GINZA, Tokyo
Rows of small-scale commercial buildings and traditional department stores, Ginza offered us the first taste of Japanese architecture in Tokyo. Tidy, classy, and being one of the first districts in Tokyo to undergo modernization in late 19th century, Ginza has been the place of styles and wealth for many decades. It is the area of luxurious shops, splendid department stores, fancy restaurants, art galleries, and the famous Kabuki-za Theatre. Despite its fame of being the old commercial core of the city, Ginza remains at the forefront for architectural innovations today. We strolled around the area and passed by a number of influential Japanese architecture, including Kenzo Tange’s Shizuoka Press and Broadcasting Tower (1967), Kisho Kurokawa’s Nakagin Capsule Tower (1972), Jun Aoki’s Louis Vuitton Building (2004), Toyo Ito’s Mikimoto Ginza (2005), Shigeru Ban’s Nicolas G. Hayek Centre (2007).
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Read other posts on 2014 Tokyo:
1. Tokyo 2014 (Introduction)
2. Yokohama Osanbashi Pier
3. Ginza, Tokyo
4. Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo
5. Omotesando, Tokyo
6. Harajuku & Aoyama, Tokyo
7. Nezu Museum, Tokyo
8. Roppongi Hills, Tokyo
9. The National Art Centre, Tokyo
10. Midtown, Tokyo
11. A Shrine in Shibuya, Tokyo
12. Yoyogi National Gymnasium, Tokyo
13. A Night in Yanaka, Tokyo
14. Breakfast at Tsukiji Market, Tokyo
15. Moveable Feast, Tokyo
16. Seasonal Fruits, Tokyo
17. Afterthought, Tokyo