Japan Guide
Tokyo
Ginza
GINZA, the "place where silver is minted", took its name after Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu started making coins here in the early 1600s. It was a happy association – Ginza's Chūō-dōri grew to become Tokyo's most stylish shopping street. Though some of its shine has faded and cutting-edge fashion has moved elsewhere, Ginza still retains much of its elegance and its undoubted snob appeal. Here you'll find the greatest concentration of exclusive shops, art galleries and restaurants in the city, as well as branches of most major department stores.
Approaching from the west, Ginza proper begins at the Sukiyabashi crossing, where Sotobori-dōri and Harumi-dōri intersect. The Sony Building (daily 11am–7pm; free), occupying the crossing's southeast corner, is primarily of interest for techno-freaks, with four of its eleven storeys showcasing the latest Sony gadgets. Continuing east along Harumi-dōri, you'll reach the intersection with Chūō-dōri known as Ginza Yon-chōme crossing, which marks the heart of Ginza. Awesome at rush hour, this spot often features in films and documentaries as the epitome of this overcrowded yet totally efficient city.
Just west of Ginza, a vast chunk of central Tokyo is occupied by a swathe of green, at the core of which sits the Imperial Palace, inaccessible and encircled by moats and broad avenues. The surrounding public gardens, however, provide a gentle introduction to the city, with a glance back to its origins as a castle town.