Mitsukoshi

Mitsukoshi Review

Takatoshi Mitsui made his fortune by revolutionizing the retail system for kimono fabrics. The emergence of Mitsukoshi as Tokyo's first depato (department store), also called hyakkaten (hundred-kinds-of-goods emporium), actually dates to 1908, with the construction of a three-story Western building modeled on Harrods of London. This was replaced in 1914 by a five-story structure with Japan's first escalator. The present flagship store is vintage 1935. Even if you don't plan to shop, this branch merits a visit. Two bronze lions, modeled on those at London's Trafalgar Square, flank the main entrance and serve as one of Tokyo's best-known meeting places. Inside, a sublime statue of Magokoro, a Japanese goddess of sincerity, rises four stories through the store's central atrium. Check out the basement floors for a taste of the food-market culture of Japanese department stores and grab a quick meal-to-go while you're there. Delicious local and international prepared food is sold here at premium prices: intricately designed mochi (sweet red bean) cakes, Japanese bento boxes, sushi sets, and square watermelons all sell for approximately ¥10,000.