Ginza (銀座) is to Tokyo what Regent Street is to London or Fifth Avenue is to New York. While Shinjuku is probably the best place in Tokyo to shop for mid-market brands, if you are in search of luxury goods then Ginza is all you need. Today the area attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists, including many from mainland China who fly to Tokyo on dedicated shopping sprees when the exchange rate is favorable.

The original Kabuki-za was built in 1889, but was lost first to fire and then in the air raids of World War II. The theatre was rebuilt in 1950, but demolished in 2010 to make way for the building you see today.

The main road that runs through the area is Chuo Dori, the north end of which contains the flagship stores of just about all the luxury brands. Running parallel to this street are several smaller side streets where you can find old-fashioned bars, tea houses, and boutique shops. On Sundays and public holidays Chuo Dori is closed to traffic, letting you stroll the length of the road in peace.

When Tokugawa Ieyasu based his shogunate in Edo in 1603 the silver foundry in Shizuoka was moved to Ginza. At the time the official name of the area was Shin-Ryogaicho but people began calling the area Ginza and the name stuck (the kanji for gin means silver and za is a character that was used for approved trade organizations and theatres).

Many famous department stores line the streets. At the central crossing on Chuo Dori sits Wako (top image), known for its clock tower. It is one of the oldest buildings in Ginza, having stood since 1932 when it was redesigned and reconstruction in the distinctive Neo-Renaissance style. During the occupation it was requisitioned as a retail store for the U.S. military (called a Post Exchange), but since 1952 has been in business as the “face of Ginza”.

Other notable establishments include Matsuya Ginza and Ginza Six, which has a roof top garden (free entrance) offering one of the best spots to peer down the length of Chuo Dori.

History of Ginza

Ginza’s development as a shopping district lies primarily in its proximity to Nihombashi, the starting point of the Five Routes (five highways built to connect Edo with the outer provinces) and the historical confluence point for merchants and their goods from around the country. In 1872 Japan’s first railway connected the port of Yokohama to Shimbashi just south of Ginza, and the area found itself sandwiched between the two key commercial zones, providing further impetus for its development.

Key Attractions

Artizon Museum

Art museum established by Ishibashi Shojiro, the founder of the Bridgestone Corporation, the tire manufacturer. The Ishibashi Foundation has built on Ishibashi’s personal collection over the years and today the museum is an eclectic mix 2,600 pieces of Japanese, European, and American.
10:00-18:00
Need to book in advance via the website

Ginza Six

Up-market department store which opened in April 2017. It’s a 13-floor building with a large restaurant floor and a roof garden from which you can peer down on Chuo Dori.
Shops 10:00-20:00 / Restaurants 11:00-22:00

Ginza’s Corridor Gai

Very popular strip of restaurants that sit underneath the rail tracks.

Wako

One of Ginza’s most famous department stores known for its clock tower. It is one of the oldest buildings in Ginza, having stood since 1932 when it was redesigned and reconstruction in the distinctive Neo-Renaissance style.
10:30-19:00, seven days a week

Kabuki-za

The main theatre in Tokyo for Kabuki with shows on daily. The original theatre was built in 1889, but was lost first to fire and then in the air raids of World War II. The building you see today was finished in 2013.

Matsuya Ginza

huge department store on Chuo Dori offering fashion, jewelry, household goods, and currency exchange services. The 8th floor contains restaurants and the basement floor has a food hall. There is also a tax-free counter.
Shops 10:00-20:00 / Restaurants 11:00-22:00

Yurakucho Sanchoku Inshokugai

Literally translating as “Yurakucho Fresh Produce Drinking & Eating Town”, it’s a big name for what is a…
You May Also Like

Hakone Yumoto

Gateway town to the Hakone region and the destination of the Romance Car from Shinjuku. A great place to pick up a souvenir or try the local delicacies.

Asahikawa

Asahikawa (旭川) is Hokkaido’s second biggest city after Sapporo. It is not a major tourist destination, although visitors…

Nihombashi

If you had to mark the heart of Tokyo, and thus the heart of Japan, a strong case…