A tour of the historic Mitsukoshi Nihombashi, Japan’s first department store

Our group was welcomed by Kiyoko Kondo, Mitsukoshi Nihombashi’s okami (lady of the house). By definition, an okami is tasked to supervise guest service and hospitality of the store. Kondo was wearing a traditional kimono and a customised obi belt with an illustration that depicts the original Mitsukoshi store in Edo Honcho (present-day Tokyo). 

To start the tour, the okami brought us to the Mitsukoshimae Station on Tokyo Metro Ginza Line and Hanzomon Line, where the 17-metre replica of the Kidai Shōran is mounted on a wall along the underground concourse. The Kidai Shōran is a picture scroll that depicts the liveliness of Nihonbashi and Imagawabashi 200 years ago, showing how Edo was a dynamic and prosperous hub for commerce at that time.

See also: Journey through time: Japan’s Nakasendo Trail

Among the many detailed highlights of the Kidai Shōran is the illustration of the largest kimono textile store in Edo, then called Echigoya, that was founded by Takatoshi Mitsui in 1673. Back in the day, the store would sell goods with its sellers going from one house to another, offering full rolls of fabrics which the buyers could purchase on a credit basis. According to Kondo, buyers would purchase and pay in a lump sum annually. Since transactions took place in private homes, prices varied based on the seller’s assessment of the buyer's financial capacity and the agreed-upon payment period. Some sellers offered their goods with higher margins to mitigate risks in case buyers failed to pay on time. This arrangement deprived customers of the chance to compare prices and products before making a purchase. 

Through the years, the retail landscape in Japan has evolved. In 1904, Echigoya was renamed Mitsukoshi, which became Japan’s first department store. It is also the first store to start selling at storefront using price tags, a pivotal moment that changed the way the Japanese sell and buy products. In 1914, the flagship store had Japan’s first escalators and elevators installed. 

Ten years later, Mitsukoshi’s main store at Nihombashi–which is connected with the concourse where the replica of the Kidai Shōran is currently located–was completed. 

The okami took the group to Mitsukoshi Nihombashi’s main entrance, where a pair of the iconic lion statue stands, as if guarding the front of the mall. These bronze sculptures depict the lion statues at Trafalgar Square in London. The sculpture withstood the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923 and the Second World War.

Along the way, the group passed by an expansive food hall at the mall’s basement, teeming with Japanese specialities like Eitaro’s anmitsu, a traditional dessert that combines flavourful kanten made with agar produced in Japan, colourful fruits and delicious sweet bean jam–similar to the Philippines’ halo-halo or Malaysia’s chendol without the crushed ice. Just like Mitsukoshi Nihombashi, Eitaro has operated a confectionery at the foot of the Nihonbashi since the Edo era. 

On the ground floor of the mall is the beauty section that highlights stunning interiors designed by the acclaimed Japanese architect, Kengo Kuma. Besides global skincare and makeup brands, it also houses popular Japanese beauty favourites such as Cle de Peau, Kanebo, Shiseido and SK-II among others. 

Further inside the ground floor of Mitsukoshi Nihombashi is an interesting masterpiece, the Statue of Magokoro (Goddess of Sincerity), which symbolises the underlying philosophy of the retail giant: sincerity. Master craftsman Gengen Sato spent a decade to complete the imposing intricate artwork, which was erected in 1960 at the central hall of the mall’s ground floor. 

On the fourth level of the mall is an entire floor dedicated to kimonos–from well-curated fabrics to traditional kimonos used for milestone ceremonies and modern pieces that can be worn on any occasion. 

Today, Mitsukoshi continues to establish a global presence with the opening of stores in key destinations such as Orlando, Singapore, Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur and the Philippines. 

“Mitsukoshi BGC may seem different from Mitsukoshi Nihombashi but the underlying philosophy is the same,” says Momoko Umemura, manager of the Corporate Real Estate Department, Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd, explaining that the company stays true to its philosophy of sincerity and localising its products according to the needs of its customers. Besides bringing 38 brands from Japan to Mitsukoshi BGC, the company also spearheads initiatives that allow customers to experience Japan in the Philippines. “We want you to experience a bit of Japan as well as create new value through the combining of Filipino and Japanese cultures,” she concludes.

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