Ginza Six, the largest commercial facility in the Ginza area, will finally open on April 20th. A preview for the media was held on the 14th, revealing the entire facility. FASHION HEADLINE will be dissecting the facility in detail in a series of seven articles from the perspectives of different genres such as clothing, food, and beauty.
■A stunning flagship store with a fashion and beauty area featuring the world's first Chanel vending machine
■Japan's largest Fendi flagship store opens, offering the world's first made-to-order fashion apparel
■Gourmet Patrol {1} Find souvenirs and new party staples on the second basement floor
■ Gourmet Patrol {3} From satisfying meat dishes to that restaurant that's so hard to get a reservation for, the 6th and 13th floors are packed full
■ Gourmet Patrol {4} Japan's first galette and a century-old cafe revived... 5 cafes where you can take a break
Ginza Six is a large-scale redevelopment project spanning two blocks (Ginza 6-chome, 10-11), including the former site of the Matsuzakaya Ginza store. The complex encompasses approximately 1.4 hectares, with a total floor area of approximately 148,700 square meters and a site area of approximately 9,080 square meters. The building's master plan and exterior design were created by Yoshio Taniguchi, who also worked on the New Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Marugame Genichiro-Inokuma Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Marugame City Library. The facade's eaves and noren curtains, both of which evoke traditional Japanese forms, evoke a sense of traditional Japanese architecture. The building spans 13 floors above ground and six below ground. The third basement floor houses the Kanze Noh Theater, the home of the Kanze School of Noh, the largest school of Noh theater, which was located in Shoto, Shibuya, Tokyo, until March 2015. The facility will host a variety of local events, including plays featuring elements of Noh masks, Noh costumes, Japanese literature like The Tale of Genji, and traditional music. It will also serve as a temporary shelter for those unable to return home in the event of a disaster. The first floor will house a "Tourist Service Center" serving as a basement for visitors from Japan and abroad, offering a variety of services, including tourist information such as maps of Ginza, currency exchange, luggage storage, delivery services, and a convenience store selling souvenirs. A tourist bus stop will also be located on Mihara Street, making it the "gateway to Ginza." Furthermore, the "GINZA SIX Garden," a rooftop garden featuring cherry blossoms, maples, and pines, will be completed on the 13th floor, the building's top floor, at approximately 53 meters. The garden will offer a natural environment amid the city. Commercial facilities will occupy the basement floors 2 through 6 and part of the 13th floor, while floors 7 through 12 and part of the 13th floor will be used for offices. The commercial portion of the facility will house 241 stores. The street-front shops facing Chuo-dori Avenue are lined with brands such as Dior's House of Dior, Celine, Saint Laurent, Valentino, Fendi, and Van Cleef & Arpels, allowing visitors to experience the latest global trends. More than half of the 122 stores are flagship stores. Additionally, 65 new store formats are being introduced, including 81 stores opening in Ginza for the first time and Tsutaya Books, which will be specializing in art bookstores for the first time. Also noteworthy are the works scattered throughout the building, which are collaborations with renowned international artists and creators. The large atrium in the center of the facility, overseen by Mori Art Museum Director Nanjo Fumio, will be transformed into a vast art space. The opening exhibition will be an installation of "Pumpkin" by avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama. Two other 12-meter-high walls in the museum will feature artwork by botanist and artist Patrick Blanc, incorporating endemic plants from Japan. The other wall will feature a video installation by ultra-technologist group teamLab, which will change programmatically 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
