Ginza is packed with lots of places to shop…A LOT. If you go down the Chuo Dori street, it’s a heaven for any shoppers and browsers looking to eat and drink. Instead of listing all the department stores as a separate post, we’ll just compile all the famous department stores in one list here.

• Ginza Wako: Built in 1932, the clock tower is the symbol of Ginza

• Ginza Six: Opened in 2017, it’s the biggest shopping complex in Ginza. They even have a garden and Noh theater

• Tokyu Plaza Ginza: 14 floors of endless shopping and dining

• Mitsukoshi: A chain department store, but the oldest department store in Japan that has history since the 17th century

• Matsuya: Another chain department store with a variety of fashion, foods, exhibition halls and anything else you can think of

Photo credit: Tsunagu Japan

 

Kagami was founded in 1934 by Kozo Kagami. They opened up as Japan’s first ever crystal glass factory and specialize in edo kiriko, a type of traditional Japanese cut glass. For over 80 years, they have developed advanced glass making skills and techniques. Their high quality glass is also widely used on official occasions such as receptions for state guests, Japanese embassies and consulate generals across the world. Kagami has also recieved special commissions from the imperial family.

Photo credit: Kagami website

Address: Daiwa Building, 2-1, Ginza 6-Chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061

Hours: From Mon-Fri, 11:00~19:30, Sat, Sun and holiday, 11:00~18:30

Website: https://www.kagami.jp/english/shop/ginza.html

How to get there: A 7 minute walk from Yurakucho Station, Central West Exit on the JR Yamanote Line.

 

When you descend the narrow wooden staircase into the dimly lit Star Bar in Tokyo’s Ginza district, you will immediately be struck by the attentive service and holistic experience on offer. The ambience in this bar in Tokyo is on the quiet side, and while the bartenders’ proper dress suggests formality, the welcoming atmosphere and gentle murmur of conversation create a space that is both relaxed and intimate. Meanwhile, the curved brown leather sofas and Victorian-style ceilings and wallpaper suggest a nostalgia for a slower time.

Once you have been led to your seat, you are likely to receive a hot hand towel and an amuse-bouche while you settle in. In the Japanese tradition, there is no menu, so a bartender will ask what you like and take it from there. This Tokyo bar’s specialty lies in rare Japanese whisky so request a cocktail built from a whisky base to receive something extra special. The knowledgeable bar staff will suggest and create bespoke potions according to your tastes. The attention to detail and precision cocktail making hail from the bar’s owner, Hisashi Kishi, award-winning bartender extraordinaire.

The meticulousness of these cocktail masters is exemplified by the bar’s insistence on serving drinks with their so-called ninja ice, a cube that is so glossy and clear that you cannot see it in the glass, and so slow melting that it does not dilute your drink. For concoctions so precisely mixed and brewed you will inevitably pay a premium, so attend with an open mind for appreciating potions and cocktail craftsmanship to get the best value for money.

Summary Credit: Worlds Best Bars Website

Photo Credit: Worlds Best Bars website

Address: Sankosha Building B1F 1-5-13 Ginza 104-0061 Chūō-ku

Hours: 5pm - 12am, everyday

Website: https://www.worldsbestbars.com/bar/tokyo/city-center/star-bar-ginza/

How to get there: A 5 minute minute walk from Yurakucho Station, Kyobashi Exit on the JR Line

 

It's high fives all round for this sleek, low-lit bar, which has received widespread acclaim thanks to the drive of owner Hidetsugu Ueno. A move to new (larger) premises in 2017 has done nothing to dampen the bartender's fire with the same inspired approach to cocktails, plus a 200-strong whisky list that wins praise from across the region. Ueno's Bellinis, Singapore Slings, Martinis and his signature White Lady remain a benchmark, while classics such as Ceremony – J's whisky, green tea liqueurs, and matcha bitters – and Bamboo are as popular as ever.

Summary Credit: Worlds Best Bars Website

Photo Credit: Worlds 50 Best Bars

Address: B1F, Efflore Ginza5 Bldg, 5 Chome−4−15, Ginza, Chuo City, 104-0061 Tokyo, Japan

Hours: Closed every Sunday, 5pm - 11:30pm

Website: https://www.barhighfive.com/

How to get there: A 7 minute minute walk from Yurakucho Station, Central Exit on the JR Line

 

Part exhibitions space, part store, you can find Japanese modern, contemporary, traditional ceramics and antiques at Kurodatouen. Setting up shop in 1935 right in the heart of Ginza, the shop is still owned by the Kuroda family. They have a wide variety of ceramics and and their collection is so vast that they opened another store in Shibuya more recently. Both the Ginza and Shibuya stores feature an exhibition space from rotating artists. Even if you aren’t going to purchase ceramics, it’s definitely a unique shop to step into to check out.

Photo credit: Kurodatouen website

Address: 7-8-6 Ginza, Chuo, Tokyo JAPAN

Hours: Closed Mondays, 11:00am - 7:00pm

Website: https://kurodatouen.com/info?lang=en

How to get there: An 8 minute walk from Shimbashi Station, Ginza Exit on the JR Yamanote Line.

 

KitKat is one of the most popular chocolate brands in Japan for several reasons. In Japanese, KitKat is pronounced Kitto Katsu which is an expression of good luck in Japan or literally “you will win”. It is often given to school children before a test as a good luck treat. Aside from this clever word play, KitKat also has over a hundred different flavors in Japan with some bizarre ones like wasabi, sake and pumpkin pudding to name a few! You can buy KitKat almost anywhere in Japan. Of course, you will come across the basic ones in supermarkets, but you can find special edition and higher quality KitKat bars in the KitKat Chocolatory.

Photo credit: Central Tokyo Tourism

Address: 3 Chome-7-2 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061

Hours: 11am - 9pm

Website: https://nestle.jp/brand/kit/chocolatory/

How to get there: An 8 minute walk from Yurakucho Station Kyobashi Exit on the JR Yamanote Line.