Ginza is a district of Chûô, Tokyo, located south of Yaesu and Kyôbashi, west of Tsukiji, east of Yûrakuchô and Uchisaiwaicho, and north of Shinbashi.
It is known as an upscale area of Tokyo with numerous department stores, boutiques, restaurants and coffeehouses. It is recognized as one of the most luxurious shopping districts in the world (a kin to New York City's Fifth Avenue). Many upscale western-fashion clothing flagship stores are located here. Prominent is Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci. A recent addition will be the Abercrombie & Fitch flagship.
Ginza is named after the silver-coin mint established there in 1612 during the Edo period.
Modern Ginza began in 1872 when, after a devastating fire, the district was rebuilt with two- and three-story Georgian brick buildings designed by the Irish-born architect Thomas Waters, along with a shopping promenade on the street from the Shinbashi bridge to the Kyôbashi bridge in the southwestern part of Chûô. Most of these European-style buildings disappeared, but some older buildings still remain, most famously the Wakô building with its clock tower.
Ginza is a popular destination on weekends, when the main north-south artery is closed to traffic. The traffic blockade began in the 1960s under governor Ryokichi Minobe.
