Ginza continues to be a popular shopping destination. GINZA, SHIBUYA GET NEW FACES: Tokyo Shopping Districts Transformed October 17, 2001 Tokyo is a megalopolis with many faces. Two of its most popular districts--Ginza, Japan's most upscale shopping district, and Shibuya, a mecca for youth culture--are undergoing image makeovers. Behind these changes are dropping land prices caused by the collapse of the economic bubble and a transition of generations among the consuming public. Overseas Designer Brands Gain Ground Up through the years of the bubble economy, Ginza was renowned as Japan's most expensive neighborhood. Its main streets were lined with posh department stores and boutiques, art galleries, and high-end clubs and bars. But in the long recession that has followed, its land prices--the highest in Japan and in the world--have continued to fall. Prices halved in the two years between 1993 and 1995, and today they are roughly a third of bubble-era levels. Taking advantage of these more affordable prices, top Western brands, as well as domestic retail and restaurant chains, are making inroads into the district. In post-bubble Ginza, many prestigious establishments were forced to close down as their businesses went under. And in their place, such overseas designer brands as Louis Vuitton and Cartier have been setting up shop one after another. In late June 2001, Hermès unveiled its 11-story Japan headquarters on one of Ginza's busiest streets. It is the company's largest store in Asia and has quickly become a major crowd puller. Meanwhile Gucci, Fendi, and other top overseas labels have been opening boutiques in the area's department stores. In a contrasting trend, discount stores and popular restaurant chains have also been advancing into the once-exclusive neighborhood over the last two to three years. Examples include gyudon (beef bowl) chain Yoshinoya, pharmacy chain Matsumoto Kiyoshi, and several convenience stores and izakaya (pubs serving food) chains. In next-door Yurakucho, the building that had housed a major department store until last year has been reopened as Bic Camera, a leading electric appliances retail chain. This mixture of luxury and popular establishments standing side by side has infused Ginza with new energy. Shibuya has been the biggest hangout for Tokyo's youth. (Jiji) Returning to the City It is not only in terms of businesses that Ginza is changing. For the first time in 20 years, condominiums are being built or have recently been completed in the district. All are conveniently located near the shopping quarters. In one case the rooms were sold out in a single day, suggesting a growth in the number of people wishing to live in this neighborhood. Another condominium that is attracting attention is a 34-story high-rise being built in Shibuya. The building--a joint undertaking by several real estate and other firms--is within 10 minutes' walk from both Shibuya and Omotesando stations. In addition to this central location, a notable feature is that four architectural designers were involved in the planning and have individually designed the suites. Prior to accepting the first round of applications, the agencies received over 10,000 inquiries. Construction will be completed in 2003. Shibuya Shifts Focus to Grown-Ups Shibuya is attempting to shed its image as an adolescents' town. The Parco and Seibu department stores in Shibuya, both part of the Saison Group, were in fact the first to introduce to Japan such overseas brands as Hermès, now lining the Ginza streets, back in the 1980s; their success made Shibuya the center of what came to be called "Saison culture." But Parco's sales have dropped off significantly from its 1985 peak level, and Seibu faces a similar situation.   Your Name What did you think of this article? It was interesting. It was boring. Send this article to a friend After the bursting of the bubble, teenage fashions sported by girls with the bleached or dyed-brown hair known as chapatsu and the deep-tanned look coined ganguro practically took over the town. Stores targeted at higher age groups lost their customers to newer shopping districts. These radical teenage styles are losing their influence, however, and for the first time in a decade, the Parco and Seibu stores in Shibuya have launched renovation projects, to be completed in fiscal 2002. These stores are going all-out to attract working women in their late twenties and thirties, who tend to demand high-quality products and meticulous service and are prepared to pay a bit extra to secure them. Shibuya Seibu has transformed its shoe department into a relaxing, wide-open space where shoe specialists are on hand to advise customers. Shibuya Parco, meanwhile, has renovated its restaurant floors. The chic, distinctive eateries that are due to appear there soon are aimed at enticing young working women with a taste for fine food. The Tokyu Group, the Saison Group's archrival, has also played an important role in Shibuya's development as a fashion district and seems equally determined to change the town's fate. In late May it opened the Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel, which is now the tallest building in Shibuya. The hotel, targeted at "grown-up" men and women, mainly serves men and women from the thirties to fifties. And Shibuya Mark City--a complex comprising a commerce zone offering restaurants and retail stores, office space, and a Tokyu Group hotel--has been attracting large numbers of women in their late twenties and thirties since opening in April 2000. Will Shibuya succeed in transforming itself into a refined town for adults? Copyright (c) 2001 Japan Information Network. Edited by Japan Echo Inc. based on domestic Japanese news sources. 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