JAPANiCAN.com > Japan Articles > Tokyo Chuo City Shopping Guide - Ginza, Tsukiji, Nihonbashi
Tokyo Chuo City Shopping Guide - Ginza, Tsukiji, Nihonbashi
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Long home to Tokyo's high fashion, the Ginza shopping promenade hosts top luxury brands and department stores. Those who venture off on the side streets will find everything from historical shops and small boutiques to art galleries and rows of eateries.
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Ginza-dori |
Consisting of an eight city district neighborhood along Chuo-dori (Ginza-dori), the central street, this area is the heart and soul of Ginza. It is home to a variety of famous, well-established shops, foreign luxury brands, department stores, boutiques, showrooms, restaurants and bars, and more. |
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West Ginza-dori |
With popular spots like the Nishi (West) Ginza shopping arcade and Printemps Ginza, West Ginza makes up the periphery of the greater Ginza neighborhood. It is well-known for its rows of willow trees, and every May the Ginza Willow Festival is held in this area. |
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Ginza 1 - 4-chome Namiki-dori |
Namiki-dori is a shop-lined street spanning four city districts of Ginza. Printemps Ginza is a major landmark. |
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Matsuya-dori |
Located in the third and fourth city districts of Ginza, this shopping street is home to the Matsuya Ginza department store. |
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Ginza Suzuran-dori |
Located in Ginza's fifth city district, the street is closed to traffic every day from 1 p.m. to allow pedestrians to wander and shop at will. |
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Ginza West Namiki-dori |
The portion of Namiki-dori Street that occupies Ginza's fifth through eighth city districts is known for its upscale feel as home to a balance of famous old shops, foreign luxury brands, galleries, and restaurants. |
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Ginza Miyuki-dori |
Miyuki-dori Street stretches through the fifth and sixth districts of Ginza to the iconic Imperial Hotel. The area's adornments of seasonal flowers and decorative lights are characteristic of the sense of bright, bustling prosperity that defines Ginza. |
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Ginza Hanatsubaki-dori |
The aptly named Hanatsubaki-dori Street is lined by camellia trees ("tsubaki" in Japanese) and occupies an area in the seventh and eighth districts of Ginza. Major stores include Shiseido Ginza and Shiseido Parlor, both located on Chuo-dori, and the area is especially popular in the winter when its namesake camellias are decorated with twinkling, star-shaped lights. |
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Ginza 9 |
This shopping arcade starts in Ginza's eighth district not far from Shinbashi Station and runs under the elevated expressway. It hosts an array of restaurants, and popular shops include barbecue restaurant Niku no Hanamasa and Don Kihote, a discount department store that is popular for souvenir shopping. |
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A center of commerce and culture since the Edo period, the Nihonbashi area has always been defined by the coexistence of the traditional and the new within its borders. The bridge itself, which is an important cultural treasure, celebrates its centennial in 2011 and still stands today as the starting point for Japan's road system. The bridge makes a great kick off point for a shopping adventure in this historical setting as well.
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Muromachi-odori |
The Muromachi area, with its lines of time honored shops and businesses, has been at the heart of commerce here for centuries. On the central street of Muromachi's first through fourth districts can be found a number of historical buildings such as the Mitsukoshi department store main branch and the national cultural treasure Mitsui Building. The main street also features new office buildings like Coredo and Yuito which offer restaurants and shops. |
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Nihonbashi Muromachi/Honmachi |
Nihonbashi Muromachi's first through fourth districts and Nihonbashi Honmachi's first through fourth districts are home to a number of famous restaurants and shops like Ninben, Yamamoto Noriten, Bunmeido, Kiya, and Sembikiya. The area is a popular destination for visitors looking to buy from a well-established store as well as local office workers doing their shopping or eating out. |
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Nihonbashi 2-chome |
Nihonbashi's second district is home to the Nihonbashi Takashimaya department store. |
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Tokyo Station Yaesu Underground Shopping Mall |
Located under Tokyo Station on the Yaesu side, this underground shopping mall offers restaurants, cafes, clothing stores, beauty parlors, sundries stores, and more. It also offers direct access to 15 buildings in the area including the Daimaru department store, allowing shoppers to get around with ease using the underground walkways. |
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Nihonbashi Yaesu Naka-dori |
Naka-dori Street is located out the Yaesu side of Tokyo Station and offers a range of restaurants and pubs stuffed in between the numerous office buildings. These open-late establishments make this area a lively place at night and is particularly popular among the local office workers. |
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Nihonbashi 3-chome Nishimachi |
The eight blocks of Nihonbashi's third district are populated by office buildings, restaurants, and art galleries. |
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Tokyo Chuo-dori |
The expansive Chuo-dori area including Nihonbashi's first through third districts, Kyobashi's first through third districts, and Yaesu's first and second districts is home to many shops that fill in the spaces between office buildings. |
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The Ningyocho neighborhood is characterized by a "old town" kind of feel, making it perfect for those looking to discover old, time honored shops and historical buildings.
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Ningyocho |
With its numerous traditional shops and eateries, Ningyocho is the perfect place to go to enjoy traditional tastes or to just take a stroll along the old buildings while drinking in the nostalgic atmosphere. It is also home to Suitengu Shrine, which is popularly visited to pray for safe and easy childbirth. The nearest train station is Ningyocho on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya and Toei subway lines. |
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Amazake Yokocho |
The name of this street, which can be found in Ningyocho's second district near the Meijiza Theater, was derived from a sweet sake ("amazake" in Japanese) store that used to stand at its mouth. The side streets along Amazake Lane are home to numerous traditional Japanese snack shops, tea stores, sushi restaurants, and more, including a number of stores so popular that queues are not uncommon. The street is also well-known for recently being featured in a television drama called Shinzanmono. The closest station is Ningyocho on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya line and Toei line. |
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Higashi Nihonbashi Yagenbori |
Yagenbori is home to the temple of the same name, and this area of Higashi Nihonbashi's second district also features many shops and restaurants. It is particularly lively on festival days on the 28th of every month and at the end of October every year. |
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Hamacho |
This area is located in Nihonbashi Hamacho's second and third districts, facing Kiyosubashi-dori and Shinohashi-dori Streets. With Meijiza Theater and Hamacho Park, it is popular among locals for theater-going and taking walks. It also offers eateries and traditional Japanese sweets shops. |
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Tornare Nihonbashi Hamacho |
This large combination office and residential building located in Nihonbashi Hamacho's third district features a shopping area on the first and second floors. |
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Perhaps most famous for its early-morning tuna auction, the Tsukiji Market and the surrounding areas constitute one of the most popular destinations in Chuo City. Many visit not just to sample the fresh fish but also to experience the lively atmosphere.
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Tsukiji Outer Market |
The Tsukiji Market, officially the Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market, includes an area known as the "outer market" which features a variety of shops and restaurants, and it is constantly abuzz with vendors, buyers, and everyday customers alike! The closest stations are Tsukiji on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya line and Tsukiji Ichiba on the Toei Oedo line. |
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Minato |
The area along Sumida River at Minato's first through third districts used to be an important transportation hub using the waterways. The name Minato, which means "port" or "harbor" in Japanese, has stuck around to this day, and there are still many warehouses along the banks of the river. |
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Shintomi |
Shintomi's first and second districts are centered around Heisei-dori Street, and the area features a number of nostalgic, old shops, restaurants, and houses remaining nestled amongst the buildings that give the area an "old town" feel. |
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Surrounded by rivers and canals, the island neighborhood of Tsukishima is characterized by a juxtaposition of historical buildings and modern high-rises. Tsukishima is also the origin of a popular B-grade dish called monjayaki, so a number of monja restaurants can be found here.
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Tsukishima Nishinaka-dori |
The shopping district along Nishinaka-dori Street spans Tsukishima's first through third districts, and its nostalgic lanes are filled with monjayaki shops. The closest station is Tsukishima on the Tokyo Metro Yurakucho line and Toei Oedo line. |
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Tsukishima |
In Kachidoki's first district along Harumi-dori Street can be found a shopping district centered around eateries and pubs. About half of the stores here were moved to Kachidoki Sun Square as part of a renewal project. |
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Kachidoki |
The broad shopping area around Kachidoki Station on the Oedo line in Kachidoki's first through sixth districts offers everything from 100-year old noodle shops to recently constructed convenience stores all in one place. |
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Kachidoki Sun Square |
This shopping center is connected directly to Kachidoki Station on the Toei Oedo line. |
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Adjacent to Kabutocho, the home of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, this area is full of businesses in the financial sector.
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Kayabacho |
This shopping area is located along Suzuran-dori in Nihonbashi Kayabacho's second and third districts. |
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Hacchobori Nihachi-dori |
The Heisei-dori and Nihachi-dori shopping street can be found in Hacchobori's second district. |
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Hacchobori Suzuran-dori |
This shopping district is located along Suzuran-dori in Hacchobori's first through third districts. |
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