One of the best hideouts in Tokyo is absolutely free…for those who know where to find it.

Japanese department stores are well known for their basements filled with beautiful displays of food, but in many cases there’s an equally inspiring place up on the rooftop too. You’ll find a number of these oases hiding out in department stores, and one of the best belongs to Ginza Mitsukoshi in Tokyo.

Established in 1673, Ginza Mitsukoshi opened this branch in 1930, and ever since, shoppers have been relaxing on the rooftop, which is home to a garden and a special shrine.

If we’re getting technical, this rooftop garden isn’t on the top floor of the building but the ninth floor, and it’s a little hard to access as it can only be reached by elevator or an escalator on the new building side of the complex.

Because it’s tucked away, the rooftop area remains off the beaten path for a lot of tourists, allowing it to remain a quiet oasis of calm in the middle of the city.

▼ The ninth floor has a number of places where you can sit and take a break, both outside and inside.

▼ The counter seating by the window is a great place to work on your laptop while enjoying views of the city.

There’s even a spacious parent-child rest room, diaper changing room, nursing room, and a daycare centre for customers with children.

▼ Plus, plenty of room to move around with strollers.

There are two restaurants on this floor, Minoru Shokudo and Minori Cafe, both of which are run by Zen-noh, the National Federation of Agricultural Cooperative Associations. This agricultural connection ensures high-quality seasonal domestic vegetables and fruits are used in the meals served, and all at very reasonable prices.

As a high-end department store, a lot of other restaurants in the building are relatively pricey, so these two eateries are like hidden gems for those in the know.

▼ Once you have your meal, you can take it out to a table on the rooftop terrace.

▼ We highly recommend the soup set from Minori Cafe, which costs 1,350 yen (US$9.10)

This healthy meal is fresh and tasty, and the wooden table seating and relaxing vibe adds to the deliciousness of the food.

During the warmer months, these trees add pleasant greenery to the scene, creating a landscape that contrasts with the bright red Mitsukoshi logo on the right…

▼ …and the Wako clock tower, a famous symbol of Ginza, on the left.

Adding a greater sense of calmness to the scene is the shrine to the right of the terrace as you look out. Small but impressive, this is a branch of Mimeguri Shrine, located near the Mukojima Kototoi Bridge on the Sumida River. Watching over the space is the “Ginza Shusse Jizo-son”, a Buddhist jizo bodhisattva which was brought up from ground level, making it lucky for those seeking to rise in their careers.

▼ This shrine is dedicated to the god of the Mitsui family, who founded Mitsukoshi.

▼ Making this shrine even more unusual is the fact that it has an attached office, which is staffed between 11 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3 p.m.

The entire area has a calm and relaxing vibe that’ll make you feel like your worlds away from the bustle of the streets below. It’s no wonder this department store is a favourite amongst celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio. If you’re looking for similar respite in Shinjuku, then the Isetan department store has another secret rooftop oasis that’s just waiting to be explored.

Site information
Ginza Terrace (Ginza Mitsukoshi)/ 銀座テラス (銀座三越)
Address: Tokyo-to, Chuo-ku, Ginza 4-6-16, Ginza Mitsukoshi 9F
東京都中央区銀座4-6-16 銀座三越9階
Open 10 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Website

Photos © SoraNews24
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