GINZA

commercial zone, Chuo ward, Tokyo, the main shopping area of the city. The name comes from the words gin meaning silver and za meaning guild; in 1612 the Japanese government transferred its silver mint to this area. It is the most glamorous shopping district in Tokyo and one of the best-known in the world. The Ginza extends from the Kyo Bridge near the Imperial Palace grounds southwest to the New Bridge, a distance of less than 1.5 miles (2.4 km); in this space are packed together shops and department stores that attract tourists and shoppers from Japan and around the world. At night the Ginza's bars and restaurants and their myriad lighted signs attract the patrons of numerous nearby hotels and neighbouring theatres.