GUIDE TO CENTRAL TOKYO

YOUR GUIDE TO

#GINZA #TSUKIJI #MARUNOUCHI

Central Tokyo

Explore the city’s hub across three main areas: Tokyo Station and Marunouchi, Ginza, and Tsukiji.

Imperial Palace

Tokyo

CENTRAL TOKYO

Ginza Tsukiji Narita Airport

Maihama

TRAVEL TIPS

• If you’re boarding a bullet train at Tokyo Station, the easiest access is from the Yaesu side, although access is also available from the Marunouchi side.

• Buying a traditional bento lunch box for your bullet train ride is somewhat of a ritual; there are plenty of options available in Tokyo

Station’s underground mall, as well as shops on platforms themselves.

• Daimaru Tokyo (one of the city’s biggest department stores) is just a few steps from Tokyo Station.

• The International Forum is the ultimate venue for the vibrant Oedo Antique Market. You can’t visit Tokyo and not spend at least a few hours (we recommend a few days) in the vibrant Central area, whether visiting the atmospheric Tsukiji Outer Market, jumping aboard a train at Tokyo Station or shopping through Ginza. Here are some highlights.

TOKYO STATION & MARUNOUCHI

If you’re exploring the city, or heading off to another destination around Japan, you will likely pass through Tokyo Station, a hub for train lines including the JR Yamanote Line and a number of metro subway lines. It’s also where bullet trains (shinkansen) run from north to south across the country.

ATTRACTIONS The station is within walking distance of the Imperial Palace East Gardens, a serene green space dotted with pavilions and temples. At the other end of the design spectrum is the Tokyo International Forum, with swooping curves of steel – inside are restaurants, shops and markets. The entire area is a haven for shopping and dining, including the streets underneath Tokyo Station itself, which has multiple malls.

GINZA

At its heart, Ginza is traditional Tokyo. But the hood is also a modern shopping mecca, packed with high-end department stores, malls and fashionable boutiques. On weekends and national holidays, Ginza’s main street (Chuo-dori) is closed to traffic, while the back streets hold a warren of independent galleries, bistros and bars.

ATTRACTIONS Some of the main malls include Ginza Six, Ginza Place, Tokyu Plaza and traditional Ginza Mitsukoshi and Wako. After dark, the adjoining areas of Shimbashi and Yurakucho come to life, when locals frequent izakaya (pubs) to eat yakitori (grilled meat skewers) in atmospheric restaurants under railway bridges. Retire to one of the area’s luxury hotels, or enjoy a dose of culture at the famed Kabukiza Theatre, a shrine to kabuki, a classical Japanese dance drama.

TRAVEL TIPS

• The Ginza Six mall comes complete with a high-end food court and rooftop gardens from where you can glimpse the Tokyo Skytree.

• Department store basements hold a wealth of food experiences and are a great place to glimpse the range of speciality produce on offer.

• Design fans will love the neighbourhood’s eyeopening architecture.

• This is where you’ll find

Michelin-starred sushi restaurant

Sukiyabashi Jiro (made famous by the Jiro Dreams of Sushi documentary). Bookings are essential and can only be made by phone via the concierge at your hotel.

CENTRAL TOKYO

TSUKIJI

From 1935 to 2018, Tsukiji was home to the most famous fish market in the world. The inner section of the wholesale fish market, with its tuna auctions, has relocated to nearby Toyosu, but the Tsukiji Outer Market is still in place and is a foodie paradise.

ATTRACTIONS The Outer Market is ideal for culinary enthusiasts looking to gain a taste for street food; then sit down to an oceanfresh breakfast (or lunch, or dinner) at one of the many sushi restaurants. A number of the establishments here, some offering sushi-making classes, must be booked in advance. This is also the place to pick up souvenirs, from handcrafted knives to ceramics and kitchenware.

For a taste of tradition, visit the Shinto shrine Namiyoke Inari, located on the market’s northeast side. It’s a short stroll on to Buddhist Hongwan-Ji Temple, which fuses Asian and European architecture. Wander on to Hama-rikyu Gardens, an Edo-period paradise originally built to serve as a feudal lord’s residence.

TRAVEL TIPS

• Tsukiji is within walking distance of Ginza.

• The Tokyo Water Bus ferry service joins Hama-rikyu

Gardens and Asakusa.

• Try visiting Asakusa after a morning at Tsukiji, or arrive at Hama-rikyu Gardens by ferry from Asakusa.

OPENING IMAGE: Imperial Palace © Tokyo Convention and Visitors Bureau

OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM TOP LEFT: The Shimbashi district of Ginza is known for its nightlife and geisha sightings © WildSnap/Shutterstock; Ginza Six shopping mall; retail therapy © oneinchpunch/Shutterstock THIS PAGE: Hama-rikyu Gardens © TCVB