Ginza

Enjoy shopping for made in Japan goods

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Ginza is one of Japan’s most sophisticated shopping districts. In this neighborhood of modern buildings, there are many luxury brand stores and restaurants.
Address
Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

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Shopping in Ginza

Many of the tourists visiting Japan likely want to spend some time shopping. Nestled in Ginza’s central area is the Hattori Wako Clock Tower, which has become the neighborhood landmark. At the luxury department retailer Ginza Wako, you will find carefully selected luxury goods ranging from watches, accessories, to even baby gifts. You can also purchase quality products at famous established department stores such as Mitsukoshi, Matsuya, and Printemps Ginza. The Ginza chain of Uniqlo, a brand that has become hugely popular overseas of late, stocks some of the world’s biggest products along with all of the Uniqlo brand, and is popular with foreign visitors. On Ginza’s Namiki-dori, you will discover brand name stores such as Chanel, Gucci, and Hermes. On weekends, the main street is closed off to cars from lunchtime until the evening, giving pedestrians the freedom to walk the streets at leisure.

While Ginza is a modern and sophisticated place to shop, there are also scores of old and established stores specializing in handicrafts. A few shops that have recently risen in popularity are the stationery store Ito-Ya and the art supply shop of Gekkoso that specialize in products such as memo pads, letter and envelope sets, and art supplies such as paints. These stores are popular with the Japanese and have continued to stay in business for years principally for the quality of the merchandise. If you visit Gekkoso, you should take some time to enjoy the in-store art gallery and café.

Ginza’s Esteemed Old Stores

Amongst the backdrop of contemporary Ginza, there are many long-established and well-respected stores where you can drop in and find something that you like. At these stores, that have become respected for their quality goods, you can find products to take back home as souvenirs. In addition to stores selling merchandise, there are numerous restaurants and coffee parlors in Ginza that have been in business for years. They were initially established in the early Showa Period, a period when Western influences on Japanese society and culture gained a foothold. Resultantly, these restaurants were the original pioneers of Western-style food in Japan. When stepping into the interior of these restaurants, it is hard not to feel as if you’ve travelled back in time to that era as you experience a unique atmosphere distinctive to Japan of an earlier time. You will be able to satisfy your appetite and spirit at these pioneers of Western cuisine. People of all ages can also enjoy desserts, including the trendiest cakes at famed places such as Shiseido Parlour and Quil Fait Bon. Sukiyabashi Jiro, the sushi restaurant that has been all the hype as of late, also happens to be located in Ginza.

Kabuki Performance in Ginza

If you want to immerse yourself in traditional Japanese culture, you should certainly pay a visit to the Kabuki theatre to enjoy this traditional performing art. Even though foreign spectators not able to understand the language will likely find it hard to follow the narration, experiencing the sheer power of the production makes it a worthy sightseeing option. You can purchase tickets for less than 1000 Japanese yen, which is certainly an affordable cultural experience.

There are also exhibitions throughout Ginza that have free admission. Of the many options, the Canon and Sony showrooms are highly recommended, along with Nissan (closed until 2016). At these electronics exhibitions, you can handle the goods and find out more about new products on the market. Ginza also has many traditional art exhibitions where you can also revel in modern and ancient art at a reasonable price, or for free. Ginza, with all of its food, shopping, and art exhibitions, should be a full-day excursion.

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Access

From Tokyo Station to Ginza Station:
Take the Marunouchi Line direct to Ginza Station (3 minutes, ¥170)

From Shinjuku Station to Ginza Station:
Take the Marunouchi Line direct to Ginza Station (16 minutes, ¥200)

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Reviews

7 years ago
fancy and fascinating
Ginza is a fancy place with lots of high-end brand stores and various restaurants. My fave place here is actually the itoya stationery store. The designs of the buildings in Ginza are good for a background for photos as well.
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7 years ago
Ultimate shopping and dinning experince
When you visit Tokyo, don't miss to visit Ginza. Not just only with department stores and luxury flagship stores, but also with sophisticated Japanese traditional crafts, galleries and fine dinning restaurant by the ally. Take you time tour from Ginza 1 chome to 6 chome to discover the different atmosphere!
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8 years ago
Great place to pamper yourself!
Ginza is definitively a place I like to hang out when I get tired of the small streets of Tokyo and want to feel fancy! If you love fashion, jewels and good brands in general, Ginza is a great place to find international brands and do some window shopping or even real shopping if you are in the mood to splurge! They have some nice cafes as well, so I always feel like is a great place to go hang out with your girl friends or as a couple! I love the night view specially!
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9 years ago
Great if you want to feel "Fancy"!
Ginza is an awesome place to visit if you want to dress up little and live a little luxuriously for a day. The shops here are amazing for high-end fashion goers and foodies. Of particular interest to me was the massive 12-floor Uniqlo building - the biggest in the world. There are also a number of high-end department stores with amazing groceries as well - from super-fresh Japanese pork to high-end cakes and sweets. Restaurant goers will appreciate the plethora of sushi restaurants nearby too, as Ginza is situated very close to Tsukiji market. Even if you aren't into dressing up or living the fancy life, Ginza is great for simply people-watching and getting in a different vibe from Tokyo's other districts.
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9 years ago
Stereotypical look of a big city
Tall buildings, crowded places and a lot of noise. Ginza has not surprised me at all, just a normal big city. It is something new or worth an experience if you have never seen one, but for me it was just boring and annoying there. The shops are also just stereotypical brand stores like Armani, Prada, Apple... Maybe you can go shopping there if you have much money, but even for that there are better places.
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9 years ago
Ginza is expensive, fascinating, and full of things to do
Bees living on rooftops, the most expensive plot of land in the world, and some of the most expensive shops in Japan, make Ginza an ideal place to shop for high-end brands. Big name stores, great restaurants, and fashionable people line the streets. Some great galleries and museums (the Vanilla Gallery a personal favorite), easy access, and its pedestrianised streets at the weekend add the experience. Ginza's central location makes it a great place to stop off at whenever you are travelling around Tokyo.
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