Endoji Shopping Arcade Statues

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Endoji Shopping Arcade Statues
Endōji Shōtengai-zōi (円頓寺商店街)
Map
LocationNishi-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan
Coordinates35°10′35″N 136°53′24″E / 35.1764°N 136.8900°E / 35.1764; 136.8900
DesignerTokita Kazuhiro
TypeStatues
MaterialReinforced plastic
Height1.5 metres (4.9 ft)[a]
Opening dateJuly 25, 2013
Dedicated to

The Endoji Shopping Arcade Statues (Japanese: 円頓寺商店街像, Hepburn: Endōji Shōtengai-zōi), or the The Three Heroes and Mito Kōmon Monument (三英傑と水戸黄門のモニュメント, San'eiketsu to Mito Kōmon no Monyumento),[1] are statues of the famous Sengoku Period warlords Tokugawa Ieyasu, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Oda Nobunaga located in Nagoya, Japan. There is also a statue of Tokugawa Mitsukuni, the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu. The statues are often subject to vandalism.[2]

Description

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Tokugawa Ieyasu, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Oda Nobunaga are considered to be "Japan's most famous warlords". They are noted as the ones that unified Japan during the Sengoku Period in the 16th century. The three are known as the "Three Heroes" (三英傑, San'eiketsu). They are believed to have been born in now-Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture.[3][4] Tokugawa Mitsukuni (also known as Mito Kōmon), the grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu, was born in now Mito, Ibaraki and was the lord of Mito domain.[4]

The statues are located at the Endoji intersection at the entrance of the Endoji Shopping Arcade, Nishi-ku in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture.[4][5] It was made of reinforced plastic.[3] It was designed by Tokita Kazuhiro in 2013, who commissioned the Nihonbijutsu Training School [ja] to build the monument. It was completed after three months, and an unveiling ceremony was held on July 25, 2013. The statue of Oda Nobunaga is located at the northeast corner of the intersection.[4] It is approximately 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) tall.[5] He is painted gold and is depicted as standing and holding a gun. The statue of Toyotomi Hideyoshi is located at the southeast corner of the intersection. He is painted silver and is depicted as sitting. The statue of Tokugawa Ieyasu is located at the northwest corner of the intersection. He was painted bronze and was depicted as sitting and resting his chin on his hand. The statue of Tokugawa Mitsukuni is located at the southwest corner of the intersection. He is painted in full color. Even though Tokugawa Mitsukuni was not a warlord and was not from Nagoya, he is added as Kazuhiro liked him.[4]

Between 2015 and 2016, the scepter of the Toyotomi Hideyoshi statue was broken.[5] In 2019, the statue of Oda Nobunaga was found without his left arm.[3][5] In June 2022, the walking stick of Tokugawa Mitsukuni was broken.[5] On October 31, a passerby noticed that the statue of Tokugawa Ieyasu was toppled.[5][6] It was later removed and was restored in February 2023.[7] On August 25, 2025, the statue of Toyotomi Hideyoshi was found without a head. It was temporarily repaired with duct tape.[2][8]

Notes

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  1. ^ Only for the statue of Oda Nobunaga

References

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  1. ^ "Endōjishōtengai ni monyumento tōjō - Nagoya shichō, omotenashi bushō-tai-ra ga jomakushiki" 円頓寺商店街にモニュメント登場－名古屋市長、おもてなし武将隊らが除幕式 [A monument appears in Endoji Shopping Arcade - Nagoya Mayor and Omotenashi Samurai Corps members hold unveiling ceremony]. Meieki Keizai Shimbun [ja]. July 26, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
  2. ^ a b "Nagoya Nishiku shōten-gai no toyotomi hideyoshizō kubi ga orete mitsukaru" 名古屋 西区 商店街の豊臣秀吉像 首が折れて見つかる [Statue of Toyotomi Hideyoshi found with broken neck in shopping street in Nishi Ward, Nagoya]. NHK (in Japanese). August 26, 2025. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c "16th-century warlord statue beheaded in central Japan". Kyodo News. August 26, 2025. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Nagoya ni wa, bushō ni aeru kōsaten ga aru. Nobunaga, Ieyasu, Hideyoshi, atohitori wa…!?" 名古屋には、武将に会える交差点がある。信長、家康、秀吉、あと一人は…!? [In Nagoya, there is an intersection where you can meet warlords: Nobunaga, Ieyasu, Hideyoshi, and who's the last one...?]. Oricon. January 16, 2017. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Tokugawa ieyasu-zō ga taosa reru `nande kon'na koto o…' Mitokōmon, oda nobunaga, toyotomi hideyoshi ni tsudzuki go nan Nagoya-shi" 徳川家康像が倒される「なんでこんなことを…」水戸黄門、織田信長、豊臣秀吉に続きご難 名古屋市 [Statue of Tokugawa Ieyasu toppled, following Mito Komon, Oda Nobunaga, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi in Nagoya]. Nikkan Sports (in Japanese). November 1, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
  6. ^ France-Presse, Agence (August 27, 2025). "Feudal warlord statue beheaded in Japan". Inquirer.net. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
  7. ^ "Okaeri Ieyasu, hason de tekkyo no zō fukkatsu Nagoya no shōten machi" おかえり家康、破損で撤去の像復活 名古屋の商店街 [Welcome back, Ieyasu, statue removed due to damage resurrected in Nagoya shopping district]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). February 27, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
  8. ^ "Nagoya ni setchi sa reta toyotomi hideyoshizō, kubi ora reta jōtai de hakken… Nihon de shōgeki" 名古屋に設置された豊臣秀吉像、首折られた状態で発見…日本で衝撃 [Statue of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in Nagoya discovered with its neck broken... Shock in Japan]. JoongAng Ilbo (in Japanese). Yahoo! News Japan. August 28, 2025. Retrieved September 2, 2025.