A delicious slice of Japan in the Philippines
Lovers of all things Japanese have reasons to rejoice and say “Kanpai!” Mitsukoshi, the country’s first Japanese mall, has opened at BGC.
And it’s not just for shopping. It’s a Japanese retail icon where customers can go fashion hunting, discover the latest beauty products, relish good food, check on homewares, enjoy music, and appreciate the arts and culture.
“We aim to enrich our customers’ lifestyle by putting them first and having the mind of a true heart,” says Toshiyuki Hosoya, director, president, and CEO of Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd. “Mitsukoshi bridges the Philippines with Japan.”
Eiji Kutsukake, Nomura Real Estate Holdings chair, tells us: “We started with a vision to bring in a piece of Japan to the Philippines.”
Alfred Ty, chairperson of Federal Land, says the partnership with his company’s esteemed Japanese partners began seven years before the pandemic. “We were able to overcome the obstacles that came our way. The opening of four towers of our Seasons Residences and the grand opening of Mitsukoshi BGC is the fulfillment of a dream by our late group chairman, Dr. George Ty. A visionary recognized by both the Philippines and Japan for helping strengthen the economic relationship between the two countries.”
Ty added that his father clearly foresaw how “a partnership with globally recognized real estate giants can catapult our local development scene to international standards.”
Mitsukoshi began in 1673 as a kimono fabric merchandiser in Tokyo. Today it is present in Taiwan and North America, and had its soft opening in the Philippines last November 2022. This month’s official opening in BGC coincides with Mitsukoshi’s 350th anniversary.
Vice President Sara Duterte expressed her appreciation for the new mall, saying that “outside the Philippines, my favorite country is Japan. And Japanese Ambassador Kazuhiko Koshikawa knows that well.”
In Japan, the word “mitsukoshi” means to surpass and exceed. Mitsukoshi BGC has truly exceeded Filipinos’ expectations—especially food expectations.
Mitsukoshi Fresh is a neat and well-curated supermarket where you can find Japanese food products not found anywhere else. Aside from reliable staples like sushi and sashimi, it carries chosen Philippine and international food items as well. For instance, the popular Korean ice cream Melona costs only ₱27 per piece here, whereas it’s ₱38 in other supermarts and ₱55 in restaurants.
Their Itadaki Food Court is a gem with its Japanese as well as Asian stalls. After their soft opening, there were Coco Ichibanya for curry, Mitsuyado Sei-men for ramen, Nadai Fuji for soba, Bad Bird for fried chicken, as well as Manila Inasal for grilled chicken. There are Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese stalls as well.
One of our favorites is the Oyster Bar, where there are not only raw oysters with vinegar, but also different baked oyster offerings like those with herbed chili garlic, creamed spinach and cheese, and truffled mushroom, to name a few, so reasonably priced from ₱280 up for three pieces.
Matcha Tokyo has organic green tea products. Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory has the first and only Nama Doughnuts in the world.
Cuddle offers comfort and healthy-ish Japanese home cooking, says owner Alyanna Uy, “produced by the third okami of a Japanese kappou restaurant Sanei, which has been making authentic Japanese food since 1933 in Kagoshima, Japan.”
There is also a Prologue restaurant here, Alyanna adds, which has elevated offerings by Japanese executive chef Hiroyuki Meno different from their Rockwell, Greenhills, and QC branches.
Key Coffee Kissaten, a franchise owned by Bryan Chua, his wife Kathleen, and his brother, Marvin Chua, has salmon caviar, crab egg scramble, and other tempting dishes aside from their renowned coffee roasts.
For assorted beauty and home needs, naturally, there is a Daiso in this Japanese mall.
For Japanese arts and literature, there is Kinokuniya x Fully Booked, where half of its shelves have Japanese books and manga in both Japanese and English.
During the ongoing Matsuri festival, there is a wish tree for young and old. For a ₱2,000 receipt, shoppers can pose in a yukata (kimono) for souvenir photos.
For every ₱1,000 single or accumulated receipt, customers get a raffle stub entitling them to win a trip to Japan for two, including airline tickets and a five-day hotel stay with breakfast and airport transportation. This promo is until Aug.14.
Hai, the Mitsukoshi BGC experience can lead to an actual immersion in all things Japanese.
