Japan: Tokyo (Ginza) (*)

Today, many people know that the Ginza district in Tokyo is home to many upscale shopping, dining and entertainment venues. But before one square meter of land in the district’s center became valued at well over ten million yen, Ginza was a swamp which was filled in during the 16^th century. Its name is derived from the silver coin mint established there in 1612 during the Edo period. (Ginza means silver mint in Japanese.)

The famous Ginza District of Tokyo

Ginza sparkles at night

A fire destroyed most of the area in 1872 from which point the Meiji government designated Ginza as an area for modernization. The government planned the construction of fireproof European-style brick buildings and larger and improved streets connecting the Shimbashi Station to the Tsukiji and important government buildings. In 1873, a Western-style shopping promenade on the street from the Shinbashi Bridge to the Kyobashi Bridge was completed. It wasn’t until after the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 that Ginza developed into the upscale shopping district it is known for today.




Most of the European-style buildings have disappeared over the years, but some of the older buildings still remain. The most prominent being the Wako building with its iconic Hattori Clock Tower. The building and clock tower were originally built by Kintaro Hattori, the founder of Seiko.

The historic Wako building with its iconic Hattori Clock Tower

Having evolved into a prominent outpost of western luxury shops in recent years, Ginza is a popular destination on weekends, when the central Chuo Dori Street is closed to traffic. The traffic blockade began in the 1960s under Governor Ryokichi Minobe. The closure takes place from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Saturdays and from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Sundays (until 6:00 PM from April-September). Here shoppers and tourists can find the infamous $10 cups of coffee and virtually every leading brand name in fashion and cosmetics.

The famous, upscale Mitsukoshi Department Store

Ginza Café on Fourth Street

Even in Ginza, plastic displays of menu offerings prevail

A trendy tourist destination, you will find many tour buses crowding the already congested streets of Ginza

Aside from the shopping and dining, another popular destination in Ginza is the Kabuki-za, the famous Kabuki Theater and the premier theater in Tokyo for the traditional Kabuki drama.
The original Kabuki-za was a wooden structure that came into being in 1889. It was destroyed and rebuilt several times due to fires, earthquakes and World War II raids. The current Kabuki-za underwent a transformation beginning April 30th 2010 where the façade was retained but a 29-story modern building was added to house the theater and commercial office space. The theater was reopened to the public on April 2, 2013.