1921 (Taisho 10) Wednesday, May 25 Today is rather a local event in Shinjuku-ku. Shobei IIZUKA opens a vegetable store called “Musashiya” in Ichigaya Tanimachi. Later, it developed into a supermarket “Shinjuku Marusho”, which expanded into the Tokyo metropolitan area with a focus on Shinjuku. Many residents of Shinjuku have shopped at Marusho, a supermarket located in Yotsuya-sanchome. There is now a magnificent monument called “Daikon Tower” in Marusho’s birthplace. It is along Yasukuni street near Akebonobashi and near Sumiyoshicho intersection. On the surface, Daikon means a big soul, but in fact, the hidden name comes from Joke, which means vegetable radish. There are also statues of founder Shobei Iizuka and his wife Kane. It was not so large, and one can imagine a small vegetable store “Musashiya” at that time.
The founder Iizuka was born in Oinezuka, Konosu City, Saitama Prefecture. Fans of ancient history may have heard of this place name. Oinezuka ruins are known as the kiln ruins of the largest Haniwa production in eastern Japan during the Kofun period. All the Haniwa excavated in the surrounding ancient tombs such as Sakitama tumulus cluster in Gyoda city are believed to be produced in the Oinezuka ruins.
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