The spine of Ginza runs for a kilometre between Kyobashi and Shinbashi, lined with flagship stores built by architects who were told money was no object. On weekend afternoons it closes to traffic and becomes the Hokosha Tengoku, the pedestrians’ paradise, a tradition that began in 1970 and turns the avenue into a promenade of strolling families, street performers and shoppers carrying paper bags.
Walk it end to end on a Sunday, starting from Ginza 1-chome and finishing with a drink near Shinbashi. On weekdays the pavements are wide enough to admire the buildings, and the side streets hold the galleries, sushi counters and bars that give Ginza its depth.
Tips
- On pedestrian afternoons the street fills with chairs and parasols, so bring a coffee and sit in the middle of the road
- Look up at the facades, from Hermès' glass-block tower by Renzo Piano to the layered Tokyu Plaza and the latticed Mikimoto
- Depachika food halls in Mitsukoshi and Matsuya are the cheapest way to eat well on the most expensive street in Japan