Nihonbashi

What to know

Nihonbashi (日本橋, literally "Japan Bridge") is a district in central Tokyo, north of Ginza and within walking distance of Tokyo Station. The bridge that gives the area its name has served as the kilometer zero marker for Japan's national highway network since the early Edo Period.

Originally a wooden bridge, Nihonbashi was rebuilt in stone during the Meiji Period and later overshadowed by an expressway in the 1960s. A full-scale replica of the original wooden bridge can be seen at the Edo-Tokyo Museum in Ryogoku, while a half-sized replica connects the fourth and fifth floors of Haneda Airport's International Terminal.

As the "center of Japan," Nihonbashi has thrived commercially for centuries, with bustling shops and shipping canals (most now filled in). Many long-established stores still operate here, making it a pleasant area for strolling. During the Edo Period (1600–1867), the powerful Mitsui family opened a highly successful textile shop, Echigoya, in Nihonbashi. Its successor, Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi, became Japan's first department store and remains a landmark in the district's heart.

Recent redevelopment has revitalized Nihonbashi with tasteful additions. The Coredo Muromachi complex features three elegant skyscrapers with shopping and dining in a modern yet traditional design inspired by the Edo Period merchant district. Many shops specialize in traditional crafts or local foods from across Japan, such as lacquerware, gold leaf, knives, chopsticks, sake, condiments, seaweed, and sweets.

Nihonbashi Station on the Ginza, Tozai, and Asakusa subway lines, or Mitsukoshimae Station on the Hanzomon and Ginza lines, bring you to the heart of the district. It's also a 5–10 minute walk from the Nihonbashi Exit of Tokyo Station.