Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
70
west side of Tokyo Station and the Cen-
tral Post Office are undergoing renova-
tions. At Marunouchi's center is the
fashionable, tree-lined
Marunouchi
Naka Dori,
home to international
designer boutiques from Armani and
Burberry to Tiffany & Co., as well as a
growing number of restaurants and
bars. Traveling in a long oblong around
the perimeter of Marunouchi is the free
Marunouchi Shuttle, operating daily
from 10am to 8pm at 15- to 20-minute
intervals.
Nihombashi
(map on p. 99) Back
when Edo became Tokugawa's shogu-
nate capital, Nihombashi (also spelled
Nihonbashi) was where merchants set
up shop, making it the commercial
center of the city and therefore of all
Japan. Nihombashi, which stretches
east of Tokyo Station, still serves as
Tokyo's financial center, home of the
computerized
Tokyo Stock Exchange
and headquarters for major banks
and companies. Two of Tokyo's oldest
department stores,
Mitsukoshi
and
Takashimaya,
are also here. The area
takes its name from an actual
bridge,
Nihombashi, which means “Bridge of
Japan,” that served as the starting point
for all main highways leading out of the
city to the provinces during the Edo
Period; distances to other destinations
were also measured from here. Today
the bridge is overshadowed by super
highways rising above it.
Ginza
(map on p. 92) Ginza is the
swankiest and most expensive shopping
area in all Japan. When the country
opened to foreign trade in the 1860s,
following 2 centuries of self-imposed
seclusion, it was here that Western
imports and adapted Western architec-
ture were first displayed. Today, Ginza
is where you'll find a multitude of
department stores, international brand-
name boutiques, exclusive restaurants,
hotels, art galleries, hostess clubs, and
drinking establishments. Although
Tokyo's younger generation favors less
staid districts such as Harajuku,
Shibuya, and Shinjuku, the Ginza is
still a good place to window-shop and
dine, especially on Sunday, when its
major thoroughfare, Chuo-Dori, is
closed to vehicular traffic, giving it a
festive atmosphere. On the edge of
Ginza is
Kabuki-za,
the nation's main
venue for Kabuki productions but
closed for renovations until 2013.
Tsukiji
(map on p. 174) Located only
two subway stops from Ginza, Tsukiji
was born from reclaimed land during
the Tokugawa shogunate; its name, in
fact, means “reclaimed land.” During
the Meiji Period, it housed a large for-
eign settlement. Today it's famous for
the
Tsukiji Fish Market,
one of the
largest wholesale fish markets in the
world.
Shiodome
(map on p. 174) This new
urban development project south of the
Ginza has the usual skyscrapers with
offices and hotels, as well as the Caretta
Shiodome shopping mall. Most famous
here is
Hama Rikyu Garden,
one of
Tokyo's most famous gardens. From
Hama Rikyu Garden, sightseeing boats
depart for Asakusa in the north.
Akihabara
(map on p. 174) Two stops
north of Tokyo Station on the Yamanote
Line, Akihabara has long been Japan's
foremost shopping destination for elec-
tronic and electrical appliances, with
hundreds of shops offering a look at the
latest in gadgets and gizmos, including
Yodobashi Camera, Japan's largest appli-
ance store. In recent years, Akihabara has
also become a mecca for
otaku
(geek)
culture, home of
anime
and
manga
stores
and the
Tokyo Anime Center.
This is a
fascinating area for a stroll, even if you
aren't interested in buying anything.
About a 12-minute walk to the west is
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