The famous bridge sits under an expressway. The traditional shops have no English signs. Here's how Nihonbashi actually works—and why the rewards are worth finding.
January 2, 2026
9 mins read
The famous bridge sits under an expressway. The traditional shops have no English signs. Here's how Nihonbashi actually works—and why the rewards are worth finding.
The Wrong Way to Visit Nihonbashi
Most Tokyo neighborhood guides tell you to "stroll through" Nihonbashi's historic streets. Walk around, photograph the famous bridge, peek into traditional shops. This advice produces a predictable outcome: you'll feel like you're missing something.
Because you are.
What tourist-mode walking produces
Nihonbashi was built for merchants and office workers, not tourists. The neighborhood evolved around trade, banking, and department stores—activities that happen indoors. Unlike Asakusa, where temples announce themselves from the street, or Shibuya, where the streetscape is the attraction, Nihonbashi keeps its treasures behind doors.
A Japanese professor put the Nihonbashi Bridge on an "Ugly Japan" list. He wasn't wrong about what you see from street level—a 1960s expressway blocks the sky directly above the bridge. Travelers describe disappointment: "blighted by a gigantic elevated freeway which keeps it in a perpetual shadow."
Where the rewards actually hide
The traditional craft shops that guidebooks mention? They're inside modern buildings with minimal English signage. The centuries-old businesses? Their founders' descendants still operate them, but you'd walk past their doorways without knowing. The department store that looks like "just shopping"? It contains a rooftop shrine, fossils embedded in marble walls, and a basement food hall worth a dedicated visit.
Nihonbashi rewards those who enter. The approach that works: pick a building, go inside, look up, look down, find the elevator to the roof.
What the Bridge Actually Offers
The view you'll actually get
The current Nihonbashi Bridge dates to 1911, built in stone to replace wooden predecessors destroyed by fire. It's an Important Cultural Property. But since 1964, a Metropolitan Expressway runs directly overhead, casting the bridge in permanent shadow.
Know this before you arrive: the expressway is there, it photographs poorly, and pretending otherwise wastes your time.
What to look for anyway
The bridge itself rewards closer attention:
Bronze Kirin statues at each corner—mythical creatures with dragon bodies chosen to symbolize Tokyo taking flight
Shishi lion-dog guardians at the center, modeled on Western bridge traditions
The Kilometer Zero marker—all distances in Japan are still measured from this point, a holdover from the Edo-era road system
Firebombing scars from 1945 embedded in the stone, visible if you look
The Nihonbashi Boarding Dock sits directly beneath the bridge. River cruises depart from here, offering a different perspective—literally under the expressway, looking at historic bridges downstream rather than up at concrete.
Why 2040 might matter to your planning
A ¥320 billion project will relocate the expressway underground. The tunnel opens in fiscal 2035; the elevated structure comes down by fiscal 2040. After 77 years, the original view will be partially restored.
If you're planning a return trip in the 2040s, Nihonbashi will look fundamentally different. Until then, understand what you're visiting.
Three Districts, Three Experiences
Nihonbashi isn't one neighborhood—it's several, each with distinct character. The 10-minute walk between them crosses into different worlds.
Muromachi: Where traditional shops moved inside modern buildings
The area around COREDO Muromachi and Mitsukoshi department store represents Nihonbashi's polished commercial heart. Traditional craft shops—knife makers, gold leaf artisans, centuries-old food purveyors—relocated into modern complexes when postwar development transformed the streetscape. They're inside COREDO and Mitsukoshi now, not visible from the street.
The Nihonbashi Information Center in COREDO's basement offers multilingual support. Start here if you want context before exploring.
Kabutocho: Where Tokyo's Wall Street became a creative district
The Tokyo Stock Exchange still operates in Kabutocho, but the neighborhood's character shifted dramatically after 2017. Heiwa Real Estate, the Stock Exchange's owner, launched a revitalization project that transformed former financial buildings into lifestyle destinations.
The landmark is Hotel K5, a 1923 bank building converted into a boutique hotel with:
B bar (Brooklyn Brewery's Tokyo flagship)
Switch Coffee (third-wave single-origin drip)
Caveman restaurant (fermentation and smoking focus)
Nearby, the BANK complex occupies another former bank: Bakery Bank on the ground floor (croissants from pastry chef Keisuke Oyama), Bistro Yen for natural wines, Coffeeshop & Bar Coin in the basement.
Other Kabutocho draws: Omnipollos Tokyo (Swedish craft brewery in a 70-year-old former unagi restaurant—try the Mango Smoothie Sour or a frozen beer slushie topped with soft serve), Patisserie Ease (watch sweets being made), and Teal ice cream in the Nisshokan—the former residence of Eiichi Shibusawa, the "father of Japanese capitalism" now on the ¥10,000 bill.
This district suits evening visits. The cafes and bars create a different atmosphere than daytime Muromachi shopping.
Ningyocho: Where the old Edo atmosphere survived
East of Muromachi, Ningyocho ("Doll Town") preserves the shitamachi atmosphere that the rest of Nihonbashi lost to development. The area survived both the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake and World War II firebombing—old Tokyo, not reconstruction.
The main draw is Amazake Yokocho, a 400-meter shopping street named for sweet sake shops that once lined it. Today it holds:
Shigemori Eishindo (founded 1917)—Ningyo-yaki cakes shaped like the Seven Lucky Gods, extra-thin puffy skin, ¥130 each. Average 3,000 sold daily; watch them made through the shop window.
Itakuraya (founded 1907)—The first shop to make Seven Lucky Gods ningyo-yaki. Full-figure shapes. Opens at 9:00, closes when sold out.
Futaba (1907)—Fresh amazake made daily, hot or iced. Started as a tofu shop; became the amazake destination after the original shop closed.
Gyokueidou (1576)—Tiger-pattern dorayaki called "torayaki."
Only three ningyo-yaki shops remain in Ningyocho, where the snack originated before spreading to Asakusa.
For traditional dining, Tamahide (1760) is Japan's oldest restaurant, specializing in shamo chicken. The founder was a falconer supplying the Tokugawa shoguns.
What's Actually Inside (This Is Why You Came)
Mitsukoshi: A department store that's actually an attraction
Nihonbashi Mitsukoshi, Japan's oldest department store, operates in a National Important Cultural Property. The building is worth visiting even if you buy nothing.
Rooftop (above 7th floor, via stairs):
Nihonbashi Garden with pond, seasonal plants, tables and chairs open to public
Mimeguri Shrine—a branch of the Mukojima original, enshrining Katsudo Daikokuten (god of business prosperity). This was the Mitsui family's guardian deity during the Edo period.
Golden Tower (1921)—Art Deco structure originally used for weather forecast flags
Bonsai shop
Ground floor and central hall:
Marble atrium spanning floors 1-5
"Statue of Magokoro"—an 11-meter wooden sculpture that took a decade to complete
Lion statues at the entrance (installed 1914, inspired by Trafalgar Square)
Fossil treasure hunt: Ammonite fossils embedded in the marble walls. Look closely at the stone—prehistoric creatures are visible throughout the building.
Basement food hall (depachika):
Kayuan section with curated sweets from high-end brands nationwide
In-house baumkuchen baked fresh
Hakone Akatsuki-an soba shop—watch hand-made soba production at certain times
Regional sake vendors rotating weekly with tastings
Wa no Cha tea café by Itoen
COREDO Muromachi: Traditional shops, modern building
Four COREDO buildings cluster around Mitsukoshimae Station. COREDO means "CORE" + "EDO"—the nucleus of old Tokyo commerce.
COREDO Muromachi 1 houses traditional shops relocated from the surrounding streets:
Kiya knives (220+ years, featured in an 1805 picture scroll)
Hakuza gold leaf flagship (Golden Sky tower, gold leaf workshops, cosmetics, sweets)
Ninben dried bonito—"Dashi Bar" where you sample broths; demonstrates traditional hand-shaving
Okui Kaiseido kelp and seaweed from Fukui
Funabashiya Edo-era kuzumochi
COREDO Muromachi 2: Nine-screen cinema (first in Nihonbashi), food hall
COREDO Muromachi 3: Lifestyle goods, housewares
COREDO Muromachi Terrace: Eslite Spectrum (Taiwanese bookstore concept with curated Japanese items)
Hours: Shops 11:00-20:00 weekdays (10:00 weekends); restaurants until 23:00.
The 400-year-old shops you'll walk past without knowing
Several traditional craft shops operate in Nihonbashi with minimal street presence:
Ibasen (founded 1590)—Folding fans and uchiwas. Originally an ukiyo-e publisher.
Ozu Washi (founded 1653)—Handmade washi paper. Three floors: shop, gallery with rotating exhibitions, history museum with English audio guide. Touch different paper types. Workshops run 1 hour (¥4,000 basic papermaking, ¥5,500 with gold leaf); you make paper and take it home the same day. Reservation recommended; staff speak some English but workshops are in Japanese.
Kuroeya (founded 1689)—Lacquerware
These shops have operated continuously for 200-400 years, many still run by founders' descendants. They don't advertise to tourists. Finding them requires knowing they exist.
Basements and rooftops: Where the best rewards are
The pattern repeats across Nihonbashi: the interesting content is vertical, not horizontal.
Below ground: Every major building has basement levels. Department store depachika (food halls) operate as destinations in themselves. The COREDO basement connects directly to Mitsukoshimae Station.
Above ground: Rooftops that look like maintenance areas sometimes contain gardens, shrines, or public spaces. Mitsukoshi's roof is the most developed, but check elevator listings in other buildings—"RF" or "rooftop" may lead somewhere worth seeing.
Experiences Worth Booking
Bank of Japan tour (English, free, requires planning)
The Bank of Japan headquarters occupies a building designed by Kingo Tatsuno—the same architect who created Tokyo Station. Completed in 1896, it's Japan's first Western-style brick masonry building and an Important Cultural Property. The structure survived the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake.
English-language guided tours run on Wednesdays of the third week of each month, 13:45-14:45. The tour is free and lasts 60 minutes: a 10-minute introductory video followed by a 50-minute walking tour.
What you'll see:
The underground vault (used until 2004)
Former banking floor
Exhibition rooms on the bank's history
Booking requirements:
Reserve via the online system at bojtour.rsvsys.jp
Booking window: 90 days to 5 days before tour date
Submit full names (as on passports) of all participants one month prior
Bring ID to reception
Minimum age: 11 years
Maximum 20 people per tour
Groups of 5+ can arrange English tours at other times by emailing post.prd12@boj.or.jp.
If you can't secure an in-person spot, the "BOJ from Home" virtual tour provides a 3D walkthrough of the building.
The Currency Museum across the street is free and open Monday-Saturday 9:30-16:30.
River cruises from Nihonbashi Pier
The Nihonbashi Boarding Dock, built in 2011 for the bridge's 100th anniversary, handles 50,000-60,000 passengers annually. Cruises depart directly beneath Nihonbashi Bridge.
Riverboat Mizuha (modern Japanese-style boat, English guide included):
Shared tours: ¥5,000 adults, ¥2,500 children
Charter: ¥69,000/60 minutes, ¥97,500/90 minutes (up to 12 people, BYOB welcome)
Booking: funaasobi-mizuha.jp/english/ or @riverboatmizuha on social media
Small wooden cabin with cushion seating on front deck, blankets provided, restroom onboard
Zeal Co., Ltd. (44-seater boat):
Kanda River Cruise: 90 minutes, ¥2,500 weekdays / ¥2,800 weekends
Route: Nihonbashi River → Ochanomizu Valley → under Hijiri Bridge and Mansei Bridge → Sumida River (Ryogoku, Kiyosu, Eitai bridges)
What you'll see from the water:
Edo Castle stone walls at the outer moat
Historic bridges designated Important Cultural Properties (Eitaibashi, Kiyosubashi)
Tokyo Skytree from river level
The underside of the expressway that blocks the bridge view from above
Cherry blossom season cruises (late March-early April) sell out quickly. Book 1-2 weeks ahead minimum during peak seasons.
Sunset cruises capture the best of both views—you watch the city transform from daylight to illuminated skyline on the return. Weekday evening departures are less crowded than weekends.
How Much Time Nihonbashi Deserves
The quick pass (1-2 hours)
If you're passing through near Tokyo Station or combining with Ginza:
Walk to Nihonbashi Bridge (10 minutes from Tokyo Station Yaesu exit)
Look for the bronze Kirin and lion statues, the Kilometer Zero marker
Enter Mitsukoshi's basement food hall
Buy something to eat, take it to the rooftop garden if time permits
Return via COREDO Muromachi basement (connected to Mitsukoshimae Station)
This works as a lunch stop or transition between other destinations. You won't experience Nihonbashi's depth, but you'll see enough to decide if a longer visit makes sense.
A proper visit (half day)
Pick one district and go inside multiple buildings:
Muromachi focus (shopping and food):
Start at Nihonbashi Information Center in COREDO basement for orientation
Explore COREDO Muromachi 1 traditional shops (Kiya, Hakuza, Ninben)
Lunch at a COREDO restaurant or Mitsukoshi basement bento
Mitsukoshi central hall, rooftop shrine and garden
Optional: Ozu Washi paper workshop (1 hour, ~¥4,000)
Ningyocho focus (traditional atmosphere):
Start at Ningyocho Station
Walk Amazake Yokocho street
Try ningyo-yaki at Shigemori Eishindo or Itakuraya
Fresh amazake at Futaba
Explore side streets and traditional sweets shops
Optional: Suitengu Shrine (safe childbirth deity)
Kabutocho focus (evening/creative district):
Afternoon coffee at Switch Coffee (K5) or Coffeeshop Coin (BANK complex)
Browse Eslite Spectrum bookstore in COREDO Terrace
Evening drinks at B bar (Brooklyn Brewery) or Omnipollos Tokyo
Dinner at Caveman or Bistro Yen
The full exploration (full day)
Combine districts with a scheduled experience:
Morning: Bank of Japan tour (if Wednesday of 3rd week, 13:45 start) or morning in Ningyocho
Midday: Muromachi shopping and Mitsukoshi exploration
Afternoon: Ozu Washi workshop or river cruise from Nihonbashi Pier
Evening: Kabutocho drinks and dinner
A full day lets you experience Nihonbashi's range—from Edo-era traditional crafts to the transformed financial district. Book the Bank of Japan tour or river cruise in advance; the rest adjusts around your schedule.
"Seeing everything" isn't possible or the point. Nihonbashi rewards depth over breadth.
When a Guide Changes the Experience
What guidance adds
Nihonbashi is walkable without help. The COREDO complex has an information center with multilingual staff. Department stores are intuitive to navigate. Subway stations connect directly to buildings. The logistics are simple.
But the traditional craft shops have minimal English and no explanation of what you're looking at. A 400-year-old fan shop looks like any other store until someone explains that it was originally an ukiyo-e publisher, that the techniques haven't changed, that the same family still runs it. The historical layering—Edo merchant culture, Meiji modernization, postwar reconstruction, current revitalization—is invisible without narrative. Understanding traditional craft and culture requires context that signs don't provide.
A guide provides:
Context that transforms browsing into understanding
Knowledge of which unmarked doors to enter
Historical narrative connecting what you see to what used to be there
Answers to questions you wouldn't know to ask
For traditional craft engagement specifically, guides can explain what makes a knife or piece of washi paper special, why prices range from ¥500 to ¥50,000, and whether what you're looking at is worth buying.
When self-exploration works fine
Solo exploration works well for:
Shopping in COREDO and Mitsukoshi (signage exists, staff help with purchases)
Food halls and depachika (point and choose)
Kabutocho cafes and bars (designed for international visitors)
Walking and photography
If your goal is eating, drinking, and buying things, guidance isn't necessary. The products speak for themselves.
If your goal is understanding what you're looking at—the history, the craft, the cultural continuity—a guide transforms browsing into education.
Getting There and Getting Around
From Tokyo Station
Nihonbashi sits 10 minutes on foot from Tokyo Station. Exit from Yaesu North or Nihonbashi Exit and walk east along Eitai-dori or through underground passages.
The free Metrolink Nihonbashi shuttle bus runs from Tokyo Station Yaesu Exit directly to the COREDO/Mitsukoshi area. Buses arrive every 10-15 minutes, 10:00-20:00 daily (closed January 1). Look for bright yellow "yamabuki-iro" buses. No fare required.
Subway stations
Multiple subway lines serve different parts of Nihonbashi:
Mitsukoshimae Station (Ginza and Hanzomon lines)—Exits A4/A6/A8 connect directly to COREDO Muromachi. Best for Muromachi district.
Nihonbashi Station (Ginza, Tozai, and Asakusa lines)—Central location near the bridge itself.
Ningyocho Station (Hibiya and Asakusa lines)—Best for Ningyocho district and Amazake Yokocho.
Kayabacho Station (Hibiya and Tozai lines)—Closest to Kabutocho district.
JR lines don't serve central Nihonbashi directly. Shin-Nihonbashi Station (Sobu Rapid Line) connects to COREDO but requires walking from other JR lines.
The free shuttle
Two free shuttle routes serve the area:
Metrolink Nihonbashi:
Route: Tokyo Station Yaesu Exit → Gofukubashi → Nihonbashi Station → Mitsukoshimae Station → Mitsui Memorial Museum → JR Shin-Nihonbashi → Nihonbashi Muromachi → loop back
Hours: 10:00-20:00 daily
Frequency: Every 10-15 minutes
Smartphone app shows real-time bus locations
Bus location display at COREDO Muromachi B1F
Metrolink E-Line:
Extends to Ningyocho area (Ningyocho 1-chome stop)
Hours: 8:00-18:00 weekdays, 10:00-20:00 holidays
Frequency: Every 22 minutes
The paid Edo Bus (Chuo City community bus) costs ¥100 per ride (¥300 day pass) and covers Yaesu, Nihonbashi, Ningyocho, Hamacho, and Hatchobori.
Underground passages connect many Nihonbashi buildings—useful in rain or summer heat. The COREDO complex, Mitsukoshi, and surrounding office buildings link below ground to Mitsukoshimae Station.
This guide is published by Hinomaru One, a Tokyo-based private tour operator.
