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It is known as an upmarket area of Tokyo with many department stores, boutiques, restaurants and coffeehouses. It is recognized as one of the most luxurious shopping destinations in the world. Many upscale designers' flagship stores are in Ginza, notably the Gucci Flagship Store.
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 are gone, but some older buildings are still there, 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. This policy began in the 1960s under Governor Ryokichi Minobe.
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). |
See the tabloid
