Ginza, Tokyo

Neighborhood Favorites

High-End Shopping & Entertainment 

Tokyo’s Park Avenue, if you will. Ginza is where all the ladies who lunch come to do just that.  Where the metallic wavy architecture of the Louis Vuitton building is only as striking as the revolving installations that magically adorn every high end store front multiple times a month. Overnight. 

IMG_1221.jpg
IMG_0163_jpg.jpg

Keep your eyes open — Ginza rewards the curious.

When it comes to food, the options span every imaginable price point, but I’ll be honest: you’ll find better destinations for Tokyo’s “must eats” elsewhere. Here, the one spot I urge you not to miss is Spice Lab Tokyo. Its tasting menu is unlike anything else in the city.

If you’re looking for a more casual experience, try the Ginza Food Garden in the basement of Mitsukoshi. Load up on snacks, then grab a spot somewhere in the train station concourse, or better yet, head to the rooftop of the Ginza Six building for a makeshift picnic with a view.

Pro tip: Don’t be fooled by seemingly empty tables at restaurants in Ginza — many require reservations well in advance.

And don’t leave without exploring Ginza’s cocktail scene. Some of Tokyo’s best bars hide in plain sight here — well worth seeking out.

Ginza Quick List

  • Undoubtedly lacking in interesting coffee shops, I ended up drinking more Starbucks than I care to admit. 

    • In the basement of the GEMS building, located in the parking garage, is the SONY mini gallery and cafe. It’s super mini as the name suggests, always has a mad cool art installation (they change like every 2-3 weeks) and serves a nice espresso. Bonus, they use Minor Figures oat milk!

  • Advise you make a reservation for all options and do not be surprised by the seat charge. It’s fairly negligible and some snacks are included upon seating. I live for the French onion soup sips.

    • Bar Orchard

    • Bar Mori

    • Little Smith 

    • The Grey Room 

    • Mixology Salon 

    • Bar High Five

    • Ginza Hachigo (Michelin-Star - no reservations and the line is LONG. Bring something to do. Cash only)

    • Fugu-dashi Ushio Hachidaime Keisuke (blowfish ramen - very rare)

    • Tanakaya (Soba restaurant) in Matsuya Department

    • Sister location at 6 Chome-6-19 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan

    Try Komoboku (fish cake) as an appetizer at any soba shop - great pairing!

    • Standing Sushi Nemuro (Standing room, a la carte)

    There are tons of other options but not any worth your time or money if you have time to eat a fabulous sushi meal elsewhere!

  • Item descriptiSanshuya Izakaya (old school, solid food)

    There are many other izakayas throughout Ginza, however most of them are cheap, quick fixes with poor quality. Fine if you need a late night place to hang and drink cheap highballs and beer with midlevel eats.on

    • American

    • There’s a sandwich stop under the GEMS building that’s right outside the entrance to the parking garage on the B1 floor. It’s solid ~ you can really tell the difference between this and a 711 sandwich. Look for the entrance to Tokyu Plaza on this level and you’ll find it

  • Basically really large grocery stores cum food halls these places are a feast for the eyes and the stomach. You can get higher end versions of conbini and street style snacks + a ton of Japanese and specialty global items.

    • Ginza Food Garden in the Ginza Mitsukoshi (best)

    • Matsuya Ginza (very decent)

    • Spice Lab Tokyo (High-End Indian - Amazing!)

    • Bangera’s Kitchen (casual Indian, decent)

    • Kitatde Tacos (really solid tacos! The owner went to Mexico to learn the tortilla making process and brought the machine back with him)

    • Peninsula 

    • Four Seasons Otemachi (skip the Ginza location this one is close enough and way nicer)

    • The Tokyo EDITION, Ginza

    • Hyatt Centric

    • Kabuki-Za Theatre

    • Ginza 5 Department Store 

    • Itoya Stationary Store

    • Muji Hotel + Flagship 

    • The Underworld of Tokyo Station 

    • Marunouchi Business District

Neighborhood Hot Spot

Ginza Six

The Ginza Six Shopping center is undoubtedly my favorite stop in the neighborhood. While others might head there for luxury goods, I’m there to enjoy the magnitude of thought behind creating this destination, mixed-use experience.

Take in the roving art galleries that are incorporated throughout and do check out the bookstore. It’s tough to find English titles, however you will come across some gems. Don’t miss the roof top garden — it’s a lovely green space to take in views of the city.

F&B highlights include Mixology Salon and a really fantastic Family Mart on the ground floor. There’s an Eately in there as well.

Fantastic Fine Dining!

Spice Lab Tokyo

Indian food is widespread in Japan but limited to very casual, mostly curry and naan houses. There are a few that offer a slightly more regional take but what Chef Tejas and team are doing is next level. They use seasonal Japanese ingredients to recreate dishes from all over the sub-continent, usually with a signature biryani as the last savory offering. The dal makhani is my favorite - anywhere in the world.

With coursed menus at both lunch and dinner, you certainly will not be disappointed by the food, as long as you’re not a stickler for authentic preparations. Go with an open mind and an equally empty stomach.

I worked with this team for two years and enjoyed seven iterations of Chef’s tasting menus. From the development of each dish to their tasteful execution, the food here is solid.

Ideal for a business meeting, a solo pensive tasting menu, date night, or a fun and fancy group meal out.