Ginza

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Wakō department store

Mitsukoshi department store at Ginza

Kabuki-za theater

Sony Building and intersection at dusk

Yūrakuchō Center Building (Yūrakuchō Mullion) at Sukiyabashi intersection

Ginza during the allied occupation period

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Ginza

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Ginza (銀座) is a district of Chūō, Tokyo, located south of Yaesu and Kyōbashi, west of Tsukiji, east of Yūrakuchō and Uchisaiwaichō, and north of Shinbashi.

It is known as an upscale area of Tokyo with numerous department stores, boutiques, restaurants and coffeehouses. It is recognized as one of the most luxurious shopping districts in the world (akin to New York City's Fifth Avenue). Many upscale western-fashion clothing flagship stores are located here. Prominent is Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci. A recent addition will be the Abercrombie & Fitch flagship.^[1]

History

Ginza is named after the silver-coin mint established there in 1612 during the Edo period.

Modern Ginza began in 1872 when, after a devastating fire, the district was rebuilt with two- and three-story Georgian brick buildings designed by the Irish-born architect Thomas Waters, along with a shopping promenade on the street from the Shinbashi bridge to the Kyōbashi bridge in the southwestern part of Chūō. Most of these European-style buildings disappeared, but some older buildings still remain, most famously the Wakō building with its clock tower.

Ginza is a popular destination on weekends, when the main north-south artery is closed to traffic. The traffic blockade began in the 1960s under governor Ryokichi Minobe.

Economy

Ricoh is headquartered in the Ricoh Building in Ginza.^[2] In 2006, Ricoh's headquarters moved to the 25-story building from a previous location in Minato, Tokyo. In the Ricoh Building, the headquarters occupies the same space as its sales offices.^[3][4][5]

• Matsuya
• Oji Paper
• Recruit
• Ricoh
• Shise
• Wako

Dai-ichi Kikaku Senden Co., Ltd. opened in Chūō in Ginza, Chūō in December 1951. In January 1958 the company relocated to a new headquarters in Ginza. The company moved to another headquarters in Ginza in September 1961 and its name changed to Dai-ichi Kikaku Co., Ltd. In November 1974, after growth, the company moved to another headquarters in Ginza. In November 1981 Dai-ichi Kikaku moved its head office to a facility in Ginza and administrative office to a facility in Uchisaiwaichō, Chiyoda. The headquarters of Asatsu moved to Ginza in July 1995. Asatsu and Dai-ichi Kikaku merged into Asatsu-DK on January 1, 1999.^[6]

Subway stations

• Ginza Station (Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line)
• Ginza-itchōme Station (Tokyo Metro Yūrakuchō Line)
• Higashi-Ginza Station (Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, Toei Asakusa Line)

References

See also

• Harajuku
• Amerikamura
• Dōtonbori
• List of upscale shopping districts

External links

• Ginza on Wikitravel
• Tokyo Essentials: Ginza
• Ginza Concierge
• Ginza Guide @ Picturetokyo.com Information and Gallery

Coordinates: 35°40′01″N 139°46′02″E / 35.66682°N 139.76717°E / 35.66682; 139.76717