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4 TOKYO
41 5 3 Ginza Six
Hail a cab for a short ride into Ginza, the upscale shopping and dining area that – given its long association with conspicuous consumption and wealth – rather fittingly takes its name from the Edo-era silver mint (gin za) that was located here in the 17th century, when Tokyo (then known as Edo) was beginning to flourish under the Tokugawa Shogunate. Ginza today is home to flagship
stores for brands such as Chanel and Cartier, and in Mitsukoshi and Matsuya some of Tokyo’s most prestigious department stores. It’s also the site of the sleek Ginza Six, one of the latest mega-complexes to hit Tokyo when it opened in 2017. With 200 shops ranging from traditional craft stores to designer boutiques, a rooftop garden, contemporary art installations from acclaimed artists such as Yayoi Kusama, and even a
bus ine s s tr a v el ler .c om
traditional Noh theatre, architect Yoshio Taniguchi’s creation is worth prioritising if time is limited in Ginza. Ginza Six is open daily 10.30am-
8.30pm;
ginza6.tokyo 4 Kit Kat Chocolatory
You can get Kit Kats almost anywhere, but from the wasabi version sold at souvenir shops in Shizuoka prefecture to easier-to-find green tea, fruit and sake Kit Kats, the weird and wonderful range of “only in Japan” flavours has given Japanese Kit Kats something nearing cult status. The Kit Kat Chocolatory in Ginza is the place to pick up the newest releases and gift packs, and there’s also a café on the second floor where you can eat in. 3-7-2 Ginza, Chuo 1040061;
opens daily 11am-9pm; café last orders 7.30pm.
5 Dinner in Yurakucho
You could go high-end for dinner in Ginza – some of Tokyo’s finest sushi, tempura and international restaurants are in the area – but instead consider a gentle ten-minute walk northwest from Ginza along Harumi-dori to the more down-to-earth Yurakucho district. Underneath the elevated rail tracks serving Yurakucho Station are dozens of restaurants, including izakayas specialising in yakitori (grilled chicken) that are easy to spot because they spill out into the street. The bustling atmosphere and budget-friendly prices are much more representative of Japan than Ginza’s restaurants – these are the kind of places people head to all over the country to unwind with a beer or sake and comfort food. And in this part of Yurakucho, most will have either an English menu or picture menu. BT
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