Mitsukoshi's face "Lion Statue" will be 100 years old this year. To commemorate this, more than 3,000 unique "lion goods" will appear at the Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi Main Store (Nihonbashi, Tokyo) from April 1st to 8th as a "Great Thanksgiving Day".

Prior to the start, an exhibition and tasting event for the media was held in March, and the lions from each store were shown ahead of time.


◆ Collaboration between Morinaga and Miracle

The highlight is a collaboration with "Morinaga Milk Caramel," which is also turning 100 years old. In addition to selling special sweets, a cafe will open for a limited time.

The cafe opens in the central hall on the 1st floor of the main building, which is the main venue for this big birthday festival. Sweets such as "Morinaga Milk Caramel Petit Cake", "Morinaga Milk Caramel Eclair", and special latte that you can enjoy the rich taste of Morinaga Milk Caramel will be on sale. The two sweets products have a lion's face made of chocolate, and you can enjoy a collaborative look.


In addition, these sweets will also be sold at the Ginza Line Exit on the 1st basement floor of the main building. It is said that commemorative cans, which are reproductions of 100-year-old confectionery cans, will also be sold here.

In addition to the "100th anniversary" connection, the two companies have a mysterious commonality, such as using the same painter's paintings in advertisements during the Meiji era. These valuable materials will also be exhibited in the central hall.

◆ Japanese sweets

On the food floor in the basement, you can see original lions made by each store, including Japanese sweets, Western sweets, and side dish stores.

The Japanese confectionery corner will feature the confectionery Hanami's namagashi "Rain" (300 yen) and KITAYA Rokujinshu "Heartful Lion Dorayaki" (200 yen). Castella (1,500 yen) with a winged lion is also on sale at the famous store, Bunmeido.


The sweets Tsuchiya "Lion Yokan Weifeng Dignified" (325 yen) is a yokan that reproduces the lion statue of Mitsukoshi using 3D printer technology. Five kinds of yokan such as amber yokan with gold leaf, red yokan, and white chocolate yokan will be developed. Each comes in a box that matches the body color. A dish recommended by buyers.



My favorite is the moon cake from Nakamuraya in Shinjuku. The "Original Mooncake Smile Lion" (120 yen), which uses a specially made wooden pattern, contains candied 11 kinds of fruits and nut-kneaded bean paste, and has a slightly Western-style scent. In addition, the candy work handled by specialty stores is said to be handmade one by one. If you look closely, you can feel the fingerprints and the breathing of the craftsmen.



◆ Western confectionery

In the Western confectionery corner, "Western confectionery lion commemorative can" (1,000 yen), which is a collection of popular products such as Ueno Fugetsudo and Morozoff, and "Rion Sando" (278 yen), a cookie sand shaped like a lion's face, will appear. I will.


Boulmish's "Smile Lion Macaron" (3 pieces / 600 yen) is available in two types: yellow citron (lemon) and cream-colored vanilla (vanilla). It is a sweet that is perfect for tea time and is moist but melts.


◆ Japanese side dish

At the Japanese side dish corner, you can enjoy the long-established taste with a character bento. Tsuboya "Lion Inari Bento" (550 yen), Ryogoku Chaya "Lion 2 Color Bowl" (600 yen), Tamokami "Lion Okowa Bento" (650 yen), Nadaman Kitchen "Smile Lion Norimaki" (600 yen) There are many cute lunch boxes that you can't find at the usual stores.



Maisen's "Tamatoro Menchi-katsu" (380 yen) is a simple one-handed menu. The thick and flowing yolk is irresistible. The lion branding iron is a cute item.


◆ National confectionery exhibition also participates

In addition, Mitsukoshi's famous event "National Confectionery Exhibition" (April 1-7) celebrates its 100th anniversary. You can enjoy lion-motif sweets made by famous Japanese sweets stores from all over the country. Attention is the unique namagashi such as "Mitsukoshi Original Namagashi Lion" (300 yen) from Heiando Umetsubo (Hiroshima). Both are sold in limited quantities.


Also, the "life-size chocolate lion" that is displayed with the lion statue at the famous confectionery exhibition venue is a must-see. It is said that the factory manager of Koume (Kumamoto), a professional of large-scale craft confectionery, measured all the lion statues and took about two months to make them.

◆ Full of lions other than restaurants

Of course, lions will also appear in stores other than restaurants. These are also all products that can only be bought here.


There are also fun projects such as 7 lions, 5 more than usual, and an event on the roof where dogs dressed as lions gather. Please enjoy yourself for a week when Mitsukoshi is full of lions.