On April 1st, Mitsukoshi celebrated the 110th anniversary of Japan's first "Department Store Declaration," redesigning its shopping bags for the first time in 57 years and holding a ceremony to unveil them at the Lion Gate on the first floor of the main building of the Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Main Store.

"It's been 110 years since the Department Store Declaration, and as we embark on our next 100 years, we decided to redesign our shopping bags. By incorporating Yuzen dyeing into the design, the shopping bags themselves become works of art, and we believe they are the best shopping bags in the world. We hope people will view them not just as paper bags, but as works of art," said Yoji Naka, general manager of the Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi Main Store.

To celebrate the start of a new future, members of the Edo Fire Department Memorial Association's First District appeared on stage singing Kiyari. In addition to the Kiyari song celebrating the unveiling of the shopping bags, they also performed Matomefuri and ladder climbing, a tradition dating back to the Edo period. The performers performed a series of moves, including the "Hara Kame" pose featured on the poster, as well as the Hasso, Ude Dame, and Tsuki Nagashi poses, and the audience erupted in cheers of admiration and applause with each successful move.

The shopping bag was designed by Yuzen artist and Living National Treasure Moriguchi Kunihiko. Based on Moriguchi's "Shirojiisowaritsukemon Minori" design for kimono, the layout of the design was redesigned with three-dimensional structure in mind. The black parts of the geometric pattern painted on the four sides of the bag change gradually, creating a dynamic look as if the pattern is moving.

Moriguchi said, "For over 40 years, I've been making one-of-a-kind kimonos, making them with the intention of creating kimonos for people who will fall in love with them. For me, creating something that tens of millions of people carry was a new challenge. To be honest, I was a bit hesitant when I was asked to do the job, but I accepted because I thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make traditional culture feel more accessible. I'm filled with both excitement and joy when I imagine Nihonbashi and other areas where Mitsukoshi is located being filled with these shopping bags."