Well, the title of this story may be a little misleading. You see, my fashion consciousness is nothing to write home about. So don't expect a shopping guide from me, even if it's just window shopping. Especially with Ginza, one of the best known high-fashion shopping areas in Tokyo. All the usual suspects of the high-fashion world are here - Armani, Bulgari, Gucci, Chanel, you name it!

The main shopping street of Ginza - Chuo Dori is closed to vehicular traffic on weekends between noon and 8 pm and I believe this is the best time to visit the place. Not only can you walk freely on the street, but it is also a good time to do some people watching and take in the ambience of the place.

Getting to Ginza is easy. Several Tokyo Metro lines pass through the area. The Ginza station is right in the heart of the place, while Higashi-Ginza and Ginza Itchome stations are close by. You can also walk from the JR Shimbashi and Yurakucho stations. Just refer to your subway map and you can get there easily from pretty much any part of Tokyo.

The heart of the Ginza shopping district is the Ginza 4-chome intersection. It is the intersection of Chuo Dori and Harumi Dori. The Wako department store building serves as the landmark for this place - a large corner building with a distinctive curved facade and a clock tower. Built in 1932, it is one of the oldest buildings in the area. If you get off the subway at Ginza station, you will be surfacing at Ginza 4-chome.

 

Wako department store

 

Chuo Dori extends in both directions from this intersection. It is the narrower of the 2 roads in the 4-way intersection. If you visit on a weekend, it will be the one with no vehicular traffic.  

So, with me being a fashion novice, I'll let the pictures do the talking now.

 

Apple store, Ginza

 

Yes, there is an Apple store too! This is the only store I actually went in.

 

Bulgari

 

Prada

 

Ginza 4-chome crossing

 

Walking down Chuo Dori on a weekend

 

Weekends shoppers

 

You will see striking architecture and billboards all over Ginza

 

Cool facade

 

I didn't actually spend much time there in the afternoon. Just walked up and down the street a couple of times, and moved on to check out other parts of the city. But I did return to Ginza the same evening, because I knew it would be quite a lovely sight once all the lights came on. However it was after 8 pm, so I had to stick to the sidewalks.

 

Wako department store at night

 

Chuo Dori at night

 

Ginza 4-chome crossing at night

 

The Chanel store, with its giant video screen facade

 

Cartier

 

Bulgari

 

Christian Dior and Giorgio Armani

 

The attractions of Ginza are not limited to the Chuo Dori. So do explore around it as well when you're there. I didn't have much time to do that, but I still caught a few sights on my way to the subway station where I caught a train to Roppongi to check out the nightlife.

 

Sony building, Ginza

 

Fujiya Camera, Ginza

 

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Author: Debarka Banik

All photographs contributed by author