Mitsukoshi
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (department stores) |
| Founded | 1673 |
| Headquarters | Tokyo , Japan |
Area served | Japan, China, Taiwan, Philippines, Thailand, United States |
| Products | Department store goods including clothing, food, lifestyle products |
| Owner | Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings (Mitsui Group) |
| Parent | Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. |
Mitsukoshi is a globally recognized department store brand headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Its parent organization, Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings, belongs to the Mitsui Group conglomerate.
History
Established in 1673 as , Mitsukoshi originally specialized in selling kimono. A retail breakthrough occurred in 1683 when it introduced a permanent storefront where customers could buy products directly with cash, moving away from the traditional door-to-door sales approach. The flagship store’s proximity to Mitsukoshimae Station on the Tokyo Metro led to the station bearing its name.
As the founding entity of the Mitsui Group, Mitsukoshi experienced substantial growth, including the acquisition of the Nagoya-based Oriental Nakamura department store during the 1970s, which was subsequently renamed .
The celebrated artist Genichiro Inokuma created Mitsukoshi’s distinctive white and red wrapping paper design.
In August 2007, Mitsukoshi revealed plans to merge with Isetan, another leading Japanese department store. Mitsukoshi was removed from the stock exchange on March 26, 2008, and officially merged with Isetan on April 1 under the unified holding company Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. ().
On April 5, 2019, Mitsukoshi declared intentions to enter the Philippine market by opening a branch at Bonifacio Global City in Metro Manila, aiming for a 2021 launch. The store commenced operations on November 18, 2022, representing a strategic effort to introduce Japanese lifestyle products and premium food selections to Southeast Asia.
Stores operated by Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd.
- Nihonbashi Main Branch (Chūō, Tokyo)
- Ginza Mitsukoshi (Chūō, Tokyo)
Stores operated by affiliated companies
- Sapporo Store (Chūō-ku, Sapporo) – Sapporo Mitsukoshi Ltd.
- Sendai Store (Aoba-ku, Sendai) – Sendai Mitsukoshi Ltd.
- Nagoya Sakae Main Branch (Naka-ku, Nagoya) – Nagoya Mitsukoshi Ltd.
- Hoshigaoka Mitsukoshi (Chikusa-ku, Nagoya) – Nagoya Mitsukoshi Ltd.
- Hiroshima Mitsukoshi (Naka-ku, Hiroshima) – Hiroshima Mitsukoshi Ltd.
- Takamatsu Mitsukoshi – Takamatsu Mitsukoshi Ltd.
- Matsuyama Mitsukoshi – Matsuyama Mitsukoshi Ltd.
- Fukuoka Mitsukoshi (Chūō-ku, Fukuoka) – Iwataya Mitsukoshi Ltd.
No longer operating
- Shinjuku Mitsukoshi Alcott (Shinjuku, Tokyo)
- Ikebukuro Mitsukoshi (Toshima, Tokyo) – ceased operations May 2009
- Musashimurayama Mitsukoshi (Musashimurayama, Tokyo)
- Kagoshima Mitsukoshi
- Tama Center Mitsukoshi (Tama, Tokyo)
- Chiba Mitsukoshi (Chūō-ku, Chiba)
- Niigata Mitsukoshi (Nishibori-dōri) – Niigata Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd.
- JR Osaka Isetan Mitsukoshi (Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka)
- Ebisu Mitsukoshi (Shibuya, Tokyo) – closed February 2021
China
- Shanghai (Okura Garden Hotel)
- (Suzhou) Shin Kong Place
- Shin Kong Place (Chongqing)
- Shin Kong Place (Chengdu)
Philippines
- Taguig: Mitsukoshi BGC, a retail complex located in Bonifacio Global City (opened November 18, 2022)
Taiwan
In Taiwan, the department stores operate under the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Department Store name, a collaborative enterprise between the Shin Kong Group and Mitsukoshi. The inaugural location was launched on Nanjing Road in Taipei in 1991.
By 2022, prominent outlets include:
- Taipei:
- Nanjing Road Store featuring three separate buildings (1館, 2館, 3館)
- Xinyi New Life Square comprising four buildings (A4, A8, A9, A11館)
- Taipei Main Station Store
- Tianmu Store
- Taoyuan City:
- Dayou Road Store
- Taoyuan Station Store
- Taichung:
- Zhonggan Road Store
- Chiayi:
- Chuiyang Road Store
- Tainan:
- Zhongshan Road Store
- Ximen Road Store
- Kaohsiung:
- Sanduo Shopping District Store
- Zuoying District Store
Thailand
- Bangkok: Through a joint venture named One Bangkok Mitsukoshi Ltd., Mitsukoshi operates a depachika supermarket and food hall located within One Bangkok.
United States
- Walt Disney World (Orlando, Florida) – The company oversees the Japan Pavilion at Epcot's World Showcase.
Asia
- China: The Dalian branch ceased operations following World War II.
- Hong Kong: The first Hong Kong store opened in Causeway Bay in 1981, occupying 12,000 square meters across four floors. A second location was established in Tsim Sha Tsui in 1988 but was shuttered in 1995. The original Causeway Bay store closed in 2006 due to redevelopment projects.
- South Korea: In 1930, Mitsukoshi launched a department store in central Keijō (now Seoul). After Japan's defeat in 1945, Samsung purchased and renamed it Shinsegae ("New World").
Europe
- London (Piccadilly) - Opened its doors in 1979 and ceased operations in 2013.
- Paris - Functioned from 1971 until its closure in 2010.
- Rome - Started business in 1975 and closed down in 2021.
- Milan
- Düsseldorf
- Frankfurt
- Munich
North America
- New York City - On March 16, 1979, Mitsukoshi introduced a boutique and restaurant spanning 10,000 square feet inside the Ritz Tower at 57th Street and Park Avenue. In 1991, it expanded by acquiring adjacent space to create a larger facility, which eventually closed. A temporary pop-up shop appeared for one week during New York Fashion Week in SoHo in February 2014.