Ginza, Tokyo - all you need to know

Ginza is a famous shopping district right in the heart of Tokyo – it is one of the most luxurious and renowned shopping areas in the world.

Many global brands have their flagship stores in Ginza, and you could easily spend several days on the go shopping here.

Just how expensive is Ginza, and is it worth a visit?

Ginza is one of the most expensive districts in the world, with an extremely high concentration of luxury shops.

But even here, you’ll find cheaper brands such as Uniqlo or MUJI.

What’s more, Ginza is full of restaurants, including local Japanese chains, where you can enjoy a hearty meal at 2 000 jpy.

👉 My 5 restaurant tips in Tokyo

Personally, I really liked Ginza, even though I hardly did any shopping there.

But strolling past the huge flagship stores or picking up a bargain at the eight-storey Uniqlo department store simply has its own charm!

Book a hotel in central Tokyo here

Ginza 6 – the main shopping street

The heart of the whole district centres around the main street, Ginza 6-chome, where you’ll find the greatest number of luxury boutiques and shopping centres, as well as more affordable chain stores catering to all budgets.

Whilst 6-chome is bustling with life, you’ll also find luxury boutiques in the quieter side streets.

Ginza

The most interesting Flagship Stores

In Ginza, several global brands have buildings of great architectural interest. I was most taken with the architecture of these shops:

Tiffany & Co.(see map)
Louis Vuitton(see map)
Hermès(see map)

Ginza

Hotels in Ginza

Many travellers head to Tokyo primarily for the shopping, but it’s not just for them that it can be worth looking for a hotel in Ginza.

The district is situated right in the centre of Tokyo and therefore offers excellent transport links to all parts of the city as well as to both of Tokyo’s airports – Narita and Haneda.

Cheap hotels

Although Ginza is a premium and very expensive district, you can still find reasonably priced hotels here (or in the immediate vicinity), starting at around 100 usd per night.

Luxury hotels

The Tokyo EDITION, Ginza ***** – one of the best hotels in Japan, which also features in the 50 Best World Hotels ranking
Hyatt Centric Ginza ***** – a huge hotel belonging to a well-known chain, situated in the heart of the Ginza district

My itinerary including a visit to Ginza

I visited Ginza several times, as I was staying at a hotel nearby.

However, my main shopping trip didn’t take place until my third day in Tokyo.

A morning visit to Shiba Park and, most importantly, Tokyo Tower(about 3 hours in total)
Walked through the Roppongi district and past the small Nogi Shrine to Akasaka Palace(another 3 hours in total, but personally I wouldn’t really recommend walking from Tokyo Tower to Akasaka Palace – it was rather boring)
Took the metro to Ginza and went shopping
Dinner at Ippudo