Yagihashi

Yagihashi (八木橋百貨店) is a Japanese department store headquartered in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, operated by Yagihashi Co., Ltd. (株式会社八木橋). It traces its origins to 1897 (Meiji 30), when the first-generation Yagihashi Motohiro opened a kimono and dry-goods shop in Nakacho, Kumagaya — the same location where the store stands today. The business was reorganized into a joint-stock company in 1927 (Showa 2), and after being destroyed in the Kumagaya air raids of August 1945, it rebuilt and reopened. In 1961 it received a license from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry and became the first department store in Saitama Prefecture, with a sales floor area of 4,200 square meters. A new main building opened in 1971, and a major expansion completed in 1989 brought the total floor area to 37,825 square meters, making it one of the largest stores in the northern Saitama region. The store is a member of the Japan Department Stores Association and is known as one of the oldest department stores in Saitama Prefecture. It operates a single store in the central shopping district of Kumagaya, with floors from basement level 1 to the 8th floor: food in the basement, cosmetics and fashion accessories on the 1st floor, women's and men's apparel and lifestyle goods on the middle floors, and restaurants, event halls, and multipurpose cultural facilities on the upper floors. Its product range includes women's, men's, and children's clothing, accessories, kimono, bedding, household goods, electrical appliances, toys, and food. The company reported sales of 12.8 billion yen (95th term) and 186 employees as of August 2020, with capital of 50 million yen. Its representative is President Yagihashi Hiroki. Yagihashi is closely tied to its local community. It issues a public-relations newspaper called "Yagihashi Dayori" as a folded insert, and since 2007 has participated in a joint sales-promotion campaign with other Kumagaya commercial facilities (Az Kumagaya, Tiara 21, and Knit Mall). It is also known for the large thermometer installed in front of its main entrance in summer, linked to Kumagaya's "Atsui zo! Kumagaya" (It's Hot! Kumagaya) city campaign. The store has appeared as a filming location in television dramas, and its rooftop hosts a weather camera for Television Saitama. Historically it also operated a Takasaki store in Gunma Prefecture and food outlets called "Yagihashi Mart," but these have since been withdrawn.

The origin of Yagihashi Department Store dates back to the first-generation Yagihashi Motohiro (born February of the first year of Man'en, died December 7, 1938). Motohiro was born into the Daike family in Fukiage Town (present-day Konosu City) and began an apprenticeship around age 12 at "Yamakiya," a kimono and dry-goods store in Mochida Village (present-day Gyoda City) run by Yagihashi Sogoro. He became a skilled head clerk, married Sogoro's daughter Ichi, and took the Yagihashi surname. In June 1897 (Meiji 30), Motohiro received a noren-wake (branch independence) from Yamakiya and founded "Yagihashi," a kimono and dry-goods business dealing mainly in cotton fabrics, in Kumagaya-cho Nakacho (the current location). The store prospered through large sales held twice a year in summer and winter; it is said that on sale days customers gathered from early morning and stalls lined the streets. On August 31, 1927 (Showa 2), the organization was converted into a joint-stock company and the trade name became "Yagihashi Co., Ltd." At the same time, it acquired an adjacent store and added a clothing department, expanding the scale of its business. In August 1945 (Showa 20), the store was completely destroyed in the Kumagaya air raid, but after the war it cleared the burnt ruins, built a store of about 231 square meters, and resumed business. In 1961 (Showa 36), it received a business license from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry and became a department store with a sales floor area of 4,200 square meters — the first department store in Saitama Prefecture. Around the same time, it opened the "Yagihashi Takasaki Store" on the main street (present-day Aramachi) of Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture, which was popular as a local shopping destination with a restaurant on the 4th floor and a children's amusement park on the roof. On March 2, 1971 (Showa 46), a new store opened with one basement floor and seven above-ground floors, totaling 18,900 square meters. In 1973, a live house called "Dekuindo" was opened in the basement of the old building. In 1979, branch offices of the wholesale department were established in Fukaya City, Hanyu City, and Ota City. In 1987, the five-story parking garage "Park Nakacho" (accommodating 260 cars) was completed, and in March 1988 capital was increased to 485.76 million yen. In March 1989 (Heisei 1), expansion work was completed, extending the building to one basement floor and eight above-ground floors with a total area of 37,825 square meters. Modern facilities such as elevators and escalators were installed. In July 1991, the five-story parking garage "Park Ichibangai" (accommodating 300 cars) was completed. In 1997 (Heisei 9), the store celebrated its 100th anniversary, and on September 12, 2013 (Heisei 25), the basement food floor and the first-floor famous confectionery section were renovated. Over the years the store has repeatedly renovated its floors, including the basement food floor, women's clothing floors, men's clothing floor, living floor, restaurant floor, and information center. It also operated a food supermarket called "Yagihashi Mart" in Isemachi and Hakoda within Kumagaya City from 1974 until July 1980. It once had a Takasaki store and wholesale branch offices in Fukaya, Hanyu, and Ota, but has since withdrawn from all of them. In 2017 it marked its 120th anniversary, placing it among the long-established department stores.

• 2017

  Celebrated 120th anniversary.

• 2013

  Basement food floor and first-floor famous confectionery section renovated.

• 1997

  Celebrated 100th anniversary.

• 1991

  Five-story parking garage "Park Ichibangai" (300 cars) completed.

• 1989

  Expansion completed; building extended to one basement floor and eight above-ground floors, total area 37,825 m².

• 1988

  Capital increased to 485.76 million yen.

• 1987

  Five-story parking garage "Park Nakacho" (260 cars) completed.

• 1979

  Established wholesale department branch offices in Fukaya, Hanyu, and Ota.

• 1974

  Opened food supermarket "Yagihashi Mart" in Isemachi and Hakoda, Kumagaya (until July 1980).

• 1973

  Opened live house "Dekuindo" in the basement of the old building.

• 1971

  New store opened with one basement floor and seven above-ground floors, total area 18,900 m².

• 1961

  Received license from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry; became the first department store in Saitama Prefecture with 4,200 m² of sales floor area.

• 1945

  Store completely destroyed in the Kumagaya air raid; rebuilt and reopened after the war.

• 1927

  Reorganized into a joint-stock company; trade name changed to Yagihashi Co., Ltd.; acquired adjacent store and added a clothing department.

• 1897

  First-generation Yagihashi Motohiro founded a kimono and dry-goods store in Kumagaya-cho Nakacho (current location).

A community-rooted, long-established regional department store in Kumagaya, Saitama, operating a single flagship store and serving the northern Saitama area.

• Women's clothing

• Men's clothing

• Children's clothing

• Fashion accessories and cosmetics

• Kimono (gofuku)

• Bedding

• Household goods

• Electrical appliances

• Toys

• Food and groceries

1. 1八木橋百貨店 公式サイトyagihashi.co.jp
2. 2企業情報 | 八木橋百貨店yagihashi.co.jp
3. 3八木橋百貨店 - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
4. 4Yagihashi - Wikidatawikidata.org