Kuzuha Mall

Kuzuha Mall (くずはモール, KUZUHA MALL) is a shopping mall in Kuzuha Hanazono-cho, Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture, Japan, operated by Keihan Kyūryū Systems, a subsidiary of Keihan Holdings. It sits directly in front of Kuzuha Station on the Keihan Main Line and is described as the largest commercial facility along the Keihan railway corridor. The mall opened in April 1972 as 'Keihan Kuzuha Mall-gai' and was one of Japan's early full-scale open-air shopping centers, combining a department store, supermarkets, and a large specialty-store street. The original complex was anchored by Matsuzakaya (which opened in 1974), Daiei, and Izumiya, with around 150 specialty stores and parking for roughly 1,200 cars. Its central 'Kisha no Hiroba' (Train Plaza) preserved a D51 steam locomotive and featured a water stage, surrounded by outdoor and indoor malls. After the complex deteriorated and retail formats grew larger, it closed in January 2004 for a full rebuild, reopening in April 2005 as 'KUZUHA MALL' with a main building and a west building, followed by a KIDS building in September 2005. Matsuzakaya withdrew in 2004, and the rebuilt mall centered on Keihan Department Store, Daiei (now AEON Food Style by Daiei), and Izumiya. A major expansion and renewal completed in March 2014 replaced the west and KIDS buildings, added a south building, and increased sales area from about 50,000 to 72,000 square meters. The renewal introduced the mall names 'Midorino Mall,' 'Hanano Mall,' and 'Hikarino Mall,' and added the SANZEN-HIROBA railway museum zone on the first floor of the south building, displaying preserved Keihan electric railway cars. A 10-screen TOHO Cinemas multiplex opened in the south building at the same time. Further renewals took place in 2023 and a grand reopening in March 2024. Today Kuzuha Mall functions as a regional lifestyle and entertainment destination, with fashion, food, kids and baby goods, interior and lifestyle stores, a dining street, events, pop-up shops, and the free railway museum. It is open year-round, generally from 10:00 to 20:00 on weekdays and 10:00 to 21:00 on weekends and holidays, though hours vary by store.

Kuzuha Mall traces its origins to 'Keihan Kuzuha Mall-gai,' which opened in April 1972 in front of Kuzuha Station on the Keihan Main Line. At the time, the Keihan Group had no department store of its own, so it invited the Nagoya-based department store Matsuzakaya, along with supermarkets Daiei and Izumiya, to create an early full-scale shopping mall combining a department store, supermarkets, and a specialty-store street. Matsuzakaya's Kuzuha store opened in October 1974. The complex had about 150 specialty stores and parking for roughly 1,200 cars in south and west lots. It was an unusual open-air mall for Japan, arranged around a central 'Kisha no Hiroba' (Train Plaza) that preserved a D51 steam locomotive and included a water stage. Around the plaza were the outdoor 'Taiyo no Mall,' the indoor 'Midori no Mall' and 'Hana no Mall,' Daiei to the north, and Izumiya to the south, with a Western-style bell tower that rang at set times. A 'Keihan Kuzuha Kaikan' with bowling facilities stood at the southeast end. The opening event in 1972 featured actor Yusaku Matsuda, and in 1974 the complex won the 15th BCS Prize from the Building Contractors Society. By the early 2000s the facility had deteriorated and retail formats were growing larger, so it closed in January 2004 for a full rebuild, except for Matsuzakaya. A temporary store, 'Kuzuha Mall 'Dash,' opened in January 2004 on part of the south parking lot while the new building was constructed. Matsuzakaya Kuzuha closed on March 31, 2004, and in August 2004 it was decided to lease the former Matsuzakaya site and incorporate it into the renewal plan. The D51 locomotive was moved to the 19th Century Hall in front of Torokko Saga Station and later dismantled. The renewed complex opened on April 14, 2005 as 'KUZUHA MALL,' with a main building and a west building converted from the former Matsuzakaya Kuzuha store. More than 1,000 people lined up before opening on the first day. A KIDS building, converted from 'Kuzuha Mall 'Dash,' opened on September 15, 2005. The main building had a four-story atrium and was anchored by Keihan Department Store, Daiei Gourmet City, and Izumiya, with about 170 specialty stores. The west building housed large apparel stores such as Uniqlo, interior shops, a pet club with a dog run, cafes, and beauty salons. The KIDS building housed Toys 'R' Us and other kids and baby stores plus a play zone. Kuzuha Loft opened on December 1, 2007. The restaurant zone, called 'Dining Street,' was designed as an open-air mall with a new-town feel, and the mall aimed at a broad range of customers from children and young people to families and older generations. Because Daiei handled groceries, Izumiya notably had no food sales floor. A second-phase development began in summer 2012 and was completed in spring 2014, rebuilding the west and KIDS buildings. The west building closed on June 30, 2012, and the KIDS building and 'Kuzuha Court' closed on August 31, 2012. The grand opening was held on March 12, 2014. The west building site became an extension of the main building, while the KIDS building, 'Kuzuha Court,' and part of the south parking lot became the new multi-level south building. Sales area increased from 50,000 to 72,000 square meters, adding fashion, interior, and miscellaneous goods stores as well as entertainment and housing-related retailers. The renewal gave the main building's existing section the name 'Midorino Mall,' the main building extension 'Hanano Mall,' and the south building 'Hikarino Mall,' carrying on the names of the original malls. The bell sound from the original 'Bell Tower' was digitally processed into a time signal played throughout the mall at 12:00, 15:00, and 18:00, changing by season, with the time signal and opening/closing BGM produced by Minoru Mukaiya. The south building's first floor added SANZEN-HIROBA, a Keihan Electric Railway museum zone where former Keihan 3000 series car 3505, a 'TV car,' is preserved in 'digital dynamic preservation' with a railway simulator. A 10-screen TOHO Cinemas multiplex opened on the south building's third floor at the same time, the first in western Japan to introduce TCX and Dolby Atmos. In 2023 the mall carried out renewals from spring to autumn. The food court and food sales area on the first floor of the main building's 'Midorino Mall' became 'Food Marche,' increasing the number of stores to 18, about 1.5 times more, and the railway car display at SANZEN-HIROBA was expanded. The 'Dining Street' restaurant area was also scheduled for store changes and additional terrace seating in autumn. This was part of a medium-term management plan through fiscal 2026, aimed at increasing non-fare revenue in response to reduced railway passenger numbers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In April 2023 SANZEN-HIROBA added a half-car of the 5000 series and a front cut model of the 2600 series, with lighting, sound, and floor track effects. A grand reopening was held on March 22, 2024.

• Opened as 'Keihan Kuzuha Mall-gai.'

• Matsuzakaya Kuzuha store opened.

• Second floors of 'Midori no Mall' and 'Hana no Mall' opened as extensions.

• A pachinko parlor opened in Keihan Kuzuha Kaikan.

• Closed for full rebuilding and renewal, except for Matsuzakaya.

• Temporary store 'Kuzuha Mall 'Dash' opened.

• Matsuzakaya Kuzuha store closed.

• Reopened as 'KUZUHA MALL' with main and west buildings.

• KIDS building opened.

• Kuzuha Loft opened.

• West building closed for rebuilding.

• KIDS building and 'Kuzuha Court' closed for rebuilding.

• Main and south buildings grand opening after expansion and renewal.

• Selected as an excellent case in the Ministry of the Environment's 5th Energy-Saving and Lighting Design Awards.

• Renewal carried out from spring to autumn.

• Grand reopening after renewal.

A regional lifestyle and entertainment shopping destination and the largest commercial facility along the Keihan line, combining retail, dining, cinema, and a free railway museum.

• SANZEN-HIROBA railway museum zone

  A free museum zone on the first floor of the south building's Hikarino Mall, displaying preserved Keihan Electric Railway cars including the 3000 series car 3505, the 5000 series half-car, and a 2600 series front cut model, with railway simulators and historical exhibits.

• TOHO Cinemas Kuzuha Mall

  A 10-screen cinema complex on the third floor of the south building, opened with the 2014 renewal; the first in western Japan to introduce TCX and Dolby Atmos.

• Dining Street

  An open-air restaurant zone designed with a new-town feel, one of the mall's features.

• Food Marche

  A renewed food court and food sales area on the first floor of the main building's Midorino Mall, with 18 stores as of the 2023 renewal.

1. 1KUZUHA MALL くずはモール official websitekuzuha-mall.com
2. 2Kuzuha Mall - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3くずはモール - Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org