Lined with boutiques and department stores, Chuo-dori Street is the main shopping artery that runs through Ginza. Visit on weekends when the street is closed to automobile traffic, becoming a ‘pedestrian paradise.'
Chuo-dori Street - image © Florentyna Leow
Ginza is the playground of Tokyo's bourgeoisie, and Chuo-dori Street is at the heart of it all. This shopping avenue runs east-west and intersects with Harumi-dori Street, the other main shopping avenue. This intersection is landmarked by the Wako and Mitsukoshi department stores.
Chuo-dori Street - image © Florentyna Leow
Unsurprisingly, this street is massively popular with tourists. There’s plenty in the way of chichi boutiques and luxury brands aimed at the 1% - think places like pearl purveyor Mikimoto and Louis Vuitton.
But there’s also shopping for those on a budget. Uniqlo, for instance, has a 12-floor shop filled with every basic clothing item you could possibly need, complete with a sales tax refund counter. (Don’t forget your passport.)
Old-school bakery Kimuraya Pan opposite Mitsukoshi still sells some of the best red bean-butter bread in town. And, Mitsukoshi and Matsuya department stores are well worth visiting too, if only to gawk at their stunning and extensive food halls.
On weekends, Chuo-dori Street is closed to automobile traffic, turning into a “pedestrian paradise” complete with umbrellas and chairs for shoppers to use. It’s all very well in spring and autumn, but at the height of a Tokyo summer it feels more like a pedestrian hell. Still - it’s better than having cars on the road.
English name:
Ginza-dori Street
Japanese name:
銀座通り
English address:
Ginza, Cho-ku, Tokyo, 104-0061
Japanese address:
〒104-0061 東京都中央区銀座
Opening hours:
24h
Admission:
free
Nearest Transport:
Subway: Ginza Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza, Hibiya and Marunouchi lines.
Train: 6-minute walk from the Ginza exit of Yurakucho Station on the JR Yamanote line.
Nearest Hotels:
:: Check availability and pricing for hotels near Ginza-dori Street on Booking.com or Agoda.com.
Telephone:
+81-3-3561-0919 (Ginza-dori Association)
Website:
Official Website (English)
Near To Here:
Ginza-dori Street is located in Tokyo's Ginza district. See our complete list of things to do in Ginza, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.
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