Ginza – not as expensive as people make out

Ginza is many things but one perception of the Japanese capital’s most exclusive shopping area persists above all others – the over the top prices found in every Ginza nook and cranny.

Interested dining? Impossibly expensive! Want to do a bit of shopping? Not a problem – if you have direct access to a bank vault!

These and a hundred more examples exist in regards to going out and enjoying yourself in Ginza, and whilst many top of the range locations exist in terms of eating, shopping and / or being entertained, Ginza, with a little effort, is just as affordable as any other area in Tokyo or Japan.

For eats, head off the main streets that cross at Wako and Mitsukoshi. Ginza is a grid system of streets meaning that no-one should be too lost at any point in time, and, with the see and be seen mentality that so pervades pushing prices up on those main streets, it is in the back street that some very affordable options can be discovered – especially at lunchtime when set menus go for as little as 500 yen per person. Indeed, the two places pictured – behind COACH on Harumi Dori are relatively unknown but far from the exorbitant prices found just a few metres away – the perfect pit-stop.

Shopping is another hugely popular pastime in Ginza and the big names on the main streets really do dominate in terms of guide books and the likes (as do the prices they charge) but again, head behind the main strip and have a wander around the smaller stores in the 4-chome area. Many are older, family run, and more about quality of service than inflated prices and many a good deal can be had. All you have to do is look.

Time and effort WILL pay off in Ginza – so get there, get off the main drag and enjoy.