Ginza’s reputation as a luxury shopping district is the least interesting thing about this neighborhood that’s also home to an eye-popping goldfish aquarium, a primo kabuki theater, food halls that put Harrod’s to shame, and the prefectural shops that sell best-of-their-kind specialities you can’t usually get outside the town where they’re made.
Ginza has long had a reputation as the premier luxury shopping district of Tokyo, but it’s the hidden delights that are even more worth seeking out. Like Art Aquarium, where living goldfish are showcased in sculptured aquariums, with choreographed lights and music…
Each exhibit is a constantly changing delight of fish and light
And there are so many exotic varieties, it’s hard to pick a favorite
Special exhibits change with the seasons, from flowers in the spring…
to solstice lilies and lanterns in the fall
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After working up an appetite appreciating all the fish, all we have to do is go downstairs to visit the Ginza Mitsukoshi department store food hall to get a bite to eat. Step off the escalator and you’ll see why this one is my favorite.
And of course, they sell more than sweets here—check out these killer salads!
Floor B-1 sells all the desserts, tea, traditional sweets, and fresh take-out savory foods from famous makers all over the country. Skewered chicken, tempura, barbequed eel and more, all the best of the best. Everything looks so delicious, it’s like an art museum of every food imaginable!
Note: if you buy something—and I dare you to leave without a shopping bag in hand—you have to take it elsewhere to eat it. There’s not really anywhere to sit and eat take-out in the neighborhood.
But if you’re not finished checking out the neighborhood yet, they have refrigerator lockers you can use for free to store your perishables until you’re ready to take them home! Put in a hundred yen to take the key, and it comes back to you when you return.
Because there’s still lots more to see in Ginza! If going home with a suitcase full of prime Japanese foodie ingredients is your dream, you’ve come to the right place. Many of the stores known as Antenna Shops, which sell regional specialties not usually available outside the town where they’re made, are in Ginza or within walking distance.
From rare flavors of miso paste…
to cookies emblazoned with the prefecture’s famous mascot…
to boutique sake makers who don’t distribute abroad, some shops even have tasting bars, so you can try before you buy!
And because these shops are sponsored by the prefectural governments to popularize their local goods in the big metropolis, everything costs the same as if you bought it from the maker.
Now, I don’t know if you’re interested in traditional Japanese theatre (although you should be, and here’s why), just a few blocks away is the Kabuki-za theatre, where the famous white-faced heros, villains and blushing maidens are all played by men.
If you’re at all kabuki-curious, there are several options for sampling this fascinating art form. You can see a whole show (three acts), but you can also buy same-day tickets for viewing just one act, or visit the Kabuki-za Gallery, where ¥1000 will get you a five minute glimpse of the current live show and an up-close-and-selfie-friendly experience with some of the props. More info on how to do that here!
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Back on the flagship shopping street, I do want to show you the one fabulous side effect of the never ending quest to lure free-spending shoppers. Some retail complexes are adding excellent attractions that we can enjoy for free!
This gorgeously animated creation is in Ginza Six. The digital waterfall tumbles from the fifth floor to the third, inside the front wall. You’ll find the top next to the Tumi luggage store, and the bottom next to Moschino.
But as you make your way there, look up through the soaring atrium. Ginza Six hosts spectacular shows of Japan’s most Instagrammed artists, suspended from the ceiling so you can see them from all sides. Kenji Yanabe’s “Big Cat Bang,” for example, sends Taro Okamoto’s iconic Osaka landmark rocketing into space…with cats!
But the designer goods in the stores there are silly expensive, so let’s push on to the KitKat Chocolatory. This is the swanky Japanese home of the iconic wafer bars, and the top of the line offerings here are far more affordable! Let’s check out the only-in-Japan flavors, and maybe even buy a few gifts for friends back home.
If you want the weird only-in-Japan flavors like wasabi or red bean, you’re better off shopping at the Ginza branch of DonKi, where they have a wide selection. The KitKat flagship store is where you can buy their “premium” flavors (made from higher-quality chocolate) and limited edition seasonal offerings (Yuzu Sake and Strawberry Maple were the flavors of the month when I was last there).
You can mix & match your own assortment in gift boxes of 3 or 10, at no extra charge…
Or even get your choco noshes personalized. Writing the message of your dreams takes 40-60 minutes, on either the white chocolate or milk chocolate flavors.
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And now it’s time to rest our tired feet and take a coffee break. The Best Coffee In The World is at Café Bechet, just around the corner. I’m never disappointed by the hand-dripped brew made from beans roasted daily, measured out bean by bean, and ground fresh for every cup.
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On our way back to the subway station, I need to make a last pit stop at the Matsuya Ginza department store food hall, so I can stock up on killer miso peanuts from Mamegen, the venerable maker of supremely tasty, and oh-so-traditional snacks made from roasted soybeans, peanuts and other goodies. There’s a flavor for every taste, from spicy wasabi to green tea to curry. At ¥400-600, these make ideal gifts for friends back home (but be sure to buy enough for yourself too, or you’ll be unable to part with them!)
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And here are the other places I take my friends when they come to town
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
Jonelle Patrick writes about Japan 