Ginza is the most expensive ground in Japan and it knows it, but the walk that matters here is the cheap one — the food hall, the stationery shop, the single-act seat at the theatre, the Sunday afternoon when the avenue is closed to cars and given back to people. Two and a half kilometres, best on a Sunday when the street is yours.
Start at the 4-chome crossing under the Wako clock, the 1932 tower whose chime still marks the hour. Down into Mitsukoshi's depachika — the basement food hall, the best free show in the city, fish laid out like jewellery. Then up Chuo-dori to Itoya, twelve floors of paper and ink that has stood on this avenue since 1904; go floor by floor.
Cut into the back streets, where the small galleries and old kissaten coffee houses live above the shops — the quiet, older Ginza behind the flagships. Then to the Kabuki-za on Harumi-dori, its tiled gables rebuilt in 2013. You don't need a full ticket; buy a single-act seat at the door, or just walk the lobby and the free rooftop garden.
The theatre sits over Higashi-Ginza station, so the walk ends at the metro. On a Sunday, double back first — the hokousha tengoku hands the avenue back to walkers.
