Page 76 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide: Japan

74  T OK Y O AREA B Y AREA

8 Marunouchi
District
Marunouchi District
Map 5 B1–2.  Tokyo stn, Marunouchi
line. £ Tokyo stn, many lines. Tokyo
City-i (info center): Open 8am–8pm
daily. ∑ en.tokyocity-i.jp
This district lies to the south and
west of Tokyo Station. During
the Edo era, it earned the name
“Gambler’s Meadow” as its
isolation made it an ideal place
to gamble secretly. In the Meiji
View of Mitsukoshi’s central hall in Nihonbashi period the army used it, selling
it in 1890 to Mitsubishi. The
7 Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, the Bank of Japan, arrival of the railway increased
District built in 1896 and modeled on the desirability of this barren
the Neo-Classical Berlin National wasteland as a business site,
Nihonbashi District
Bank, was the first Western-style and after the 1923 earthquake,
Map 5 C1–2, 6 D1.  Tokyo stn, building designed by a Japan- many other firms moved here.
Marunouchi line; Nihonbashi stn, ese architect, Kingo Tatsuno. Tokyo Station, designed by
Ginza, Tozai & Toei Asakusa lines; On the north bank of Kingo Tatsuno and completed
Mitsukoshi mae stn, Ginza & Hanzomon Nihonbashi River, just before in 1914, is based on the design
lines. £ Tokyo stn, many lines. Tokyo Nihonbashi bridge, is the of Amsterdam station. Its dome
Stock Exchange: Tel (050) 3377-7254. bronze marker from which was damaged in the 1945 air
Open 9am–4:30pm Mon–Fri. Mitsui distances to and from Tokyo raids and subsequently replaced
Memorial Museum: Tel (03) 5777-8600. are still measured. The bridge by the polyhedron there today.
Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sun (open
Mon if it is a national holiday). & here today dates from 1911. The original reliefs adorning the
On the south bank of the river, domes above the north and
Nihonbashi was the mercan tile east of the bridge, is the Tokyo south exits are worth a look,
and entrepreneurial center of Stock Exchange, which lists as is the Tokyo Station Hotel.
Edo and Meiji Tokyo. Its name over 2,000 companies and is Opposite the station’s south
means “Japan’s bridge” after the one of the world’s top five. gate is the shopping mall KITTE.
bridge over the Nihonbashi During the “bubble” economy A short walk west of the
River that marked the start of of 1980s, it was possible to station up Miyuki-dori and over
the five major highways watch the frenetic the moat via the Wadakura
of the Edo period. After hand signals of the bridge leads to the Wadakura
the destruction of the traders. In 1999 trading Fountain Park, which contains
1923 earthquake, was completely some interesting water features.
shops, businesses, computerized, but Returning over the Wadakura
and banks started this is still a great bridge, cross Hibiya-dori and
relocating to place to see how turn right. After about 500 m
Marunouchi and Ginza; important commerce (550 yds) is the Meiji Seimei kan
even the fish market remains in Tokyo. Building (1934), with its huge
moved to Tsukiji. The visitors’ observa- Corinthian columns. Hiroshige,
Although the area tion deck overlooks the wood block print artist, was
never regained its the trading floor born on this site in 1797. Beyond,
original importance, A robot trader exhibit, and has some the Imperial Theater shows
it is still a thriving Tokyo Stock Exchange interesting exhibits Broadway musicals and popular
commercial center, comparing stock Japan ese dramas.
with dozens of bank markets world wide, with English
headquarters as well as huge and French explanations.
department stores and smaller On the north side of the
traditional shops. Mitsukoshi river near the Mitsukoshi
has its main store here, on store is the Mitsui Memorial
Mitsukoshimae. It started as a Museum, which has an excel-
kimono shop in 1673. Head for lent collec tion of Japanese
the basement food market with ceramics and teaware. Next to
its free samples, and the sixth- Nihonbashi station is Coredo
floor bargain counters where Nihonbashi, an upmarket
you can jostle with Tokyo’s shopping mall with a focus
thrifty elite. To the west of on women’s fashion. Tokyo Station’s Western-style facade
For hotels and restaurants see p302 and pp324–6

074-075_EW_Japan.indd 74 08/08/16 3:06 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.6)
Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm