A blessing was held this morning for the grand opening of Tokyo Central in Kailua, the first Hawaii outlet for the Asian specialty market chain.

Tokyo Central, owned by Pan Pacific Retail Management USA, replaces the former Times Supermarket at the Kailua Shopping Center at 590 Kailua Road. Tokyo Central also has 11 stores in California.

“We are pleased to introduce Tokyo Central as the ultimate one-stop destination for specialty food and lifestyle items, showcasing the best quality and value from Japan,” Kazuhiro Matsumoto, president of PPRM USA, saiod.

The PPRM HI family of stores also includes Times Supermarket, Don Quijote USA, Marukai Hawaii, Big Save Markets, Shima’s Market and Fujioka’s Wine Times.

A blessing was held at 9 a.m., along with an introduction of store managers, and a taiko performance by Dragon Boat.

Doors opened at 10 a.m. to a crowd of curious customers, who entered beneath an archway of balloons and browsed the aisles of groceries, snacks, beverages, souvenirs and collectible toys.

The renovated store features a selection of Japanese cuisine, along with fresh produce, seafood, imported fruits, chilled sake, and Japan-style cuts of meat. In addition to an okazuya (deli), there are areas in the store offering sushi, poke, grab-and-go bentos and baked goods.

DonPen, Don Quijote’s mascot, wandered the aisles and posed for photos with keiki and other customers.

“We are thrilled to have the first Tokyo Central in Hawaii open at Kailua Shopping Center,” said Meagan Oppenheim, property owner Alexander & Baldwin’s regional manager of asset management. “In addition to offering a diverse range of grocery items, the store will feature an extensive menu of freshly prepared foods for convenient grab-and-go options.”

Tokyo Central in Kailua will be open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.