Chuo Dori Street

Lined with boutiques and department stores, Chuo-dori Street is the main shopping artery that runs through Ginza. Visit on weekends when the street is closed to automobile traffic, becoming a ‘pedestrian paradise.’

[Chuo-dori Street - image © Florentyna Leow]

Ginza is the playground of Tokyo’s bourgeoisie, and Chuo-dori Street is at the heart of it all. This shopping avenue runs east-west and intersects with Harumi-dori Street, the other main shopping avenue. This intersection is landmarked by the Wako and Mitsukoshi department stores.

[Chuo-dori Street - image © Florentyna Leow]

Unsurprisingly, this street is massively popular with tourists. There’s plenty in the way of chichi boutiques and luxury brands aimed at the 1% - think places like pearl purveyor Mikimoto and Louis Vuitton.

But there’s also shopping for those on a budget. Uniqlo, for instance, has a 12-floor shop filled with every basic clothing item you could possibly need, complete with a sales tax refund counter. (Don’t forget your passport.)

Old-school bakery Kimuraya Pan opposite Mitsukoshi still sells some of the best red bean-butter bread in town. And, Mitsukoshi and Matsuya department stores are well worth visiting too, if only to gawk at their stunning and extensive food halls.

On weekends, Chuo-dori Street is closed to automobile traffic, turning into a “pedestrian paradise” complete with umbrellas and chairs for shoppers to use. It’s all very well in spring and autumn, but at the height of a Tokyo summer it feels more like a pedestrian hell. Still - it’s better than having cars on the road.

English name:
Ginza-dori Street

Japanese name:
銀座通り

English address:
Ginza, Cho-ku, Tokyo, 104-0061

Japanese address:
〒104-0061 東京都中央区銀座

Opening hours:
24h

Admission:
free

Nearest Transport:
Subway: Ginza Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza, Hibiya and Marunouchi lines.
Train: 6-minute walk from the Ginza exit of Yurakucho Station on the JR Yamanote line.

Nearest Hotels:
Check availability and pricing for hotels near Ginza-dori Street on Booking.com or Agoda.com.

Telephone:
+81-3-3561-0919 (Ginza-dori Association)

Website: Official Website (English)

Near To Here:
Ginza-dori Street is located in Tokyo’s Ginza district. See our complete list of things to do in Ginza, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.

Where Is This Place Located?

• Open the Tokyo map
• You will see the list of places on the left hand side. (Click the 3-line icon in the top left corner if not). Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want.
• Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
• Map pins are color coded - BLUE: Hotels / Ryokan / Guesthouses | VIOLET: Ryokan | PINK: Places to Eat | GREEN: Shops | YELLOW: Things to See and Do
• If you’re using the map on your phone, open the map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location.

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