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Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

The name Ginza dates back to 1612, when a silver coin mint was relocated to the area.  Gin is the Japanese word for a silver coin and za refers to a place where coins, as well as other specially authorized goods that required the use of weights and measures, are produced.  The area is no longer home to a mint of the monetary kind but it is one of the priciest real estate markets in Tokyo.

In 1872, after the area was ravaged by fire, the Meiji government ordered that the town be rebuilt using brick architecture which would better protect the area against future fires and make Japan appear more westernized which was one of the hallmarks of the era.  Since that time western and Japanese architects have shown off some of their most creative works in Ginza.  Some of the hallmark buildings in Ginza today include the De Beers, Mikimoto and Swatch buildings and are featured in “Architecture in Tokyo: A Ginza Walk” at PingMag which offers views and information on the interesting architecture found in the area.

Fashionistas, both male and female, have been strutting their stuff in Ginza since the mid 1930’s when moga, modern girls, and mobo, modern boys, began frequenting the area wearing fashionable western style clothing with hairstyles and accessories to match.  Today high end fashion designers such as Chanel, Hermes, Dior, Gucci and Armani offer their wares to brand conscious Japanese and tourists alike along a strip that is the equivalent to New York’s Fifth Avenue.  The latest fashion label to open their doors in Ginza is H&M who celebrated their grand opening this September.

The main street in Ginza is closed to vehicle traffic on weekend afternoons but you can visit the area any day.  Why not plan to spend an afternoon browsing through area shops and and stay until the lights set the area aglow after sunset (area map).

Image Credit: Personal Collection

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

Surrounding a stone paved courtyard with relaxing patio seating, near Daikanyama’s landmark green flower, Eataly is the largest Italian food & wine center in Japan.   The store is a bakery, deli and wine store all rolled into one great location and also offers prepared food that you can take home and a variety of dine-in offerings. 

La Pasta offers fresh pasta with a choice of three different sauces each day, I Salumi E I Formaggi offers sample plates of proscuitto and cheeses straight from Italy, authentic Neapolitan Pizza comes straight out of the wood burning at La Pizza E La Foccacia, and Le Verdue offers vegetarian cuisine.  If you have room left for dessert, Il Gelato serves artisanal gelato alongside a very tempting pastry bar.

At Eataly “you can follow taste itineraries or wander through themed educational areas, attend courses in food education or take part in cooking classes held by renowned chefs. The calendar of events is packed with tastings, drinks with producers and various events dedicated to local products, and there’s a specialized library available for consultation. Scattered throughout are mini-restaurants where you can sample delicious dishes or take away prepared foods for later.”

My lunch companion Honor, webmistress of Tokyotopia, ordered the vegetarian Lasagna and I had a scrumptious dish that combined a generous serving of a fresh plum tomato sauce served with a dollop of ricotta cheese and lightly toasted bread.  Great Italian bread along with olive oil and vinegar were complimentary as was bottled Italian water. 

Both our dishes were excellent but the service was not as attentive as we had hoped, probably due to the fact that we were one of the first diners on their first day open to the public.  However, we dined at the counter and the chefs, who spoke English, were very helpful and friendly with an obvious passion for the food they were preparing. 

I will definitely will visit Eataly again as it is not often that you find a store where you can buy, eat and learn about great Italian cuisine under one roof in Japan!  (Eataly store diagram)

Eataly is located a two minute walk from Daikanyama Station and is open daily from 10AM to 10PM (Eataly Tokyo Access Map)

Image Credit:  Personal Collection

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In reporting on the openings, Japan Marketing News describes the various locations and talks about the challenges that H&M faces entering the fickle Japan fashion market.  H&M was established in Sweden in 1947 and has over 1,400 stores in 28 countries.  H&M has offered collections designed by Madonna and has a line of beach wear dedicated to Kylie Minogue.

I haven’t been in many H&M stores but I will definitely be checking them out to see if they offer anything larger that a US size six – but don’t get me started on finding clothes or shoes that fit in Japan….that’s a whole different story!

Image Credit:  FLicrk, Toronto Retail Window Display

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Located in trendy Omotesando and opened in 1996, this innovative mall boasts six floors of retail space, three of which are underground, and two floors for residential use. There are three wings, all of which front Ometesando Dori which is lined with beautiful Japanese zelkova trees the entire length of the mall (almost three blocks).

In the mall you will find a selection of restaurants, gallery spaces along with many fashion and lifestyle stores. Most of the stores are Japanese but some American brands have a presence in the mall. Here are just a few:

• DOLCE & GABBANA
• QUIKSILVER STORE
• THE NORTH FACE
• JIMMY CHOO

Omotesando Hills is located midway between Omotesando and Harajuku or Meiji-jingumae Stations. (map).

Photo Credit: Personal Collection

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The high-rise tower reaches a height of 198m (650 feet) and houses four floors dedicated to restaurants that feature cuisines running the gamut from traditional Japanese to Brazilian Barbeque and Modern Australian and everything in between.  An additional four floors are dedicated to wide variety of retail stores.  The remaining 30 floors house various corporate offices.

Fusing the rich legacy of Marunouchi with a modern vision for the future, the stately silhouette of this new landmark building was conceived by the globally renowned British architect Sir Michael Hopkins…..the Shin-Marunouchi Building symbolizes the new look and functionality of the Marunouchi Area.

I recently had the pleasure of visiting this great building and enjoyed walking through the art deco inspired lobby on my way to a delicious traditional Japanese Soba lunch at Ishizuki on the 5th floor.  After lunch I took a brief stroll out onto the open-air patio and had the pleasure of looking down on the renovations of Tokyo Station.   I will be heading back soon and recommend that you check it out the next time your are in the area.  (access map & directions)

Photo Credit:  Personal Collection

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In the basement you will find Kinomo, Yukata, Geta, laquerware, decorative panels and toys. The main floor has a wide selection of Japanese china, postcards and stationery and the upper floor offers a selection of antiques, screens, art prints and books. The store definitely caters to the tourist crowd but it’s enjoyable to browse through and you would be hard pressed to find the array of goods that they offer at any other store in Tokyo.

The main branch of the Oriental Bazaar is located in the Harajuku area of Tokyo, approximately halfway between Omotesando and Harajuku/Meiji-Jingumae Stations (map -look for the salmon colored push pin). Hours of operation are 10AM – 7PM daily, except Thursdays (closed).

There is also a small branch in Terminal 1 at Narita International Airport in case you forgot someone on your list!

Photos: Personal Collection

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Most of the shops along Kappabashi Dogugai are open to the street which makes it easy to check out the wares on display. You may also find some good deals right on the sidewalk as many of the vendors have small outdoor displays of sale items. I picked up some beautiful, bamboo shaped, ceramic chopstick rests that double as whistles for Y100 each ($1 USD)- they were too cute and unusual to pass up! I didn’t see the original price of Y420 ($4-5 USD) each until I got home and now I can’t wait to go back and see what other deals I can come up with!

Some stores are very beautifully designed, like the one pictured above, and others have a more utilitarian appearance similar to the display of traditional Japanese iron tea kettles shown below. Still others seem no larger than a walk-in closet and are so full of stock that they are hard to navigate through but don’t pass them by as you might just find something you have to have amidst the overflowing shelves.

If you love kitchenware you will be very happy browsing through all of the stores on Kappabashi Dogugai Street and you may even go home with something special that will always remind you of your trip to Tokyo. I know that I could spend a whole day and a lot of Yen there- too bad those kettles are so heavy!

Photo Credit: Personal Collection

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

The first thing that you notice when you get to Asakusa is the Kaminarimon Gate. Take a moment to wander around the gate itself to check out all of the ornamentation and then pass through it and your will be on the Nakamise, a quaint shopping area that leads to the Sensoji itself.

Make sure you take some time to explore the various shops on the Nakamise as you can take care of most of your souvenir shopping in one place. Everything from postcards to Japanese snacks, masks, dolls, toys and even happi coats (short Kimono style coat) and Yukata (casual Kimono, usually made of cotton) can be purchased here.

At the end of the Nakamise is the second gate (a smaller version of the Kaminarimon) which leads to the temple itself.

To get to the Asakusa area take the JR Yamanote line to Kanda from the Tokyo Station. Transfer to the TokyoMetro-Ginza line and take that train to the Asakusa station. Travel time is approximately 18 minutes and the train fair is Y290 or just under $3USD. Set aside at least half a day to wander through all the sights in Asakusa – there’s a lot to see!

Photo Credit: Personal Collection

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler