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{{Short description|Shopping, business, and entertainment district in Chuo, Tokyo, Japan}}
{{Other uses}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2024}}
{{Expand Japanese|topic=geo|銀座|date=May 2019}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name              = Ginza
| native_name       = 銀座
| image_skyline     = Ginza-WAKO_at_night.jpg
| caption           = Ginza's [[Wako (retailer)|Wako store]] in 2018
| subdivision_type  = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name  = {{flag|Japan}}
| subdivision_type1 = City
| subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Tokyo}}
| subdivision_type2 = Ward
| subdivision_name2 = {{flagicon image|Flag of Chuo, Tokyo.svg}} [[Chūō, Tokyo|Chūō]]
| coordinates       = {{Coord|35.671217|N|139.765007|E|source:placeopedia_region:JP-13_type:city|format=dms|display=title,inline}}
}}

'''Ginza''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɡ|ɪ|n|z|ə}} {{respell|GHIN|zə}}; {{langx|ja|銀座}} {{IPA|ja|ɡindza|}}) is a district of [[Chūō, Tokyo|Chūō]], [[Tokyo]], located south of [[Yaesu]] and [[Kyōbashi, Tokyo|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 [[department store]]s, boutiques, restaurants and [[coffeehouse]]s located in its vicinity.

Ginza was a part of the old Kyobashi ward of [[Tokyo City]], which, together with [[Nihonbashi]] and [[Kanda, Tokyo|Kanda]], formed the core of [[Shitamachi]],<ref name="kokushishitamachi">{{cite book |last=Kokushi Daijiten Iinkai |title=[[Kokushi Daijiten]] |edition=1983 |volume=4 |page=842 |language=Japanese}}</ref> the original downtown center of [[Edo]] (Tokyo).

== History ==
[[File:Wrau-ginza-tokyo.jpg|thumb|Ginza in the early 1900s, photographed by [[William H. Rau]]]]
[[File:Ginza Street in1936.jpg|thumb|Ginza in 1936 with the [[Wako (retailer)|Wako]] store]]
[[File:Lovely_Ginza.jpg|thumb|Ginza in 2007]]
Ginza was built upon a former swamp that was filled in during the 16th century. The name Ginza comes after the establishment of a silver-coin [[mint (coin)|mint]] established there in 1612, during the [[Edo period]].<ref name=DK>{{cite book|title=Dk eyewitness travel guide japan.|publisher=Dk Publishing|location=[S.l.]|isbn=9780756694739|pages=66–67}}</ref>

After a devastating fire in 1872 burned down most of the area,<ref name=DK/> 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 McVean]]<ref>Hideo 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.</ref> a chief surveyor of the Public Works under direction of [[Yamao Yozo]], but execution designs were provided by the Irish-born [[engineer]] [[Thomas Waters (architect)|Thomas Waters]];<ref name=DK/> 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 architecture|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.<ref name=Edo>{{cite book |title=Tokyo from Edo to Showa|date=10 December 2010|publisher=Tuttle Publishing|isbn=9784805310243|page=75}}</ref>

Nevertheless, the area flourished as a symbol of "[[Bunmei-kaika|civilization and enlightenment]]" 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.<ref name=Edo/>

Most of these European-style buildings have disappeared, but some older buildings still remain, most famously the [[Wako (retailer)|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|Giorgio Armani]]. Ginza is a popular destination on weekends, as the main north–south artery has been [[Pedestrianisation|closed to traffic]] since the 1960s, under governor [[Ryokichi Minobe]].

== Economy ==
Many leading fashion houses' [[flagship store]]s 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.<ref name="Luxury">{{cite book | title=Luxury Brand Management | publisher=John Wiley & Sons | last1=Chevalier |first1=Michel |last2=Mazzalovo |first2=Gerald | year=2012 | location=Singapore | isbn=978-1-118-17176-9 |page=2}} The other prime location is [[Omotesandō, Tokyo|Omotesandō]].</ref> Prominent high-end retailers include the American company [[Carolina Herrera (fashion designer)#Career and brand|Carolina Herrera New York]], French companies [[Chanel]], [[Christian Dior S.A.|Dior]], [[Louis Vuitton]] and [[Yves Saint Laurent (brand)|Saint Laurent]], Italian company [[Gucci]] and Austrian brands [[Swarovski]] and [[Riedel (glass manufacturer)|Riedel]].

Ginza is also home to many kimono stores, including [[Ginza Motoji]], Echigo-ya, and Erizen.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.ginza.jp/shopcategory/shop-kimonos | title=ShopCategory 呉服・和装小物 }}</ref> Many people choose to wear their kimono to visit Ginza and window shop.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nikon-image.com/enjoy/life/tekuteku/technique18.html | title=てくてくカメラ - 着物で出かけたい、ぶらり銀座散歩 &#124; Enjoyニコン &#124; ニコンイメージング }}</ref>

Flagship electronic retail stores like the [[Sony]] showroom (which closed in 2017 and new building would open in 2022){{Update inline|date=December 2023}} 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.<ref name="Company Data">"[http://www.ricoh.com/about/who/company_data.html Company Data] Richo's building is one of symbol of Ginza. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205172811/http://ricoh.com/about/who/company_data.html |date=2009-02-05 }}." ''[[Ricoh]]''. Retrieved on January 13, 2009.</ref> The neighborhood is a major shopping district. It is home to [[Wako (retailer)|Wako]] department store, which is located in a building dating from 1894. The building has a [[clock tower]]. There are many [[department store]]s in the area, including [[Hankyu Department Store|Hankyu]], [[Seibu Department Stores|Seibu]], and [[Matsuya (department store)|Matsuya]], in which there are many shops: grocery stores, restaurants, women and men clothes, sportswear, and jewellers etc. There are also [[art gallery|art galleries]].<ref name=DK/>
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.

{{Nihongo|[[Sukiyabashi Jiro]]|すきやばし次郎|Sukiyabashi Jirō}} is a [[sushi]] restaurant in Ginza which is owned and operated by [[sushi]] master [[Jiro Ono (chef)|Jiro Ono]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sushi-jiro.jp/|title=銀座 すきやばし次郎 本店 鮨|website=すきやばし次郎 SUKIYABASHI JIRO}}</ref> It was the first sushi restaurant in the world<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/jiro-sushi-michelin-tokyo-intl-hnk/index.html|title=Tokyo's famous Sukiyabashi Jiro sushi restaurant removed from Michelin Guide|last=Marcus|first=Lilit|date=2019-11-27|website=CNN Travel|language=en|access-date=2019-11-28}}</ref> to receive three stars from the [[Michelin Guide]],<ref name="Kitamura bloomberg">{{cite news | last=  Kitamura| first=  Makiko | url=  https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aLjI731yfjhk| title=  Michelin Guide Gives 3 Stars to 11 Tokyo Restaurants| publisher= [[bloomberg.com]]| date=  17 November 2009| accessdate= 16 August 2011}}</ref> although it was removed from the Michelin Guide in November 2019 because it does not accept reservations from the general public.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/26/too-exclusive-worlds-best-sushi-restaurant-stripped-of-its-three-michelin-stars|title=World's best sushi restaurant stripped of its three Michelin stars|first=Justin|last=McCurry|newspaper=The Guardian |date=26 November 2019|via=www.theguardian.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/best-sushi-restaurant-sukiyabashi-jiro-tokyo-michelin-stars-bookings-a9218711.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220525/https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/best-sushi-restaurant-sukiyabashi-jiro-tokyo-michelin-stars-bookings-a9218711.html |archive-date=25 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=World's 'best sushi restaurant' removed from Michelin guide|date=2019-11-26|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2020-01-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/japan-tokyo-jiro-sushi-dropped-michelin-stars-gourmet-guide-12126968|title=Famed Tokyo sushi restaurant Jiro left dreaming of Michelin stars|website=CNA|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191128015500/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asia/japan-tokyo-jiro-sushi-dropped-michelin-stars-gourmet-guide-12126968|archive-date=November 28, 2019}}</ref>

<gallery>
File:Mitsukoshi department store at Ginza.jpg|[[Mitsukoshi]] department store at Ginza. There are two symbols of lion heads at the entrance, and is a popular meeting place.
File:Colourful intersection at Ginza - Tokyo Japan.jpg|The [[Sony Building (Tokyo)|Sony Building]] and intersection at dusk. The Sony building was demolished in 2017, and the new Sony building is scheduled for completion and opening in fall 2022.{{Update inline|date=December 2023}}
File:Kabuki-za Theatre 2013 1125.jpg|[[Kabuki-za]] theater Kabukiza is located between Ginza and Tsukiji, about a 15-minute walk away from the Mitsukoshi store.
File:Taimei Elementary School in Ginza.JPG|Taimei Elementary School
File:Tokyu Plaza Ginza1b.JPG|Tokyu Plaza Ginza, a shopping center with a duty-free shop for visitors from other countries
File:Ginza Six 02.jpg|[[Ginza Six]] shopping complex, the newest shopping center in Ginza. Dior Cafe is located in this building.
File:Ginza at night.jpg|Ginza at night
File:Ginza in the rain.jpg|Ginza in the rain
File:Ginza in afternoon.jpg|Ginza in afternoon
File:Ginza district, Tokyo, during snowfall.jpg|''Ginza district, Tokyo, during snowfall''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Prabhune |first=Manish |date=2014-02-28 |title=Snowfall in Ginza - Chuo, Tokyo |url=https://en.japantravel.com/tokyo/snowfall-in-ginza-tokyo/10489 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20251229215559/https://en.japantravel.com/tokyo/snowfall-in-ginza-tokyo/10489 |archive-date=December 29, 2025 |access-date=2025-12-29 |website=JapanTravel |language=en}}</ref>
</gallery>

==Pedestrianization==
[[File:Car Free Ginza 201806.jpg|thumb|Pedestrianized main street]]
Each Saturday and Sunday, from 12:00&nbsp;p.m. until 5:00&nbsp;p.m., {{ill|Chuo-Dori Street|ja|中央通り (東京都)}} through Ginza is closed off to road traffic, allowing people to walk freely. This is called {{Nihongo||歩行者天国|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 ==
* [[Ginza Station]] (銀座駅) ([[Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line]], [[Tokyo Metro Ginza Line]], [[Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line]])
* [[Ginza-itchōme Station]] (銀座一丁目駅) ([[Tokyo Metro Yūrakuchō Line]])
* [[Higashi-Ginza Station]] (東銀座駅) ([[Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line]], [[Toei Asakusa Line]])

Other stations near Ginza:

* [[Yūrakuchō Station|Yurakucho Station]] (有楽町駅) [[Tokyo Metro Yurakucho line]],  [[Yamanote Line|JR Yamanote line]],  [[Keihin–Tōhoku Line|JR Keihin tohoku line]]
* [[Hibiya Station]] (日比谷駅) [[Tokyo Metro Hibiya line]], [[Tokyo Metro Chiyoda line]],  [[Toei Mita Line|Toei Mita line]] 
* [[Shimbashi Station|Shinbashi Station]] (新橋駅) [[Tokyo Metro Ginza Line|Tokyo Metro Ginza line]],  [[Toei Asakusa Line|Toei Asakusa line]], [[Yamanote Line|JR Yamanote line]], [[Keihin–Tōhoku Line|JR Keihin tohoku line]]

Ginza Station, Yurakucho Station, Hibiya Station are connected underground.

==Education==
[[File:Taimei_Elementary_School_in_Ginza.JPG|thumb|[[Taimei Elementary School]]]]
Public elementary and junior high schools are operated by Chuo City Board of Education.

Zoned elementary schools include the following:<ref name=Schoolzones>{{cite web|url=https://www.city.chuo.lg.jp/smph/kosodate/gakkokyouiku/kuritugakkoannai.html|title=区立学校一覧|publisher=Chuo City|accessdate=2022-10-08}}</ref>
* [[Taimei Elementary School]]: All of 5-8 [[Japanese addressing system|chome]],  1-chome (2-10 [[Japanese addressing system|ban]], and two lots of 11-ban), 2-chome (2-9 ban), 3-chome (2-8 ban), and  4-chome (1-8 ban)
* Kyobashi [[Tsukiji]] Elementary School ([[:ja:中央区立京橋築地小学校|中央区立京橋築地小学校]]) - 1-chome (12-28 ban and one lot in 11-ban), 2-chome (10-16 ban), 3-chome (9-15 ban), and 4-chome (9-14 ban)

All of Ginza is zoned to Ginza Junior High School ([[:ja:中央区立銀座中学校|中央区立銀座中学校]]).<ref name=Schoolzones/>

<gallery>
中央区立銀座中学校.jpg|Ginza Junior High School ([[:ja:中央区立銀座中学校|中央区立銀座中学校]])
</gallery>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Tokyo}}
* [[Asakusa]]
* [[Omotesando]]
* [[List of upscale shopping districts]]
* [[Tourism in Japan]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Ginza}}
{{Wikivoyage|Tokyo/Ginza|Ginza}}
* [http://www.tokyoessentials.com/ginza.html Tokyo Essentials: Ginza]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050830235415/http://www.ginza.jp/eng/index_e.html Ginza Concierge]
* [https://www.gojapango.com/places/tokyo/tokyo/district/ginza-1/ Ginza] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180203005847/https://www.gojapango.com/places/tokyo/tokyo/district/ginza-1/ |date=2018-02-03 }} Architecture and Map

{{Chūō, Tokyo}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Ginza| ]]
[[Category:Districts of Chūō, Tokyo]]
[[Category:Shopping districts and streets in Japan]]