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Shop Hound on the Ginza
Text by Alvin Grauer. Illustration by Takamori Yakko.
“The best known street in Japan is The Ginza, in downtown Tokyo, sort of London's own Oxford Street, Chicago's State Street and New York's Fifth Avenue, combined. The 20th Air Force gave it quite a pasting on May 25, 1945, but recovery has been mighty brave.
In Japanese “Gin" (hard "g") is the word for silver, and originally a silver mint was located at one end of this street. That's how the Ginza got its name. The Ginza will be great again. Already all kinds of stores and stalls crowd its way. The Ginza runs north and south. Highlight is the giant new Tokyo PX operated by Eighth Army. It boasts numerous, comfortable lounges, a big street-floor souvenir store, an Army Exchange on another floor, barber shop, beauty parlor, women's fashion shops, restaurant, men's store, watch repair shop, tailor, optical shop, photographic service, cosmetic bar and God knows what else―even a glistening little florist's shop,―and a fine show of modern Japanese Art! In most of these places, bright little Japanese salesgirls are on hand.
Going north on the Ginza you pass a welter of sidewalk stalls selling everything from shoe laces to electric grills at slightly outrageous inflation prices. On a clear afternoon you
can scarcely push your way through the vivid, talkative, shuffling crowds. Souvenir stores (such as elegant Takahashi's) offer everything from inexpensive fans to hand-painted gold screens
worth a King's ransom. Department stores are scarce in quality goods but are crowded anyway, and usually have worthwhile art exhibits, high-priced souvenir objects on the upper floor, tons of cheap household articles and show cases full of Japanese cosmetics, influence of our magazines and movies.
The Ginza sells amazing services. For example, at the Mitsukoshi Store (Japan's largest) a Japanese can buy a bride (if he registers; and her parents like him) and in the Takashima-ya Department Store he can buy the whole wedding ceremony complete with sake, and come out a married man. That's service! However, it's strictly, C.O.D.--and no returns.” ......................... From: Grauer, Alvin. So I Went to Japan. Tokyo: Nippon Times, 1947.
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