Ginza
Encyclopedia
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 store
s, boutiques, restaurants and coffeehouse
s. Ginza is recognized as one of the most luxurious shopping districts in the world. Many upscale fashion clothing flagship stores are located here, being also recognized as having the highest concentration of western shops in Tokyo. Prominent are Chanel
, Dior, Gucci
, and Louis Vuitton
. Flagship electronic retail stores like the Sony
showroom and the Apple Store are also here.
-coin
mint
established there in 1612 during the Edo period
.
After the Tsukiji area burnt to the ground in 1872, the Meiji government designated the Ginza area as model of modernisation. The government planned the construction of fireproof brick buildings, and larger, better streets connecting the Shimbashi Station and the foreign concession in Tsukiji, as well as to important government buildings. Designs for the area were provided by the Irish-born architect
Thomas Waters; the Bureau of Construction of the Ministry of Finance was in charge of construction. In the following year, a Western-style shopping promenade on the street from the Shinbashi bridge to the Kyōbashi bridge in the southwestern part of Chūō with two- and three-story Georgian
brick buildings was completed.
"Bricktown" buildings were initially offered for sale, later they were leased, but the high rent meant that many remained unoccupied. Nevertheless, the area flourished as a symbol of "civilisation and enlightenment", thanks to the presence of newspapers and magazine companies, who led the trends of the day. The area was also known for its window displays, an example of modern marketing techniques.
Most of these European-style buildings disappeared, but some older buildings still remain, most famously the Wakō building with the now-iconic Hattori Clock Tower. The building and clock tower were originally built by Kintarō Hattori, the founder of Seiko
.
Its recent history has seen it as a promiment outpost of western luxury shops. 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
.
is headquartered in the Ricoh Building in Ginza. 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.
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.
Chuo, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards that form the heart of Tokyo, Japan. The ward refers to itself as Chūō City in English.Its Japanese name literally means "Central Ward," and it is historically the main commercial center of Tokyo, although Shinjuku has risen to challenge it since the end of World War II...
, located south of Yaesu
Yaesu
is a neighborhood in Chūō, Tokyo, Japan, located north of Ginza, west of Nihonbashi and Kyōbashi, and adjacent to the east side of Tokyo Station. The Yaesu exit, which faces Nihonbashi, is recent and primarily provides access to the Shinkansen platforms.-History:...
and Kyōbashi
Kyobashi
is the name of a bridge as well as the geographical region around it. Two regions with this name exist in Japan, one is in Tokyo and one lies in Osaka. It refers to a bridge connecting roads to the capital in castle towns.-Tokyo:...
, west of Tsukiji
Tsukiji
Tsukiji is a district of Chūō, Tokyo, Japan, the site of the Tsukiji fish market. Literally meaning "reclaimed land," it lies near the Sumida River on land reclaimed from Tokyo Bay in the 18th century, during the Edo period....
, east of Yūrakuchō
Yurakucho
is a neighborhood of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan situated in between the Ginza and Hibiya Park, near the neighborhood of Shinbashi. Unlike its tonier neighbor Ginza, Yūrakuchō provides a glimpse of Japanese life from the early postwar period, with its many izakaya and outdoor yakitori restaurants , many...
and Uchisaiwaichō
Uchisaiwaichō
is a neighborhood in Chiyoda, Tokyo, at the south-east corner of the ward bordering with Chūō and Minato. Its postal code is 100-0011.Uchisaiwaichō Station on the Toei Mita Line is located in the area.-Businesses in Uchisaiwaichō:*Kroll Inc...
, and north of Shinbashi
Shinbashi
is a district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan, located south of Ginza, west of Tsukiji, east of Toranomon and north of Hamamatsucho.-History:Shinbashi was the Tokyo terminus of the first railway in Japan in 1872...
.
It is known as an upscale area of Tokyo with numerous department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
s, boutiques, restaurants and coffeehouse
Coffeehouse
A coffeehouse or coffee shop is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on...
s. Ginza is recognized as one of the most luxurious shopping districts in the world. Many upscale fashion clothing flagship stores are located here, being also recognized as having the highest concentration of western shops in Tokyo. Prominent are Chanel
Chanel
Chanel S.A. is a French fashion house founded by the couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, well established in haute couture, specializing in luxury goods . She gained the name "Coco" while maintaining a career as a singer at a café in France...
, Dior, Gucci
Gucci
The House of Gucci, better known simply as Gucci , is an Italian fashion and leather goods label, part of the Gucci Group, which is owned by French company PPR...
, and Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton Malletier – commonly referred to as Louis Vuitton , or shortened to LV – is a French fashion house founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. The label is well known for its LV monogram, which is featured on most products, ranging from luxury trunks and leather goods to ready-to-wear, shoes,...
. Flagship electronic retail stores like the Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
showroom and the Apple Store are also here.
History
Ginza is named after the silverSilver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
-coin
Coin
A coin is a piece of hard material that is standardized in weight, is produced in large quantities in order to facilitate trade, and primarily can be used as a legal tender token for commerce in the designated country, region, or territory....
mint
Mint (coin)
A mint is an industrial facility which manufactures coins for currency.The history of mints correlates closely with the history of coins. One difference is that the history of the mint is usually closely tied to the political situation of an era...
established there in 1612 during the Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
.
After the Tsukiji area burnt to the ground in 1872, the Meiji government designated the Ginza area as model of modernisation. The government planned the construction of fireproof brick buildings, and larger, better streets connecting the Shimbashi Station and the foreign concession in Tsukiji, as well as to important government buildings. Designs for the area were provided by the Irish-born architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Thomas Waters; the Bureau of Construction of the Ministry of Finance was in charge of construction. In the following year, a Western-style shopping promenade on the street from the Shinbashi bridge to the Kyōbashi bridge in the southwestern part of Chūō with two- and three-story Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
brick buildings was completed.
"Bricktown" buildings were initially offered for sale, later they were leased, but the high rent meant that many remained unoccupied. Nevertheless, the area flourished as a symbol of "civilisation and enlightenment", thanks to the presence of newspapers and magazine companies, who led the trends of the day. The area was also known for its window displays, an example of modern marketing techniques.
Most of these European-style buildings disappeared, but some older buildings still remain, most famously the Wakō building with the now-iconic Hattori Clock Tower. The building and clock tower were originally built by Kintarō Hattori, the founder of Seiko
Seiko
, more commonly known simply as Seiko , is a Japanese watch company.-History and ongoing developments:The company was founded in 1881, when Kintarō Hattori opened a watch and jewelry shop called in the Ginza area of Tokyo, Japan. Eleven years later, in 1892, he began to produce clocks under the...
.
Its recent history has seen it as a promiment outpost of western luxury shops. 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
Ryokichi Minobe
was a Japanese politician who served as Governor of Tokyo from 1967 to 1979. He is one of the best known socialist figures in modern Japanese history.-Early life:Minobe was born in Tokyo...
.
Economy
RicohRicoh
or Ricoh, is a Japanese company that was established in 1936 on February 6th, as , a company in the RIKEN zaibatsu. Its headquarters is located in Ricoh Building in Chūō, Tokyo....
is headquartered in the Ricoh Building in Ginza. In 2006, Ricoh's headquarters moved to the 25-story building from a previous location in Minato, Tokyo
Minato, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 1 March 2008, it had an official population of 217,335 and a population density of 10,865 persons per km². The total area is 20.34 km².Minato hosts 49 embassies...
. In the Ricoh Building, the headquarters occupies the same space as its sales offices.
- MatsuyaMatsuya Co.Matsuya Co., Ltd. is a Japanese department store in Tokyo. Founded in 1869, Two stores are in Ginza and Asakusa .-External links:...
- Oji PaperOji Paperare a professional ice hockey team based in Tomakomai city on Hokkaidō, Japan. Oji is a member of Asia League Ice Hockey. The club was founded as the Oji Eagles in 1925. They have won the Japan League 13 times and the All Japan Championship 34 times...
- Recruit
- RicohRicohor Ricoh, is a Japanese company that was established in 1936 on February 6th, as , a company in the RIKEN zaibatsu. Its headquarters is located in Ricoh Building in Chūō, Tokyo....
- 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
Uchisaiwaichō
is a neighborhood in Chiyoda, Tokyo, at the south-east corner of the ward bordering with Chūō and Minato. Its postal code is 100-0011.Uchisaiwaichō Station on the Toei Mita Line is located in the area.-Businesses in Uchisaiwaichō:*Kroll Inc...
, Chiyoda
Chiyoda, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards in central Tokyo, Japan. In English, it is called Chiyoda ward. As of October 2007, the ward has an estimated population of 45,543 and a population density of 3,912 people per km², making it by far the least populated of the special wards...
. The headquarters of Asatsu moved to Ginza in July 1995. Asatsu and Dai-ichi Kikaku merged into Asatsu-DK
Asatsu-DK
, often abbreviated simply as ADK or sometime calls , is a Japanese advertising agency. Headquartered in Chūō, Tokyo, the firm is Japan's third largest advertising agency, after Dentsu and Hakuhodo. The agency has 38 offices in over 15 countries. One of the offices, Asatsu-DK Europe, was...
on January 1, 1999.
Subway stations
- Ginza StationGinza Stationis a metro station in Chūō, Tokyo, Japan, serving the Ginza commercial district. It is the fourth-busiest Tokyo Metro station after Ikebukuro, Kita-senju and Ōtemachi.- History :...
(Tokyo Metro Hibiya LineTokyo Metro Hibiya LineThe is a metro line owned and operated by Tokyo Metro located in Tokyo, Japan. The line was named after the district of Hibiya, under which it passes.-Overview:The Hibiya Line runs between in Meguro and in Adachi...
, Tokyo Metro Ginza LineTokyo Metro Ginza LineThe is a subway line located in Tokyo, Japan. It is part of the of Tokyo Metro network. The official name is . It is 14.3 km long and serves the wards of Shibuya, Minato, Chūō, Chiyoda, and Taitō....
, Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line) - Ginza-itchōme StationGinza-itchome StationGinza-itchōme Station is a train station in Chūō, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan. Its station number is Y-19. The station opened on 30 October 1974.-Adjacent stations:...
(Tokyo Metro Yūrakuchō LineTokyo Metro Yurakucho LineThe is a subway line owned and operated by Tokyo Metro. The line connects Wakōshi Station in Wakō, Saitama and Shin-Kiba Station in Kōtō, Tokyo. On maps, diagrams and signboards, the line is shown using the color "gold" , and its stations are given numbers using the letter Y.The proper name as...
) - Higashi-Ginza StationHigashi-ginza Stationis a subway station on the Toei Asakusa Line, operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation, and on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line. The Hibiya Line station is subtitled Kabukiza-mae. The station is located in Ginza, Chūō, Tokyo, Japan. Its numbers are A-11 and H-09.-Location:The station...
(Tokyo Metro Hibiya LineTokyo Metro Hibiya LineThe is a metro line owned and operated by Tokyo Metro located in Tokyo, Japan. The line was named after the district of Hibiya, under which it passes.-Overview:The Hibiya Line runs between in Meguro and in Adachi...
, Toei Asakusa Line)
See also
- HarajukuHarajukuHarajuku is the common name for the area around Harajuku Station on the Yamanote Line in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo, Japan....
- Shinjuku
- ShibuyaShibuyais one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It is also a surname of Japanese people, including:-People:*Shibuya Konnōmaru, a 12th century warrior*Kotono Shibuya , a female actor*Momoko Shibuya , a female actor...
- List of upscale shopping districts
- Tourism in JapanTourism in JapanTourism in Japan attracted 8.3 million foreign visitors in 2008, slightly more than Singapore and Ireland. Japan has 16 World Heritage Sites, including Himeji Castle and Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto . Kyoto receives over 30 million tourists annually...
External links
- Ginza on Wikitravel
- Tokyo Essentials: Ginza
- Ginza Concierge
- Ginza Architecture and Map