An idea man who created various lifestyles and cultures
Founder Ichizo Kobayashi (1873-1957)

Founder Ichizo Kobayashi created the original model for Japan's private railway management, which integrated urban development and distribution businesses centered around the railway to create synergistic effects. As the population increased along the railway lines, he saw business opportunities in meeting the needs of these residents, and launched numerous businesses, including the railway, real estate for residential management, retail, and the entertainment industry, known for the Takarazuka Revue. Centered on businesses closely related to the lives of the masses, as expressed in the phrase "Put the People First," he created an ideal lifestyle that continues into the present day, where people live in convenient, environmentally friendly homes, shop at department stores, enjoy theater, and lead a leisurely life, with a strong service spirit and a wealth of ideas.

In the footsteps of entrepreneur Ichizo Kobayashi, who expanded the dreams of the masses, a new lifestyle for urban dwellers was born. The DNA of our founder, Ichizo Kobayashi, who believed in "enriching people's lives through business," is still handed down to our company today.

How it revolutionized Japanese department stores

In 1925, under the direction of Ichizo Kobayashi, Hankyu Market, the predecessor to Hankyu Department Store, opened in Umeda as a directly managed market division of Hankyu Corporation (then Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd.). In April 1929, Hankyu Department Store was born as the world's first railway terminal department store. At the time, many Japanese department stores originated as kimono shops, and there were no examples of railway companies operating department stores directly, even outside of Japan. With two basement floors and eight aboveground floors, this department store was by far the largest at the time, attracting attention from across the country. Today, it is not uncommon to find department stores near railway terminal stations around the world, but this originated with Hankyu Department Store, which was born in Umeda, Osaka.

In April 1947, the company became independent from Hankyu Railways and became Hankyu Department Stores Co., Ltd. (now Hankyu Hanshin Department Stores Co., Ltd.), growing into a department store with stores in both the Kansai and Kanto regions.

The challenge of creating a department store that is "No. 1 in fun"

In 2005, the reconstruction of the flagship store, Hankyu Department Store Umeda Main Store, began. Hankyu Department Store Umeda Main Store, which opened in 2012 after a seven-year reconstruction period, has transformed into a place to enjoy cultural experiences as well as shopping, and based on the concept of making customers' lives enjoyable, enriching their hearts, and energizing tomorrow, "cultural value of life" rather than things, "experience value" rather than shopping, "self value" rather than the eyes of others and society, and "present value" rather than " In order to provide "products and services" by wrapping "new value" such as "future value" and "unique value" rather than "extraordinary" in "fun", "SHUKUSAI Plaza" and "Hankyu Umeda Hall have installed a large-scale vision with a four-story atrium. ", and a customer-participation event sales floor "Kotokoto Stage" set up on each floor, creating a new type of department store that navigates product sales through entertainment as a "theater-type department store", and has grown into one of the largest department stores in Japan, with approximately 45 million visitors a year. In Umeda, Osaka, Hankyu Department Store Umeda Main Store will continue to take on the challenge of becoming the "No. 1 Department Store for Fun" that can enrich the lives of customers who pursue extraordinary richness and provide longing, experience, and learning.

The beginning of Hanshin Department Store

Hanshin Mart, the predecessor of Hanshin Department Store, opened in Umeda in 1933. It originated from the Hanshin Electric Railway selling electric appliances such as light bulbs at its station offices, and the department store's current operations began when it began selling groceries and daily necessities for the convenience of train users. In 1939, with the opening of the Hanshin Electric Railway's underground extension, it moved to the basement of Shin-Umeda Station as Higashi-Hanshin Mart.

Then, in the spring of 1940, the land readjustment and urban planning projects for the remodeling of the area in front of Osaka Station were completed, and the number of passengers boarding and alighting on all modes of transport, as well as those passing through above and below ground, visibly increased sharply. As a result, Hanshin Electric Railway closed both its existing East and West Marts and opened a new "Hanshin Mart" on the first basement floor of the Umeda Hanshin Building on May 26th of the same year.

From a mart to a landmark of Umeda

In 1951, when the store expanded, it was renamed "Hanshin Department Store," and adopted its current name. In 1957, it became independent from Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd. as Hanshin Department Store Co., Ltd., and opened as a department store on March 13, 1958. The sales floor area increased to 25,184 m2. In 1963, the "Osaka Shin Building" was completed, and the store developed into one of Western Japan's leading department stores, establishing itself as a landmark in Umeda.

Grand opening of Hanshin Umeda Main Store

In 2014, a large-scale reconstruction work began over a period of seven and a half years. After a gradual renovation, the entire building had its grand opening on April 6, 2022. In this reconstruction, the "HANSHIN FOOD MARKET" symbolized by "Hanshin of Food" was fully opened, and the food floor was greatly strengthened. In particular, a sweet street with a length of about 100 meters was born, lined with popular brands. The fresh food section, which boasts an overwhelming selection of products, is lined with carefully selected ingredients from all over the country and rare ingredients that connoisseurs like. Topical sales floors such as the deli section with many new shops and the Convenience Deli corner where you can quickly purchase side dishes in the basement of the department store have appeared one after another. Hanshin Department Store continues to take on new challenges in the field of food.