY
- green bar
- URBAN RESEARCH iD
- アーバン・ファミマ!!
Products and services
- URBAN RESEARCH (core brand) Primary fashion brand offering men's and women's contemporary clothing and accessories sold across flagship stores, online, and department-store partners
- URBAN RESEARCH DOORS Lifestyle-focused brand targeting adult women with curated women's clothing, tableware, and lifestyle goods emphasizing refined everyday elegance
- URBAN RESEARCH ROSSO Women's fashion brand offering contemporary clothing and accessories for female customers
- Kagure (かぐれ) Japanese lifestyle brand offering apparel and lifestyle goods emphasizing craftsmanship and traditional aesthetics
- KBF Fashion brand offering contemporary men's and women's clothing
- SENSE OF PLACE by URBAN RESEARCH Fast-fashion format sub-brand offering trendy apparel at accessible price points
- URBAN RESEARCH Sonny Label Contemporary women's fashion label offering stylish apparel and accessories
- RODE SKO Footwear and accessory brand owned by Urban Research
- SMELLY Rain-gear specialty brand offering apparel with focus on comfort and casual weather-protective style
- EKAL Outdoor and nature-inspired apparel brand with outlets in camping and outdoor locations such as Tateshina
- FREEMANS SPORTING CLUB Premium menswear brand featuring tailored clothing, accessories, and barbershop services, launched as the Japanese flagship in Tokyo in 2013
- URBAN RESEARCH warehouse (Outlet Stores) Outlet store concept offering discounted apparel and accessories from across the Urban Research brand portfolio
- URBAN RESEARCH Make Store Customization and made-to-order apparel concept store offering personalization of Urban Research products
- URBAN RESEARCH iD Identity-focused apparel brand concept offered at Lumine Est Shinjuku
- TINY GARDEN (KITCHEN / TINY GARDEN 蓼科 / TINY GARDEN FOODS) Outdoor lifestyle brand encompassing TINY GARDEN KITCHEN café, TINY GARDEN FOODS packaged food products, and TINY GARDEN 蓼科 camping/lodging facility in Nagano Prefecture
- green bar Lifestyle brand offering wellness and eco-friendly products emphasizing organic and natural materials
- THE GOODLAND MARKET Platform store proposing a circular fashion lifestyle compatible with people and the environment, offering eco-conscious and sustainable fashion products
- アーバン・ファミマ!! (Urban Famima!!) Co-branded retail partnership with FamilyMart combining Urban Research's fashion retail expertise with convenience-store services, featuring THE GOODLAND MARKET sustainable lifestyle products
- URBAN RESEARCH Official App Proprietary mobile application (iOS and Android) combining daily staff styling photos, online-store browsing, store inventory check, favorites, and an integrated UR CLUB membership card
- UR CLUB Loyalty Program Multi-brand membership service usable across all Urban Research Group stores and the online store, with point accumulation, member-stage tracking, and stamp card functionality
- URBAN RESEARCH ONLINE STORE Official company-operated e-commerce platform (urban-research.jp) selling all Urban Research brands and products online with full member services integration
- URBAN TUBE Media Platform Online media site combining fashion and lifestyle information with travelogue-style content connecting regions, streets, and people
Companies that use Urban Research
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Urban Research technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Feature3 records
Urban Research partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- DickiesminorCollaborative workwear capsule collection featuring an Eisenhower jacket and five-pocket pants made from Dickies' cotton-polyester twill fabric, with silk-screened artwork by New York-based artist Tim Barber. The collection debuted at URBAN RESEARCH Kyoto on April 17, 2026, followed by wider release on April 21.
- semohminorCollaborative workwear capsule collection with semoh contributing pattern design resulting in slightly flared pants. Part of the three-way collaboration with Dickies and URBAN RESEARCH.
- LacosteminorExclusive collaboration collection featuring Lacoste products available at URBAN RESEARCH stores and online.
- STANDARD SUPPLYminorURBAN RESEARCH DOORS collaborated with STANDARD SUPPLY to release two custom DAYPACK sizes (M and L) featuring CORDURA 1000D nylon fabric, removable adjustable back pads, and leather accents. M size priced at ¥30,800, L size at ¥35,200.
- SASSAFRASminorURBAN RESEARCH DOORS collaborated with Kyoto-based gardening tool brand SASSAFRAS to release an exclusive version of the GARDENER JACKET with double pockets and balanced pocket positioning, priced at ¥42,900 in indigo (sizes S-XL).
- Kanagawa PrefectureminorSecretariat role for Kanagawa Prefecture's 'Kanagawa CO2CO2 Points+' environmental campaign (October-December 2025), which attracted approximately 1 million participants and achieved 500.9 tons of CO2 reduction through a point-based incentive system for low-carbon products.
- Earth Hacks Co., Ltd.minorServed as secretariat for the 'Kanagawa CO2CO2 Points+' campaign, managing operations across 12 businesses and 783 store locations to promote consumer behavior change toward low-carbon products.
- 株式会社エス・ピーパック (S.P.C.)minorPartnership to adopt S.P.C.'s non-woven packaging material 'RETEXPET' as part of environmental consideration initiatives, replacing traditional packaging with sustainable alternatives.
- FamilyMart (ファミリーマート)coreJoint venture concept 'アーバン・ファミマ!!' combining Urban Research's fashion retail expertise with FamilyMart's convenience store infrastructure. Multiple locations opened across Japan, featuring THE GOODLAND MARKET brand sustainable lifestyle products alongside FamilyMart services.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves11 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Urban Research competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Adastria: Adastria is a leading Japanese multi-brand apparel retailer operating brands like GLOBAL WORK, niko and..., LOWRYS FARM, and JEANASIS, with similar scale (~700B JPY revenue) and multi-brand portfolio strategy targeting fashion-conscious adults across price points in Japan and Asia.
- BEAMS: BEAMS is a Japanese multi-brand lifestyle retailer with comparable brand portfolio structure (BEAMS, BEAMS BOY, BEAMS PLUS, B:MING by BEAMS) and similar customer demographic of fashion-conscious adults, with strong presence in Japan and select international markets.
- JOURNAL STANDARD (BAYCREW'S GROUP): JOURNAL STANDARD is part of Baycrew's Group, a multi-brand Japanese contemporary apparel retailer (also operating SHIPS, EDIFICE, JANE SMITH) with similar customer targeting, multi-brand architecture, and lifestyle-oriented merchandising approach.
- United Arrows: United Arrows is a Japanese select shop operator with multi-brand contemporary fashion retail similar to Urban Research, including the United Arrows, Green label relaxing, Beauty & Youth, and monkey time brands, serving fashion-conscious adult consumers across physical and online channels in Japan.
- SHIPS (Baycrew's Group): SHIPS is another Baycrew's Group brand focused on traditional American and European style contemporary fashion for adults, comparable to Urban Research's DOORS and Sonny Label brands in targeting refined, lifestyle-oriented customers.
Broad incumbents
- ZOZO (ZOZO Town marketplace): ZOZO operates Japan's largest online fashion marketplace (ZOZO Town) where Urban Research already lists products; ZOZO represents both a key distribution channel and a structural competitive threat to Urban Research's own e-commerce operations and pricing power.
- Baycrew's Group: Baycrew's is the parent company operating JOURNAL STANDARD, SHIPS, EDIFICE, and other multi-brand fashion concepts, serving as a broader incumbent in the Japanese contemporary select-shop space with comparable brand portfolio strategy.
- Muji (Ryohin Keikaku): Muji is a Japanese lifestyle retailer offering apparel, home goods, and lifestyle products across a comparable category breadth to Urban Research's DOORS brand, with larger scale and direct overlap in the lifestyle and home furnishings category where Urban Research is expanding.
- Fast Retailing (UNIQLO): Fast Retailing is the largest Japanese apparel retailer (UNIQLO, GU, Theory) with dominant scale and pricing power that compresses the addressable market for mid-market contemporary peers like Urban Research through both competitive pricing and consumer wallet share capture.
Regional players
- Goldwin: Goldwin is a Japanese sportswear and outdoor apparel company with comparable product categories (outdoor and active lifestyle) to Urban Research's EKAL and TINY GARDEN brands, and serves as a regional benchmark for outdoor-lifestyle retail in Japan.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses3 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Urban Research social profiles
Digital presenceUrban Research financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Urban Research leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Urban Research subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Urban Research funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Urban Research M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Urban Research
What does Urban Research do?
Urban Research is a Japan-based multi-brand fashion and lifestyle retailer that designs, sources, and sells apparel, footwear, accessories, home tableware, and outdoor goods through more than 15 owned brands such as URBAN RESEARCH, URBAN RESEARCH DOORS, ROSSO, KBF, SENSE OF PLACE, Sonny Label, EKAL, TINY GARDEN, and FREEMANS SPORTING CLUB. Products reach consumers through over 100 company-operated retail stores, the official urban-research.jp e-commerce site, the URBAN RESEARCH mobile app, department-store consignments, outlet centers, and listings on third-party fashion marketplaces across Japan and Taiwan.
Is Urban Research a public or private company?
Urban Research is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Urban Research founded?
Urban Research was founded in 1974. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Urban Research based?
Urban Research is headquartered in Osaka, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does Urban Research make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Apparel and Fashion Retail is the primary driver. The others are multi-brand and Collaborative Products.
Who are Urban Research's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Adastria, BEAMS, JOURNAL STANDARD (BAYCREW'S GROUP), United Arrows and SHIPS (Baycrew's Group). Broad incumbents are ZOZO (ZOZO Town marketplace), Baycrew's Group, Muji (Ryohin Keikaku) and Fast Retailing (UNIQLO). Goldwin is listed as a regional player.
Does Urban Research have an API?
No public API is recorded for Urban Research.
What industry is Urban Research in?
Urban Research's product category is Fashion Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAABAM, Streetwear & Contemporary Apparel Retail. Its NAICS code is 459 and its SIC code is 5600.