Sara Duterte inaugurates Philippines’ first Japanese-inspired mall 

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Sara Duterte and Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano were among the special guests at the recent opening and inauguration of Mitsukoshi Bonifacio Global City (BGC), touted as the first Japanese-inspired mall in the Philippines.

Last July 21, the formal inauguration ceremony began with Japanese traditions and customs led by Federal Land Inc. Chairman Alfred Ty; Nomura Real Estate Holdings (NRE) Chair Eiji Kutsukake; and Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. Director, President and Chief Executive Officer Toshiyuki Hosoya; together with Duterte and the other guest of honor, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa.

“The successful launch of the four towers of The Seasons Residences, along with the grand opening of Mitsukoshi BGC, is the fulfillment of imagination and possibilities. It is a culmination of a journey and also the beginning of more exciting innovation and offerings in the country’s first Mitsukoshi branch,” Ty said in a statement.

Kutsukake further stated, “When we expanded our business overseas in 2017, we started with the vision of bringing a piece of Japan to the Philippines. Our partnership with Federal Land allowed us to realize this vision and grow it even further. To our joy, we witnessed the success of Mitsukoshi BGC as a Japanese mall loved by the community. We hope that this affinity continues to grow as we strive to contribute more and more to the development of BGC and the Philippines.”

Yoji Kawaguchi, Mitsukoshi Federal Retail Inc. President, told Philstar.com in an exclusive interview that the mall is the first in the Philippines bearing the internationally famous Mitsukoshi brand, an international department store chain with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, and a subsidiary of Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings, which also owns the department store chain Isetan.

According to Kawaguchi, they chose to open a branch in BGC since the Philippines is “a growing country” that “loves Japan.”

Since the opening of the Philippine branch coincides with Mitsukoshi’s 350th anniversary, the opening was marked with a Matsuri or traditional seasons festival that gives thanks to Japanese deities through dances, shows, parades, food and drinks.

Kawaguchi said they chose the seasons festival theme since for many seasons now, and since 1673, Mitsukoshi has survived many wars and recently, the COVID-19 pandemic — from a kimono store known as “Echigoya” in Nihombashi, Japan; into a global powerhouse with stores in Taiwan, North America and the Philippines.

Just by its interiors, the mall transports visitors to Japan. Upon entering, guests are immersed in distinct elements of traditional Japanese design, with floors that mimic a cobbled road approaching a shrine and the attention-grabbing monument dubbed as “Joining Hands,” a symbol of Philippine-Japanese ties. Guarding the entrance of the mall along 8th Avenue is the iconic Mitsukoshi Lion, an emblematic statue first seen outside of Japan.

The mall’s two-week-long Matsuri offered a taste of Japan to mallgoers with a traditional Taiko drum performance on the opening day; a Tanabata Matsuri on the ground floor, featuring a captivating wish tree. Patrons had the opportunity to write their sincere wishes on cards and hang them on the tree, becoming part of this cherished tradition.

True to the mall’s origin as a kimono store, Yukata (cotton kimono) pieces were rented out in designated areas with seasonal decorations.

“We are trying to carry many Japanese values into the Philippine market. This is our mission,” Kawaguchi enthused.

Apart from Japanese shrines, the mall’s architecture and interiors were rendered by Japanese designers based on traditional Japanese designs and Asanoha pattern, said Jennifer Start, Mitsukoshi Federal Retail Inc. Merchandising and Marketing Head.

Every floor in the 17,000 square-meter selling area follows the “Next Manila Lifestyle” concept and has been categorized featuring food, fashion, music, the arts, and other cultural hallmarks that Filipinos love about Japan, said Kawaguchi.

In time for the grand opening, two of Japan’s beloved fashion labels are now debuting in the country: Snidel and Fray I.D offer stylephiles and career women sophisticated outfits with a Japanese flair. The two brands are known to bridge modernism, functionality, and art with their concept and design.

Foodies can travel to Japan gastronomically through Key Coffee, which offers beverages from one of Japan’s oldest roasters. Dining here is also an experience — it is a “kissaten,” which combines a jazz speakeasy and a coffee shop. There is also The Matcha Tokyo, a Japanese cafe that specializes in beverages using 100% organic matcha.

Patrons can also visit the basement where the “depachika,” food markets traditionally found in Japanese department stores, are located. For authentic Japanese goods and hard-to-find delicacies like frozen fish and sashimi air-freighted from Japan, guests can stop by Mitsukoshi Fresh for Japanese pastries and delicious ready-to-eat rice meals often found in Japanese convenience stores.

There’s also a place for Japanese arts and literature. Kinokuniya Bookstore x Fully Booked offers Filipinos opportunities to explore this aspect of Japanese life. In fact, half its shelves are dedicated to Japanese books and manga in both Japanese and English.

“After 350 years of service globally, we will continue our legacy by introducing a wide range of ‘Japan’ to Filipino customers and bring innovations to the Filipino market,” Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. Director, President and CEO, Toshiyuki Hosoya avowed in a statement.

“Following our lifelong philosophy, we aim to enrich our customer’s lifestyles by putting them first and having ‘the mind of a true heart’.”