In front of Nagoya Station is the Meitetsu Department Store, and in front of its entrance stands an unusual mannequin known as Nana-chan. The gigantic mannequin stands 20-feet tall with a thin, long neck. The various costumes Nana-chan dawns are changed almost every month.
The mannequin was installed in 1973 when a new wing of the store, Seven-kan, opened. The statue was named after the Japanese word for seven, nana, which is homophonous with the common given name Nana. The staff of Meitetsu found the statue at a mannequin fair in Tokyo while looking for something with an impactful design. It was manufactured by a Swiss company called Schläppi.
Over the years, Nana-chan has been dressed in a variety of costumes including those resembling such popular characters as C-3PO, Woody from Toy Story, Elsa from Frozen, and various anime characters. It has become a popular meeting spot in Nagoya and one of the most beloved symbols of the city today.
