Ginza, Tokyo

If you want to experience the Japanese culture then head to the KABUKI-ZA THEATRE.....While walking around Ginza and the Apple store and others head past the Mitsukoshi deaprtment store... you'll find the Kabuki-za Theatre.

It's a beautiful structure, and in Tokyo it's one of only three or four good examples of a traditional style building built from modern materials, not wood.

Performances take place everyday ,you can buy a ticket on the door for under 1000 yen...what a deal!!..

And did you know that..UNESCO designated KABUKI traditional Theater one of the MASTERPIECE of the ORAL and INTANGIBLE HERITAGE of HUMANITY...in 2005..they took into account that KABUKI is a comprehensive art combining the actors physical performance, fine art and music......

Other Japanese art forms UNESCO has named INTANGLE HERITAGE...are NOH drama, in 2001 and JORURI, puppet theater, in 2003

For more information check out there web page..

Ginza is the most well-known shopping and commercial area in Tokyo. When I lived in Tokyo as a student, I seldom visited this place. I simply did not like the crowd of people there. But now not living in Tokyo, I always visit Ginza whenever I visit Japan. I like to look around new shops, book-stores and record shops. They also have fancy coffee shops and restaurants. Who doesn't visit Broadway, Oxford Street or Avenue de Champs Elysees?

This is the 1 of 2 "it" places in Tokyo (the other being Harajuku)... Ginza is just jammed packed with every type of high end shops you can imagine... Spent a great afternoon window shopping ... if you want to spend your money then this is the place !!!! On Sunday they close down the main street and make it into a pedestrian street, so it's very popular place to spend a day

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ginza is world known for luxury shopping and very expensive prices, Ginza is the home of Tokyo's oldest and most prestigious department stores; the most exclusive is probably Wako. And of course Louis Vuitton, Dior, Chanel and Prada, Armani, Hermes have stores as well. You must have a platinum credit card or really large stash of cash just to shop here! well many people just windowshop and pose with pictures at the ginza heheheh. The heart of Ginza is the intersection of Chuo-dori and Harumi-dori, dominated by the glass cylinder of the San-ai Building. With its huge neon sign, it's been the image of Ginza on postcards and travel books for decades now. The other corners are occupied by Wako and Mitsukoshi, two of the most prestigious department stores and the Nissan Gallery.

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Ginza is an upmarket area of Tokyo with many department stores, boutiques, restaurants and coffeehouses. It is located south of Yaesu, west of Tsukiji, east of Yūrakuchō and north of Shinbashi
Ginza is easy to reach via Ginza Station (Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, Tokyo Metro Ginza Line, Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line), as well as by Ginza-itchōme Station (Tokyo Metro Yūrakuchō Line) and Higashi-Ginza Station .
Ginza is the place, where you can spend a lot of money for a simple cup of coffe or a sandwich, not to speak of a plate of Sushi.But price needn't be everything. For very little you can see a traditional kabuki play, go to Asia's largest fish market, see an Indian style temple, look at a capsule apartment building, and try out the latest Sony gadgets.If you like cities by night, take a Ginza walk for windows-shopping when all the lights are on !

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I'm not big on shopping, and even if I were it's likely that the Ginza would be out of my price range, but it's worth wandering around the area on a hopping Saturday afternoon to get a feel for the action. Even during the economic downturn of 2009, the streets were still buzzing with stylish shoppers going in and out of stores. The people watching is excellent -- especially on the weekends when some of the streets are pedestrian only. The stores are easily recognizable with familiar brandnames, and everyone (except for me) is dressed to the nines. Oh, I did buy something: a coffee and pastry at Cafe La Tour.
....THe Japanese must be the most brand-concious consumers in the world -- especially the young women. If you're into big designer names, though, this is the place to be. You can check out the newest, cutting-edge products in the Sony showroom (I saw my first HDTV here in 1991) or you can feel poor walking through the Dior, Chanel or Hermes buildings -- in Ginza, it's not enough to have a store, you must have a whole building!!

The meeting venue for our VT Meet was at Ginza, Nissan Showroom. Ginza is the business and shopping district. Famous departmental stores and shops are all setup in this area.

At night, you will find buildings in Ginza are well lighted with neon signboards. There are many landmarks along Ginza, the famous ones are Wako store with a clock tower. Near Higashi-Ginza subway station is the rebuilt Kabuki-za Theater. Tsukiji Fish Market and Sumida River are also within short walking distances.

Cha Ginza - this is an interesting, modern tearoom right in the middle of Ginza. It's a place to take a break from the busy streets of Ginza and to have a rather unique tea experience in Japan. The tearoom takes up three floors of a narrow building close to Ginza station. It is not a traditional tearoom, but a modern one that retains the traditions.

When you enter on the street level you can buy a 500 yen ticket and go to the third level, where you will be seated in a room with modern sculpture and be served "matcha," which is a thick, frothy powdered tea, in a simplified ceremony that includes a sweet and the following cup of tea. If you haven't tried Matcha, you probably should. Think of your first time tasting rich espresso coffee compared to regular, light American coffee, and you can begin to imagine what you are in for.