Ginza Chuo-dori

Ginza Chuo-dori is the most exclusive avenue in Tokyo and one of the most expensive in the world per square metre. A walk along it is an experience in itself: boutiques of Chanel, Prada, Louis Vuitton and Cartier coexist with century-old department stores such as Mitsukoshi or Matsuya, art galleries, designer cafés and the legendary Kabuki-za Theatre. The stroll is free and especially pleasant at weekends and on holidays, when the avenue closes to traffic and becomes a lively pedestrian zone. The symbol of the district is the clock of the Seiko House Ginza at the crossing of Chuo and Harumi avenues. Although Ginza has a reputation for being very expensive, you can enjoy the atmosphere and the architecture without spending anything: strolling, photographing shop windows, having a coffee in one of its elegant kissaten and absorbing the cosmopolitan atmosphere. To get there, use the metro to Ginza station (Ginza, Hibiya and Marunouchi lines). The night visit is also highly recommended: the neon and the illuminated shop windows give it a completely different and very photogenic atmosphere.