Wako Department Store, Tokyo

Neon-lit shopping street in Ginza Tokyo with luxury stores

Why you should experience Wako Department Store in Tokyo, Japan.

Wako Department Store is a distinguished luxury department store where Ginza's commercial elegance, Japanese craftsmanship, horological heritage, and architectural refinement have shaped one of Tokyo's most celebrated shopping institutions.

Set along Chuo-dori near Harumi-dori and just steps from Ginza Station, this historic flagship welcomes visitors beneath its celebrated clock tower into elegantly appointed floors showcasing fine jewelry, Swiss watches, Japanese artisan crafts, luxury accessories, premium stationery, gourmet confections, and refined gift collections curated with exceptional attention to quality. Graceful display halls, polished stone finishes, attentive hospitality, and beautifully composed interiors embody the spirit of traditional Japanese service while preserving an atmosphere of understated sophistication. More than a department store, Wako remains one of Ginza's defining cultural symbols, representing generations of craftsmanship, precision, and timeless elegance. The result is a destination defined by heritage retail, architectural distinction, and uncompromising quality.

What you should know about Wako Department Store.

Wako Department Store is best known for occupying the Hattori Clock Tower Building, completed in 1932 as the headquarters of K. Hattori & Co., the company founded by Kintarō Hattori in 1881 that evolved into today's Seiko Group, establishing the building as one of Japan's foremost symbols of horological excellence and luxury retail. Designed by architect Jin Watanabe in a grand Neo-Renaissance style with restrained Art Deco influences, the reinforced concrete structure replaced the original Hattori building destroyed in the 1923 Great Kantō Earthquake and became instantly recognizable through its eight-story clock tower overlooking the Ginza Four Corners intersection. Throughout the twentieth century the building survived the Second World War with minimal damage, served briefly as the headquarters of the occupation forces, and reopened as Wako in 1952, preserving its reputation as Japan's premier destination for luxury watches, jewelry, and refined gifts while the Seiko clock overlooking Ginza became one of Tokyo's best-known civic landmarks. Designated a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan in 2022, the building continues showcasing meticulously restored architectural details alongside carefully curated merchandise that celebrates both internationally renowned luxury houses and master Japanese artisans, reinforcing more than nine decades of commercial and architectural significance.

Elegant limestone façades, bronze detailing, refined display galleries, exceptional customer service, and generations of watchmaking expertise continue expressing the values established by Kintarō Hattori during Japan's rapid modernization. Seasonal exhibitions, exclusive artisan collaborations, museum-quality timepieces, and beautifully presented confectionery further reinforce Wako's longstanding role as an ambassador for Japanese craftsmanship, allowing visitors to experience one of Ginza's most enduring commercial institutions while appreciating a building that has witnessed nearly a century of Tokyo's cultural and economic evolution.

How to fold Wako Department Store into your trip.

Wako Department Store is best experienced as the centerpiece of an exploration through Ginza's celebrated luxury shopping district.

Begin at GINZA SIX, where internationally acclaimed boutiques and contemporary art establish the neighborhood's modern retail identity before continuing to Wako Department Store to experience one of Japan's most historic luxury institutions. Continue to Ginza Sony Park, whose innovative public spaces and cultural programming showcase contemporary Tokyo creativity. Conclude at Kabukiza Theatre, where Japan's most celebrated traditional performing art provides a memorable finale celebrating craftsmanship, heritage, and enduring cultural excellence. The progression moves naturally from contemporary luxury to historic department store before concluding through two defining Ginza cultural destinations, revealing why Wako Department Store remains one of Tokyo's most enduring symbols of elegance.

MAKE IT REAL