First-timers to Ginza will be struck by its crowded pavements, impressive department stores and line-up of glossy luxury labels. But head to the back streets and this area offers a riveting mix of exceptional bars, galle…
First-timers to Ginza will be struck by its impressive department stores and glossy luxury labels. But head to the back streets and this area offers a riveting mix of exceptional bars, galleries and small shops. This was…
Vertical retail fails in most countries (who wants to eat in a basement and traipse up 10 floors?) but in Japan it’s done with success. As other cities densify, what can team Tokyo teach us?
From honey producers to fashion designers, Monocle meets the groups and business owners that have launched innovative projects to help bring communities together. Sometimes it makes good business sense too.
In Tokyo’s Ginza district the jarring rattle of suitcase wheels is the sound of visitors squeezing in some last-minute shopping before a dash to the airport. Last week subway operator Tokyo Metro and delivery company Yamato…
Tokyo is about to lose another landmark: the Sony Building in the Ginza shopping district will be torn down next spring. Designed by Yoshinobu Ashihara and completed in 1966, the eight-storey edifice – with five additional…
Shiseido Parlour in Tokyo’s Ginza district is where you would take someone you wanted to impress. It’s a waitstaff-in-bow-ties kind of restaurant that’s been serving yoshoku, or Japanese-style western cuisine, since 1928…
February is always a bonanza for Japan’s chocolate manufacturers – Valentine’s Day sees Japanese women giving sweet treats to partners, friends and colleagues – but the Chocolate and Cocoa Association of Japan is expecting…
Tensions over the relocation of the world’s most famous fish market came to a head in Tokyo this week. Project Tsukiji, a group that represents wholesalers and workers at Tokyo’s Tsukiji fish market, held a press conference…
Anyone who’s spent time in Japan’s capital knows the city is a paradise for fans of pen and paper, with countless sleek and well-stocked stationery shops dotted around the city. So Tokyo provides the perfect setting for…
Inspired by a creative affinity for the country, a band of Japanese craftsmen have set up shop in Italy. Monocle speaks to a shoemaker, glass artist and tailor about embracing the techniques and traditions of their foreign…
In Tokyo a day off work is a rare treat and whether you spend it walking in the park or working your way through your magazine stash, you’ll need the perfect attire.
Classic Japanese bars, with their soothing lighting, knowledgeable and immaculately turned-out bar staff and loyal clientele, have remained blissfully resistant to change. What are you having?