GINZA
Neighborhood in Tokyo
Tokyo’s version of Madison Avenue in New York City, Ginza is known as a high-end shopping district where you can find a range of designer boutiques, luxury brands, and department stores. With both traditional Japanese architecture and modern buildings, Ginza is also home to many of Tokyo’s Michelin-star restaurants and is also walking distance to the legendary Tsukiji Fish Market.
Ginza Shopping District
Ginza is filled with all types of shopping: Luxury fashion houses (Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, etc), Trendy boutiques (Dover Street Market), Casual retailers (Uniqlo, Zara, GU, etc) and GREAT department stores (Mitsukoshi, Ginza Six) which have incredible food courts (called Depachikas) inside them. The main shopping street, Chuo-Dori (Central Avenue) is closed to cars for pedestrians to walk freely on weekends and is lined up with massive stores, street performers and souvenir shops.
Check out some of our favorites below... (link to map below)
Tsukiji Outer Market
Kabuki-Za Theater
The biggest Kabuki theatre in Japan, Kabuki-Za is an incredible building that truly embodies the Tokyo ways of classic meets current. It was originally built in 1889, and has since been renewed 5 times now to modernize and to incorporate the spirit of the times. It’s an incredible building to see and, if you have time to go and enjoy an traditional Japanese Dance performance.
Tokyo’s fish market is the largest in the world and hosts an elaborate array of food stalls, shops, and more types of seafood than you can even imagine! We visited the notorious Tuna Auction at 5am just before the wholesale markets’ relocation in late 2018, and it was an experience we’ll never forget. The alleyways are filled with jetlagged tourists lining up for amazing sushi breakfasts and street snacks. While the traditional wholesale market has recently moved away, many of the outer market stalls remain in the same location, in addition to local restaurants, vendors and shops.
We're sad to see it go, but excited to check out the new market on our next trip!
TO EAT
TO DRINK
Shima
steakhouse $$$$
Satou
steakhouse $$$$
Ginza Kyubey
sushi $$$$
Sushi Ya
sushi $$$$
Ginza Sushi Ko
sushi $$$$
Tempura Abe
tempura (michelin-starred) $$$
Tempura Fukamachi
tempura $$
Mugi to Olive
ramen (michelin) $$
Oborodzuki
ramen $
Quil Fait Bon Grand Maison
bakery, cafe $$
Cafe de l’Ambre
coffeeshop, cafe $
Tsukiji Outer Market
street vendors, sushi, yakitori $$
Sake no Ana
sake bar, restaurant $$
Bar High Five
cocktail bar $$
Gado Shita
area of small izakayas under the train tracks $
Andy’s Shin Hinomoto
izakaya, bar $
Rockfish
cocktail bar $$
Star Bar Ginza
cocktail bar $$
TO SHOP
Dover Street Market
high fashion, streetwear
Kit Kat Chocolatory & Cafe
candy store, cafe
Ginza Six
department store
Tokyu Plaza Ginza (東急プラザ銀座)
shopping mall
Mitsukoshi
department store
Ginza Itoya (銀座伊東屋)
18-floor stationary store
Atmos Ginza
sneaker store
TO STAY
Aman
hotel $$$$
Peninsula
hotel $$$$
Marunouchi Hotel
hotel $$