About
When you step into the central hall of Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store, your vision is overwhelmed by a magnificent wooden sculpture towering before you. This “Angel (Magokoro) Statue,” standing approximately 11 meters tall and weighing a total of 6.8 tons, welcomes visitors with an elegance as if it had descended from the heavens. The statue is depicted enveloped in auspicious clouds, capturing the moment it alights on the core of a flower, symbolizing “magokoro” (sincerity), which is the fundamental philosophy of Mitsukoshi. (mistore.jp)
The artist behind this statue is Gen-gen Sato, renowned as a genius of modern wood carving. He set up his atelier at Daishin-in of Myoshin-ji in Kyoto and spent about ten years completing this grand work. Many disciples and craftsmen participated in its creation, with up to 90 people involved at times. The central angel figure was carved from a roughly 500-year-old Japanese cypress from the mountains of Kifune Shrine in Kyoto, and it is colored with mineral pigments mixed with synthetic resin. (asahi-mullion.com)
At the unveiling ceremony held on April 19, 1960, a pure white covering fell in a beautiful line, dramatically revealing the angel. At that moment, a great stir arose among the gathered crowd. This statue was installed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Mitsukoshi’s founding and has become a symbol of the Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store. (mistore.jp)
Behind the angel statue, 48 birds are depicted flying, and the pedestal is densely adorned with jewels, with intricate decorations extending to every detail. Its resplendent beauty continues to captivate the hearts of visitors. In 2000 (Heisei 12), a large-scale restoration was carried out, and the statue still retains its brilliance today. (tokuhain.chuo-kanko.or.jp)
This angel statue is not merely a sculptural work but an embodiment of Mitsukoshi’s spirit of “magokoro.” Visitors are deeply moved by its overwhelming presence and beauty, feeling as if an angel has truly descended into this world. When you visit Nihombashi Mitsukoshi Main Store, be sure to pause before this angel statue and surrender your heart to its magnificent form.