Merry Christmas! - well almost. Although there are very few Christians in Japan, christmas has been widely adopted but mostly for the present-giving aspect of it. Especially young people are fond of this new-found tradition. So what better place to go than to Tokyo’s number one shopping area, Ginza. Every self-respecting company that is worth it’s salt must have a shop in Ginza. So needless to say this is also not really where you can find bargain amongst the designer bags and watches.

But shopping is not the only thing to do in Ginza. Ginza also boasts some very impressive modern architecture. Most of it is probably down to companies wanting to make a lasting impression with their flagship stores. Amongst the modern are also some more classic buildings, most notable the famous Dai Ichi building, or Ginza Wako building. Brightly lit in white at night it serves as a beacon to the shoppers in the area.




Ginza is also home to some very traditional Japanese culture. The Kabuki-za is also located here. It is Tokyo’s no. 1 place to watch Kabuki (wp), classical japanese dance drama. The building is located towards the eastern side of the main Ginza area and is the only building in classic Japanese style. Kabuki shows can last several hours, but tickets for just a single act, are for sale for tourists. There is a special cue for these and you have to be there in time as you cannot book and it’s first come first serve. Annoyingly, you also cannot buy tickets for your friends, they will only sell as tickets for as many people turn up at the door.

I will be going to a show here in the future an will report back here in detail when the time comes.

Tags: ginza, tokyo, shopping, stroll, architecture, theatre