The symbol of Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store laid the cornerstone for Japanese department stores! 11-meter tall “Statue of Magokoro”

Opened in 1914, “Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store” is Japan’s first department store. It used to be the largest building in Japan at the time and carried out these things for the first time in Japan: holding a sale, making a food section, installing escalators and elevators, and more. Still now, even 100 years have passed, the elegant Renaissance-style exterior and the statue of the lion sitting at the entrance, the marble staircase with ammonite fossils and something like that are cherished. From among them, this time, we’re going to introduce “Statue of Magokoro” that was set in the central hall in 1960 in memory of 50th anniversary of its opening.

When you step into the inside of Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store, rich-colored “Statue of Magokoro” with a great presence like God catches your eyes. It looks as if it’s descending from the sky, and you can feel its vitality. This breathtakingly beautiful statue is a symbolic representation of Magokoro (sincerity) which is Mitsukoshi’s basic philosophy.

It’s said to be one of the largest wooden carvings in the world and made of 500-year-old cypress trees grew at Kyoto’s mountain where Kifune Shrine is located. To our surprise, the height is 11 meters and the weight is 6,750 kg. Getting close to it, you can find elaborate decorations from the front to the back. As for colors, natural mineral pigments are used, which is mainly made by crushing ore. It seems that it took about 10 years to complete it because the creator, Gengen Sato, repeated various processes such as design and rough sketch, making a model and creating experimental statues.

We recommend you should take this statue from the upper floors. You can take pictures of it with the retro interior of Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store which is designated as a national important cultural property. It may be a good idea to look for your favorite angle while moving on each floor.