Ginza Bricktown, circa 1885 (1/25th scale model)

Ginza Bricktown, circa 1885
(1/25th scale model)

The Ginza came to life by the mid-1880s. In 1882 a horse-trolley went into service, taking sightseers north to Nihonbashi and later extending to Asakusa. In that same year arc lights lit up the district, giving birth to a nightlife. The Ginza's "exotic" appeal to Japanese unused to this modern look, along with its growing reputation as a cutting-edge nouveau-riche retail area, drew crowds. Leisurely strolling the street--as much to look as to shop--turned into the pasttime known as "Ginbura" (Ginza-wandering), which saw its heyday among youths in the 1920s and 1930s.

Ginza Bricktown, circa 1885 (1/25th scale model)	The Ginza came to life by the mid-1880s. In 1882 a horse-trolley went into service, taking sightseers north to Nihonbashi and later extending to Asakusa. In that same year arc lights lit up the district, giving birth to a nightlife. The Ginza's "exotic" appeal to Japanese unused to this modern look, along with its growing reputation as a cutting-edge nouveau-riche retail area, drew crowds. Leisurely strolling the street--as much to look as to shop--turned into the pasttime known as "Ginbura" (Ginza-wandering), which saw its heyday among youths in the 1920s and 1930s.