When I first heard about Yanaka Ginza, I assumed it would be located in the central Ginza district of Tokyo, and I was so wrong. Most travellers to Japan would have never heard of this timeless part of Tokyo, which has been around since 1945 and has mostly stayed the same.

If you only visit Tokyo and want to explore some of the best non-touristic places around this metropolis, Yanaka Ginza is a highly recommended day trip destination.

Yanaka Ginza, All You Need To Know

Since I started visiting Tokyo in 1990, I’ve visited most of the commercial and non-commercial places in this mega-metropolis. Why? Because I used to work in Tokyo from 1990 to 1992, I had my fair share of exploring the capital of Japan back in those days, which has been 30 years now.

However, while working and living here, I never once visited Yanaka Ginza, though I had heard about this place. Most of my explorations were in the central districts of Tokyo.

After multiple visits to Tokyo over the last three decades, I finally made it a mission to check out Yanaka Ginza in March 2019. This shopping street started in 1945, just after the Second World War, and has seen various changes throughout the decades.

It has also been a famous neighbourhood shopping street for those living nearby, catering to essential daily needs. In the 1990s, Yanaka Ginza underwent some improvement, with a mission to become a famous shopping street for everyone, namely the local Tokyo people and international visitors.

Over the years, Yanaka Ginza has been known as one of Tokyo’s “Shitamachi,” or old town districts. Its overall outlook is still very original, with a rustic old-town ambience.

A Google Map of Yanaka Ginza shows some of the businesses there.

Why is this place called Yanaka Ginza? 

The area is called Yanaka, and the word Ginza was added for prestige. The central Ginza district is 25 minutes by train from here. History states that back in the old days, there was only one main shopping street in Tokyo: Ginza. Throughout time, some other shopping streets began to add “Ginza” to their name.

This was because they wanted status in their shopping street name; hence Yanaka Ginza was born. So, again, this is located outside the Ginza district, as everyone may think.

Where is Yanaka Ginza?

First of all, it is not in the main Ginza area or district, but it is located in the Yanaka area in the Taito City part of Tokyo and near Ueno. The name sounds confusing, and the reason why the word ‘Ginza’ was incorporated into this area was explained above.

What to see in Yanaka Ginza?

The main attraction here is the old and nostalgic feel of Tokyo’s shopping streets, which look like they have been trapped in time since 75 years ago.

Visitors will experience the natural setting of a narrow shopping street that is non-covered and from the old days, with no modern buildings, 24-hour convenience stores, Starbucks, or modern fast food.

One of the nostalgic Japanese beauty saloon shops was spotted at Yanaka Ginza.

Walking here, you see primarily local Japanese and the occasional Caucasians or Asians, as this is not a regular high-tourist area. If you wanted to know how things were before Tokyo became modern, Yanaka Ginza is one of the best examples.

Shop vendors are all locals who grew up here and sell a variety of daily necessities, ranging from dried food and seafood to ready-cooked meals for takeaway. About 65 businesses are located along the main Yanaka Ginza shopping street, and there are many more in the surrounding areas.

I have another article listing some of the most popular things to see, eat, and do in Yanaka Ginza.

The busy scene along the main shopping street.

When is the best time to visit Yanaka Ginza? 

Any time is good, but I recommend coming here in the Spring and Summer months from March to August when the weather is good. Most vendors will be active, except during winter.

Overall, you can visit this place anytime throughout the year, but know fewer open-aired vendors will be seen during winter. If you plan to come on a weekend, you should expect large crowds, and some of the businesses require you to line up to buy things. The best time to visit Yanaka Ginza would still be a weekday, but avoid Monday as several shops tend to be closed.

How long to spend at Yanaka Ginza?

It takes at least one to two hours unless you plan to visit every store and try every restaurant and cafe here. For my trip here, I spent about two hours walking the main street and the many other smaller roads and alleys around here.

To fully experience Yanaka Ginza and Yomise Dori, the main street at the western entrance, you may need at least two to three hours of walking.

Some of the local Japanese takeaway food is sold on the street.

What to Eat and Drink at Yanaka Ginza? 

This is a tricky question, but I managed to explore the entire main street and found several small restaurants, cafes, and even Indian food at Yanaka Ginza. For food, I recommend trying the local Japanese hawkers or those selling bites along the street. These vendors sell a lot of deep-fried food.

One of the recommended and famous street foods in Yanaka Ginza is the meat croquet or ‘Menchi Katsu’, which you often need to line up to buy. As you enter through the west entrance of Yanaka Ginza, you will see a corner shop that sells ready-packed Japanese dishes. You can buy what you need, find a spot to sit down and have a quick meal on the go.

For coffee, one place is Yanaka Coffee, located along Yomise Dori shopping street from the west entrance. They serve authentic roast coffee and have a vast selection of beans worldwide.

The west entrance to Yanaka Ginza. The arch is your indicator of the shopping street.

How long is Yanaka Ginza shopping street? 

The main street is 170 meters (557 feet) long and is the core of Yanaka Ginza. However, the general surrounding area is much more than that. If you total the entire area, you can explore this beautiful rustic Japanese shopping street for at least an hour.

Photos of Yanaka Ginza Street

Below is a series of photos taken along the main Yanaka Ginza street and surrounding areas. I used an Olympus OM-D EM-1 Mark II camera for all my images, which are resized.

Roadside vendors are seen near the Yuyake Dandan stairs.

A Japanese couple is seen selling some of their items by the road.

A local souvenir shop sells all kinds of traditional Japanese things.

A second-hand kimono and yukata shop sells them for really low prices.

Zakuro Bazar is a unique art and craft shop at Yanaka Ginza.

Street vendors along the way to the Nippori Station.

A fresh seafood shop that has been here for decades.

One of the many clothing boutiques along the shopping street.

Various souvenirs are sold at one of the shops.

A florist shop along the main street of Yanaka Ginza.

It is one of the older shops that sell a bit of everything.

How to go to Yanaka Ginza?

Tokyo Metro: To get here, you need to take two Tokyo Metro trains, and it only takes around 30 minutes, much less than most parts of Tokyo. Take any Tokyo Metro subway train to the Otemachi Station, and from here, take the Chiyoda Line (Light Green) to Sendagi Station.

Exit the station and walk left towards the Bunkyo Sendagi Post Office. Turn in there and walk to the end, and you will appear outside the Yanaka Ginza West Entrance. The walk is about five minutes.

The exit at Yushima Station near Yanaka Ginza.

Yamanote Line: Alternatively, you can take the Yamanote line from any major station around Tokyo and stop at Nippori Station. Take the west exit from the station, then head across the Shimogoinden Bridge.

Head along the main street, passing a cemetery on your left. Walk for 200 meters until you find a large flight of stairs leading down the road, and Yanaka Ginza is in front of you. In total, it takes about five minutes to walk here.

Yanaka Ginza Address:
3-13-1 Yanaka, Taito-Ku, Tokyo
Hours: 10.00 AM to 6.00 PM
Web: http://www.yanakaginza.com/

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this article about Yanaka Ginza all you need to know, and the next time you visit Tokyo and have some extra time, you should consider visiting this beautiful and nostalgic place. It takes a little time, and it would be totally different.

Overall, it should take two to three hours to travel here, walk around, take photos and continue exploring Tokyo. Yanaka Ginza is genuinely off the beaten path and reminds us of what Tokyo used to look like.