100 Years of Matsuya Ginza
Ginza 3-Chome Centennial Chronicle
Episode 12

Thanks to your continued support, Matsuya Ginza celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2025.
In this special series, we revisit the unique stories and moments that have unfolded in Ginza 3-Chome, as we explore the spirit and identity of Matsuya Ginza.

Smart Aesthetic Sensibility

Matsuya was founded in Yokohama in 1869 (Meiji 2), and for nearly half a century it has remained a department store found only in Tokyo. Its flagship store, Matsuya Ginza, lies at the heart of this legacy and has reached its centennial anniversary thanks to the enduring support of Tokyoites.

Even during the 1980s and 1990s, when there were as many as eight department stores in the Ginza–Yurakucho area, Matsuya was the only one to have its main store based in Ginza. That’s how deep and inseparable our connection to Ginza truly is.

Matsuya Ginza is not a department store that prides itself on size or extravagance. Throughout its century-long history, the one quality it has consistently embodied is what we might call a smart aesthetic sensibility. This, above all, sets it apart from others. It is what defines the unique character of Matsuya Ginza — not simply as a Tokyo department store, but as one rooted in the refined atmosphere of Ginza itself.

Wrapping paper and bags from 1978 onward

The unique essence of “Matsuya Ginza style” is a refined aesthetic that runs consistently through every aspect of store operations — from wrapping paper, architecture, interior design, and product selection to customer service, hospitality, events, and advertising.
Staying true to this style for the customers who choose to shop at Matsuya precisely because they appreciate it — without compromise — lies at the very core of Matsuya Ginza’s branding. It may well be the most essential reason why a department store of this scale continues to be loved over time.
Even during the impactful implementation of the corporate identity (CI) program in 1978 (Showa 53), which involved a complete renewal including the logotype (see Episode 8), and again in 2001 (Heisei 13) with the major transformation into the internationally-minded “White Matsuya,” this refined aesthetic was carefully preserved throughout.

Shopping bags from 2001 onward

In Matsuya’s creative direction, the keywords that have long defined the essence of “Matsuya style” are “simple, chic, and modern.”
This sensibility is carried through not only in our wrapping paper, shopping bags, and in-store signage, but even in the very building itself — a gleaming white box that embodies the ultimate expression of simplicity, chicness, and modernity. Naturally, this also applies to the refined logotype.
In other words, it is the aesthetic of empty space — a sophisticated urban minimalism.
This sensibility inherits the spirit of "iki", the Edo-period ideal of tasteful refinement, and reflects the modern, polished character that Matsuya Ginza has embodied since its founding.
Ginza’s uniqueness lies not only in its elegance or tradition, but also in its distinct aversion to anything gaudy or unsophisticated.
For example, in certain locations, even public mailboxes are painted grey instead of the typical bright red — a subtle detail that reflects Ginza’s smart aesthetic sensibility as a city.

Current exterior

At times, in order to remain true to its identity, Matsuya Ginza may choose to exercise restraint — even at the expense of short-term gain — to uphold its sense of pride and integrity.
If we were to lose sight of what defines “Matsuya style” in the pursuit of immediate sales, it could ultimately diminish the long-term value of the Matsuya brand.
I believe that the customers of Matsuya Ginza possess a truly refined sensibility.
That is precisely why we must never do anything that feels out of place in Ginza — never compromise the sophisticated urban elegance that defines us.
Matsuya Ginza is, and always has been, a store that understands — both historically and intuitively — the importance of these principles.
As it continues to evolve with the times, it will no doubt continue to uphold its smart aesthetic sensibility, remaining a store that Ginza can be proud of.

◎This marks the final installment of this series. Thank you for reading.

Author: Ken Tashiro
Principal of the Tokyo Fashion College of the Matsuya Group. With a career spanning over 40 years dedicated to the Matsuya Group, he has served as deputy editor for the "150-Year History of Matsuya" and held various other key roles.