The Charming Kiwame Tokyo Yane Is Like Putting A Japanese Temple Roof On Your Wrist

Ten years ago, my wife and I went to Japan for vacation. We strolled through Tokyo, visited the beaches of Okinawa, and toured the temples of Kyoto. Some of the things I photographed most on that trip must’ve been the countless temple roofs. They’re so characteristic and graceful with their sloping shapes and carefully placed tiles. Inspired by those roofs, Kiwame Tokyo now introduces the Yane, which means “roof” in Japanese. Its rectangular shape and alternating finishes mimic the typical Japanese roof architecture. For the dial, you can choose between black and a deep burgundy.

My colleagues Jorg and Thomas already went hands-on with some of Kiwame Tokyo’s watches. Both were impressed by the quality and versatility offered at the price point. However, Thomas was actually happy that the roof-inspired Mune didn’t take the theme too far. Let’s see how that turns out for the US$730 Yane, which certainly takes that roof inspiration up a notch.

The Kiwame Tokyo Yane

Both the Iwao and the Mune that Jorg and Thomas reviewed are more traditionally styled watches. The Iwao has somewhat of an expedition style to it, while the Mune is a bit more on the dressy side. However, both have a fairly common round case shape. In comes the Kiwame Tokyo Yane, with its rectangular form factor and unusual combination of slopes and finishes. The 26.5mm-wide 316L stainless steel case has a 44mm lug-to-lug and a 9.7mm profile. That means it’s only a millimeter wider and longer than the new Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso Tribute Duoface Small Seconds Jorg recently reviewed. However, judging the Yane solely by its size would completely overlook the case’s unique details.

From the front, you immediately notice the vertical engravings above and below the dial. These resemble the tiles on the roofs of Japanese temples. From the side, you also quickly see the sloping shape that’s so characteristic of those same roofs. On the case back, there’s even decoration that mimics taruki, the parallel wooden beams that run from the roof ridge down to the eaves. The case’s polishing and brushing accentuate its unique shapes, making the Yane even more interesting to look at.

A clean, non-distracting dial

The temple-roof-inspired theme continues on the dial. The applied marker at 12 o’clock looks almost exactly like a roof ridge. It already appeared on the brand’s Mune, but it makes even more sense on the Yane. Other than that marker, the only thing that appears on the lacquered dial is Kiwame’s printed logo. The polished hour and minute hands are faceted to reflect the light and enhance their visibility. Overall, the dial is very clean so as not to distract you too much from that peculiar case.

There are two versions of the Kiwame Tokyo Yane. You can choose between a classic black dial (Kuro) and an understated burgundy one (Enji). I think I’d go for the red option, as that color is often seen on the temples.

Inside the Kiwame Tokyo Yane is Miyota’s 6T27 movement. This automatic caliber runs at 28,800 vph, features 21 jewels, and has a 40-hour power reserve. You can also wind it by hand and set it with the modest push-pull crown at 3 o’clock. The movement lies hidden behind a vertically brushed and engraved case back affixed with four screws. This, along with the sapphire crystal up front, helps give the Yane a 30m water resistance rating.

Initial impressions

Unfortunately, I haven’t seen the Kiwame Tokyo Yane in person yet. Judging by its proportions and design, though, it looks like something I would love to wear. I have great memories of that Japan trip 10 years ago, and this watch reminds me of spending time in a country where I thoroughly enjoyed the people, food, and landscape. The sloping lugs, engravings, brushing, and polishing really make this watch look like a Japanese temple roof, but it isn’t kitschy at all. I even think those architecture-inspired features work very well on a watch case.

So, Thomas was a bit afraid of how far Kiwame would take the roof-inspired theme, even beyond what the brand had already done with its Mune. If you ask me, the Yane shows that taking the theme up a notch actually results in a very attractive watch. I also love the fact that the brand went with an automatic movement. I know most people would probably prefer a hand-wound movement in such a dressy watch. However, having a winding rotor in there gives you one less thing to worry about every morning.

400 pieces available now

The Kiwame Tokyo Yane is available for pre-order as of today, August 19th, 11:00 AM (JST). At launch, there are 200 pieces of the black version and 200 of the burgundy one. By the time you read this article, those pieces might’ve already sold out. However, this model is not limited and will be produced again once the initial pieces sell out. The watches cost US$730 each and will be delivered in December 2026. If you’d like to know more, take a look at the official Kiwame Tokyo website.

Let me know in the comments below what you think of the new Kiwame Tokyo Yane.