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Ginza ( ; ) 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 a popular upscale shopping area of Tokyo, with numerous internationally renowned , boutiques, restaurants and located in its vicinity. It is considered to be one of the most expensive, elegant, and luxurious city districts in the world.
Ginza was a part of the old Kyobashi ward of Tokyo City, which, together with Nihonbashi and Kanda, formed the core of Shitamachi, the original downtown center of Edo (Tokyo).
After a devastating fire in 1872 burned down most of the area, the Meiji government designated the Ginza area as a "model of modernization." The government planned the construction of fireproof brick buildings and larger, better streets connecting Shimbashi Station all the way to the foreign concession in Tsukiji.
Soon after the fire, redevelopment schemes were prepared by Colin Alexander McVeanHideo Izumida, Reconsideration of Foundation of Engineering Education by Ministry of Public Works, Journal of Architectural Institute of Japan, February 2016, Vol.81-No.720, pp.478-488. a chief surveyor of the Public Works under direction of Yamao Yozo, but execution designs were provided by the Irish-born engineer Thomas Waters; the Bureau of Construction of the Ministry of Finance was in charge of construction. 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.
These "bricktown" buildings were initially offered for sale and later were leased, but the high rent prevented many of them from being occupied long term. Moreover, the construction was not adapted to the climate, and the bold design conflicted with traditional Japanese architectural styles found at the time. The new Ginza was not popular with visiting foreigners, who were looking for a more Edo-styled city. Isabella Bird visited in 1878 and in 1880 implied that Ginza was less like an Oriental city than like the outskirts of Chicago or Melbourne. Philip Terry, an English writer of tour guides, likened it to Broadway, however not in a positive sense.
Nevertheless, the area flourished as a symbol of "Bunmei-kaika" thanks to the presence of various newspapers and magazine companies, which helped spread the latest trends of the day. The area was also known for its window displays, an example of modern marketing techniques. The area became a popular shopping and meeting destination, with the custom of "killing time in Ginza" developing strongly between the two world wars.
Most of these European-style buildings have disappeared, but some older buildings still remain, most famously the Wakō building with the now-iconic Hattori Clock Tower. The building and the clock tower were originally built by Kintarō Hattori, the founder of Seiko.
Its recent history has seen it as a prominent outpost of Western luxury shops such as Louis Vuitton and Armani. Ginza is a popular destination on weekends, as the main north–south artery has been closed to traffic since the 1960s, under governor Ryokichi Minobe.
Ginza is also home to many kimono stores, including Ginza Motoji, Echigo-ya, and Erizen. Many people choose to wear their kimono to visit Ginza and window shop.
Flagship electronic retail stores like the Sony showroom (which closed in 2017 and new building would open in 2022) and the first Apple Store outside the United States can be found here (Ginza 2 chome). The electronics company Ricoh is headquartered in the Ricoh Building in Ginza." Company Data Richo's building is one of symbol of Ginza. ." Ricoh. Retrieved on January 13, 2009. The neighborhood is a major shopping district. It is home to Wako department store, which is located in a building dating from 1894. The building has a clock tower. There are many in the area, including Hankyu, Seibu, and Matsuya, in which there are many shops: grocery stores, restaurants, women and men clothes, sportswear, and jewellers etc. There are also art gallery.
Kabuki-za is the theater for kabuki, and is located between Ginza and Tsukiji. The building was first opened in 1889 and has been reconstructed several times due to war damage and fire. The present building was built in 2013.
Sukiyabashi Jirō is a sushi restaurant in Ginza which is owned and operated by sushi master Jiro Ono. It was the first sushi restaurant in the world to receive three stars from the Michelin Guide, although it was removed from the Michelin Guide in November 2019 because it does not accept reservations from the general public.
Other stations near Ginza:
Ginza Station, Yurakucho Station, Hibiya Station are connected underground.
Zoned elementary schools include the following:
All of Ginza is zoned to Ginza Junior High School (中央区立銀座中学校).
(2010). 9784805310243, Tuttle Publishing. ISBN 9784805310243
Economy
Many leading fashion houses' are located here, with the area having the highest concentration of Western shops in Tokyo. It is one of two locations in Tokyo considered by Chevalier and Mazzalovo to be the best locations for a luxury goods store. (2025). 9781118171769, John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 9781118171769 The other prime location is Omotesandō. Prominent high-end retailers include the American company Carolina Herrera New York, French companies Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton and Saint Laurent, Italian company Gucci and Austrian brands Swarovski and Riedel.
department store at Ginza. There are two symbols of lion heads at the entrance, and is a popular meeting place.]] theater Kabukiza is located between Ginza and Tsukiji, about a 15-minute walk away from the Mitsukoshi store.]] shopping complex, the newest shopping center in Ginza. Dior Cafe is located in this building.]]
Pedestrianization
Each Saturday and Sunday, from 12:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m., through Ginza is closed off to road traffic, allowing people to walk freely. This is called Hokōsha Tengoku or Hokoten for short, literally meaning "pedestrian heaven". There are some people who do street performance such as magic and playing instruments. As a famous photo spot, some cats sleep on signs, where people can put their own cats onto these signs. The location where cats are is different depending on the date.
Subway stations
Education
Public elementary and junior high schools are operated by Chuo City Board of Education.
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See also
External links
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