Tokyo’s Ginza neighborhood is known for luxury shopping, streets open to pedestrians, and the iconic Ginza clock tower at Seiko House. But have you ever wondered what’s inside Ginza’s famous landmarks? Or what else to see in Ginza, beyond department store shopping? Why exactly does Ginza carry such an aura of elegance and sophistication? Join us on this DIY Ginza walking tour, starting below the clock tower at Ginza Wako, and exploring Ginza’s past and present!

Walking in Ginza: Admire Over 300 Years of Sophistication

With its elegant architecture and unique atmosphere, Ginza wasn’t built in a day! The area has been shaped by some 320 years of history, first referred to by the name “Ginza” all the way back in the early years of Japan’s Edo period (1603-1868). The famous shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu unintentionally established the name when he relocated Japan’s silver mint from Shizuoka Prefecture to what is now the “2-chome” section of Ginza. Although the neighborhood’s official name was actually the “Shin Ryogae-cho” (the “new currency exchange town”), people soon began referring to the surrounding area using the historic term for silver mint: “Ginza” (銀座).

Ginza was already a bustling commercial district in the Edo period, home to many artisans, and a hub for traditional performing arts such as kabuki and Noh theater. At its peak, all three shogunate-controlled schools of Noh were based in the area (Kanze, Komparu, and Kongo), as well as the famous Kabuki-za Theater. Although Ginza suffered heavy damage from major fires during the Meiji era (1868-1912) and the Great Kanto Earthquake (1923), these disasters also led to modernized infrastructure, and Ginza’s commercial growth continued largely uninterrupted. When the arrival of modern railways helped to connect cities in Japan, nearby Shinbashi became the gateway for travelers arriving in Tokyo from Yokohama, and with the temptations of Ginza within sight of the station, the neighborhood only flourished. Western-style restaurants, bakeries, clothing shops, leather goods stores, watchmakers, and more sprang up one after another in this lively entertainment and shopping district, transforming Ginza into Tokyo’s trendiest neighborhood.

In the midst of Ginza’s explosive growth, watchmaker Kintaro Hattori founded a shop, the forerunner of today’s Seiko Group, and the predecessor to the original Seiko House Clock Tower – now a Ginza landmark. Before long, high-end department stores (now Ginza icons) arrived to transform the neighborhood once again, and as increasingly convenient public transportation brought even more prosperity over the years, Ginza cemented its unique sense of style. Even today, walking through Ginza reveals traces of its long history, in centuries-old specialty shops, historic buildings etched with the patina of time, enduring landmarks like the Seiko House and Kabuki-za, or even small Shinto shrines tucked away in back alleys.

Let’s start our exploration of Ginza with a little of the area’s classic luxury, at Seiko House.

① Ginza Wako: Art Galleries & Luxury Specialty Shopping

Within the walls of Seiko House, an iconic Ginza landmark, you’ll find a multi-floor high-end specialty shop owned by the Seiko Group (of watch fame) called Ginza Wako. The story begins with the famous Seiko clock tower itself, back in 1894, when founder Kintaro Hattori built his very first tower on the site. However, the entrepreneur was soon acquiring neighboring structures and constructing a much larger clock-topped building to house his growing timepiece business, the “Hattori Tokeiten” (服部時計店, or “Hattori Watch Shop”) – the predecessor of Seiko. Though rooted in watchmaking, the Hattori Tokeiten eventually expanded to sell other luxury goods as well, and this part of the business became an independent retailer in 1947 – the thriving new Wako Co., Ltd. In 1952, Wako officially moved to its current location, helping the clock tower cement itself as a Ginza icon over the decades. Today, you can still enter the grand building to enjoy the luxe atmosphere of Ginza Wako.

▶︎ The building we see today is actually the second iteration, designed by the office of modernist Japanese architect Jin Watanabe. Built with a natural stone facade, bronze arabesques under the clock face and decorating the windows, and interiors adorned with Italian marble, it’s a unique example of classical style.

Step inside, and you’ll discover a variety of boutique spaces from the basement through the 4th floor, and a unique gallery space showing special arts and culture exhibitions up on the 6th floor. Starting on the 1st floor, visitors can explore fine watches from Seiko and other brands from Japan and abroad at the “Wako Watch Square.”

The 2nd floor houses the Grand Seiko Flagship Boutique Ginza, the Credor Salon, and the Jewelry Square. Here, visitors can explore a selection of particularly high-end Grand Seiko models, Credor timepieces, and exquisite jewelry such as Ashoka diamonds, Akoya pearls, and Gimel pieces, all alongside an exhibit focusing on Grand Seiko’s history.

The 3rd and 4th floors showcase an array of apparel and other fashion well-suited for Tokyo’s sophisticated urban environment. Ginza Wako has been in business since the Meiji era, giving the shop plenty of time to curate a distinctive lineup of luxury items from both Japanese and international brands, and even develop some original products manufactured under the Wako name. From leather bags and accessories to elegant apparel, you’ll find a variety of elegant items.

Despite the impressive selection of fashion and accessories, Ginza Wako has long been more than a boutique, playing an active role in supporting Japan’s arts and culture. As early as the 1930s, the Hattori Tokeiten hosted regular art exhibitions known as the “Wako-kai,” where artists and artisans could promote and sell their work. When Wako became independent, the new name was inspired by this art initiative! In the 1950s, Ginza Wako even organized competitions for emerging Japanese designers, making waves in the fashion world. The store’s grand display windows became so iconic they were affectionately called “the face of Ginza” (銀座の顔).

Seiko House Hall opened on the 6th floor of Ginza Wako in the 1970s, and today it serves as an exhibition venue, alongside the basement “Arts & Culture” space renovated and reopened in 2024. This new space was designed by Hiroshi Sugimoto and Tomoyuki Sakakida of the New Material Research Laboratory and crafted with care, from the design concept to the materials used. The space showcases some of Japan’s most exquisite traditional crafts, including “kiriko” cut glass and woven bamboo creations, alongside rotating special exhibitions. In concert with the fashion found on other floors, Wako offers a unique aesthetic experience.

Interested to see what kinds of exhibitions and events are being held inside this Ginza landmark? Check the official Ginza Wako website, or see our previous article for a deeper dive into Ginza Wako.

Ginza Wako (銀座・和光)
4-5-11 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo
Hours: 11:00 – 19:00 (open every day, except during Japan’s winter holidays)
Directions: directly connected to Ginza Station (Tokyo Metro Ginza, Marunouchi, & Hibiya lines), exits A9, A10, and B1
Official Website (jp)

② The Seiko Museum Ginza: A World of Watches & Passing Time

After visiting Ginza Wako at the SEIKO HOUSE, it’s just a short walk to the nearby Seiko Museum Ginza. Despite being called the “Seiko Museum,” the exhibitions at this free museum aren’t limited to simple displays of Seiko timepieces. The many floors showcase a wide range of informative displays, historic pieces, and unique timekeeping collections, all focused on the theme of “Time and Timepieces” – past and present.

The Seiko Museum began in 1981 as the “The Seiko Institute of Horology” (セイコー時計資料館), an institution dedicated to the research, collection, and preservation of documents and artifacts related to timekeeping and watches. Initially, it was located inside the Seiko workshop in Tokyo’s Sumida Ward, and the facilities were generally closed to the public, but in 2012 the collection was reborn as the Seiko Group’s new corporate museum – the “Seiko Museum.” In 2020, in honor of the 160th anniversary of the birth of Seiko founder Kintaro Hattori, the museum relocated to Ginza (where Hattori was born and founded his watch shop), offering a fascinating look at Seiko’s history and their extensive research on timepieces in a fresh new space.

The Seiko Museum Ginza is a tall building with different exhibitions on each floor, from the basement level up to the 6th floor, including the Grand Seiko Museum at the very top. Visitors can explore a variety of interesting, well-designed displays, including “extreme” timekeeping, timepieces old and new, and of course, the legacy of Seiko founder Kintaro Hattori.

On the basement floor, the “Extreme Times” exhibition takes a look at the highly precise timing and measuring devices that Seiko has developed for use at major international sporting events (where even minor errors are unacceptable), as well as the ongoing efforts to develop wristwatches capable of functioning in extreme environments like outer space or deep under the sea. The photo above shows the actual sideline display clock and starting blocks used when Usain Bolt set the men’s 100m world record of 9.58 seconds at the 2009 World Athletics Championships – a popular place to take pictures!

On the 5th floor you’ll find “A Variety of Times,” which places the emphasis on how watches are not just timekeeping tools, but also a means of self-expression! The display cases showcase many of the different wristwatches that Seiko has designed to suit any unique sense of style, as well as a number of other clocks released since the 1970s. Among the variety of eye-catching clock designs you’ll find their wildly popular Fantasia clock, cute cuckoo clocks, and the uniquely pyramid-shaped “Pyramid Talk” clock, which announces the time when tapped! There are even small home-sized versions of Seiko’s large automaton clocks, which were once the talk of the town when installed in places like Yurakucho – not far from the museum.

From the history of Seiko as a brand and the innovative spirit of its founder to the ongoing evolution of clocks throughout the ages – the Seiko Museum’s exhibits not only offer visitors a chance to gain a deeper interest in time and timekeeping, but maybe even a hint or two for business professionals!

The Seiko Museum Ginza (セイコーミュージアム 銀座)
Seiko Namiki-dori Bldg, 4-3-13 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 10:30 – 18:00 (closed Mondays & New Year holidays – subject to change)
Directions: 1 min from Ginza Station B2 or B4 Exit (Tokyo Metro Ginza Line,
Marunouchi Line, Hibiya Line) | 2 min from Hibiya Station A0 Exit (Tokyo Metro
Hibiya Line, Toei Mita Line) | 2~4 min from Yurakucho Station D8, Ginza, or
Central Exit (Tokyo Metro Yurakucho Line, JR lines)
Official Website | Reservations
*Museum admission is free, but visitors are limited to avoid crowding, so reservations (via the official website) are recommended.

③ The Origin of Ginza Monument: Ginza’s Birthplace

From the major intersection with Ginza Wako, turn towards the Tokyo Metro Ginza-itchome Station and walk along the main avenue to stroll through the “2-chome” area of Ginza. You’ll know you’ve reached the right stretch of Chuo-dori Street when you see Tiffany’s Ginza flagship store – turn towards the street to spot a stone monument in front of the store, marked the “Birthplace of Ginza.”

The site where Tiffany Ginza now stands was once the very location of the mint that gave birth to the name “Ginza” – the very same silver mint that the Tokugawa shogunate established back in the Edo period. The monument is a much newer construction, but still a precious one for history lovers – erected in 1955 to commemorate the origins of this historic neighborhood. If your Japanese is any good, you can read the inscription, which explains Ginza’s roots and the source of the Ginza name!

The Origin of Ginza Monument (銀座発祥の地碑)
2-7 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo

④ Kabuki-za Theater: The Heart of Ginza’s Performing Arts Traditions

For those with an interest in traditional Japanese performing arts, a visit to the Kabuki-za Theater in Ginza’s 4-chome area (closer to Higashi-Ginza Station) is a must. Originally built in 1889, Kabuki-za has been a bastion of the Kabuki arts since the Meiji era, standing as Tokyo’s foremost stage for traditional performance through the Taisho, Showa, and Heisei eras into the modern Reiwa era. Kabuki itself has deep roots in the area, and the purported birthplace of the art is Ginza’s Kobiki-cho district, already a flourishing entertainment hub where locals came for theater and other performances during the Edo period. Over its century-spanning history, the Kabuki-za building has succumbed to disaster several times, but the current structure (the fifth) was designed by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. Its exterior retains classical elements from the previous generation, like the tiled roof and curved karahafu gables, while blending with the modern Kabuki-za Tower office building behind it. Even as the building has changed, it’s remained a Ginza landmark!

If you have any worries that a traditional kabuki performance might be too long or too expensive, then we recommend Kabuki-za’s “hitomakumiseki” tickets (一幕見席), which are tickets sold just for individual acts. Depending on the performance, these “single-act tickets” typically let you enjoy a performance lasting 1~2 hours, making them perfect for those new to kabuki. In the past, these tickets were only sold same-day at the box office and were unreserved, but now you can purchase reserved seats online from 12:00 noon the day before the performance.

Kabuki-za Theater (歌舞伎座)
4-12-15 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Box Office Hours: performance days 10:00 – 18:00 | non-performance days 10:00 – 17:00 | closed mainly during the New Year holidays & days without performances (check the website for details)
Directions: connected to Higashi-Ginza Station Exit 3 (Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, Toei Asakusa Line), or 5 min from Ginza Station Exit A7 (Tokyo Metro Ginza, Marunouchi, Hibiya Lines)
Official Website (jp)

⑤ Toyoiwa Inari Shrine: A Hidden Shinto Destination in a Back Alley

The Ginza we see today flourished in an age of industrialization, when strong Western influences were flooding Tokyo, and in this polished international atmopshere the streets are lined with legendary department stores, luxury boutiques, and high-end flagship stores. It’s not the kind of neighborhood where you would still expect to find many of Japan’s traditional Shinto shrines… and yet! Pick your route carefully as you wander through Ginza’s narrow backstreets, and you’ll find a surprising number of small shrines tucked away in surprising places. The Toyoiwa Inari Shrine, hidden in tiny gap between buildings on Suzuran-dori Street, is one of them.

Shinto shrines worshipping the god Inari are particularly abundant in Ginza due to Inari’s dual capabilities, simultaneously protecting the area from fire and blessing it with commercial prosperity. When Toyoiwa Inari Shrine was first established in the Edo period, it was dedicated to fire prevention, but it also became known as an “en-musubi” spot, said to strengthen good relationships and bonds (romantic or otherwise). Perhaps because of this, in later years the shrine attracted devotion from the many local kabuki actors and performing arts professionals, including the famous actor Ichikawa Uzaemon. Today, Toyoiwa Inari Shrine remains well-known to locals as a matchmaking shrine, especially popular among women working in Ginza, but for visiting travelers it’s truly a hidden gem waiting to be discovered.

Toyoiwa Inari Shrine (豊岩稲荷神社)
7-8-14 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo
Hours: accessible 24/7 | office closed Wednesdays & Thursdays
Directions: 5 min from Ginza Station Exit A2 (Tokyo Metro Ginza, Marunouchi, Hibiya Lines
Official X

Bonus Stop: Rest and Refreshments at Ginza Wako Annex

Looking to take a break while exploring Ginza? When you’re ready to sit down, relax, and maybe enjoy a sweet treat, head to the Tea Salon on the 2nd floor of Ginza Wako Annex. The menu features seasonal desserts made with fresh ingredients, like their popular fruit parfaits, or the classic Ginza Pudding à la Mode – the perfect match for Ginza’s retro vibes. Both pudding and parfaits became trendy cafe treats during Japan’s Showa era (1926-1989), but these Ginza-style versions at the Annex Tea Salon are each an elegant take on a nostalgic treat. The salon also offers a variety of cakes, which go great with the tea, as well as savory options like sandwiches and spaghetti bolognese.

Because the Annex Tea Salon is very popular and does not take reservations, it’s best to stop in a little early, get a numbered ticket at the entrance, and then stroll nearby while you wait. You can always check the current status of the line on the official website.

*Note: Pre-school age children are not permitted in the Tea Salon.

In addition to the Tea Salon, the Ginza Wako Annex also houses a first-floor cake and chocolate shop, and a “Gourmet Salon” in the basement, offering gourmet gifts and souvenirs. The selection at this “Food Hall of Time” includes seasonal delicacies, aged gourmet products, a selection of wines and spirits, and fresh fruit jams, making it a good place to shop for gifts.

Ginza Wako Annex (銀座・和光 別館)
4-4-8 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo
Hours:
　　1F Cake & Chocolate Shop: 10:30 – 19:30 (~19:00 on Sundays and holidays)
　　2F Tea Salon: 10:30 – last order at 19:00 (or 18:30 on Sundays and holidays)
　　B1F Gourmet Salon: 10:30 – 19:30 (~19:00 on Sundays and holidays)
Directions: directly connected to Ginza Station Exits A9, A10, B1 (Tokyo Metro Ginza, Marunouchi, Hibiya Lines), exits A9, A10, and B1
Official Website (jp)

See Ginza on Foot to Make the Most of Your Visit

From the broad avenues and majestic stone facades to the narrow backstreets filled with hidden gems, Ginza is something special. From the sights in this quick Ginza guide and beyond, Ginza is a treasure trove of unique architecture, small shrines, historic sites, and unexpected stories. All that’s left is for you to explore them yourself!

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