Nozomi House

Contemporary Conveniences in Tokyo's Nihonbashi Area

Located in the heart of Nihonbashi, this three-story contemporary home, its façade marked by dozens of windows, is family-friendly and packed with conveniences, making it ideal for longer stays in a vibrant section of Tokyo. We love its pristine, wood-on-white design, wood floors, and double-height living room opening. The three bedrooms are light filled and comfortable, with work stations, built-ins and contrasting black furnishings found in the bathrooms, kitchen, fixtures, and floating-styled staircase.

Around

Located in the heart of Nihonbashi, this modern home is walking distance to Tokyo Station and just north of the popular Ginza shopping district. A thriving commercial quarter whose name means, literally, “Japan Bridge,” the area is marked by its 17th-century canal crossing and is abuzz with shopping complexes, high-end boutiques and traditional shops selling handcrafted wares. A traditional merchant town since Japan’s Edo period (between 1603 and 1867), the neighborhood has been a generational location for traditional handicraft production, including makers of lacquerware, gold leaf, cutlery, and wagashi sweets. The area is made up of five major districts, a blend of both historical and modern architecture, with skyscrapers sharing space with historic alleyways such as the Chuo-Dori Street, where buildings must not exceed 31 meters in height. The neighborhood’s famed bridge was originally constructed of wood in 1603. Today a dual arch design in stone stands alongside the bridge’s boat landing as the area’s landmark.

The neighborhood’s Ningyocho area is home to Amazake Yokocho, a street lined with shops offering traditional Japanese confections and crafts. Many shops feature ningyoyaki cakes, taiyaki cakes and rice crackers, and you can watch the makers at work as you enjoy their treats. The area is home to several museums—a Kite Museum, Currency Museum, and the Mitsui Memorial Museum, as well as several shrines and temples, including the Suitengu Shrine and the neighboring seven shrines of the Seven Deities of Good Fortune. A walk between the shrines takes about an hour and half, but it ensures a year of good fortune! The Yagenbori Fudo Temple, a Buddhist temple dating from the Edo period, is also known for warding off misfortune, and the historic Fukutoku Shrine has been in the neighborhood since the mid-ninth century.

Location

Nihonbashi, Tokyo, Japan. Nearest airports: Haneda (40 minutes), Narita (1.5 hours)

Best time to visit

March to November