Nihonbashi, Commercial district in Tokyo, Japan
Nihonbashi is a commercial district in Chūō-ku, Tokyo, Japan, where glass office towers stand beside multistory department stores and small specialist shops along narrow streets. Several waterways flow beneath street bridges, forming a network that once carried goods through the city.
The district formed in the 17th century as the central marketplace of Edo and marked the starting point of five main roads. After an earthquake in the early 20th century, the area was rebuilt with reinforced concrete.
The name translates directly to Japan Bridge and refers to the stone crossing that once linked trade routes. Today craftspeople still work in the surrounding lanes, making woodblock prints or selling traditional paper goods.
Several subway lines meet at Nihonbashi station, offering direct connections to Ginza and other central districts. Main streets are wide and well signed, while smaller lanes are best explored on foot.
All road distances in Japan continue to be measured from the bridge, which serves as the zero kilometer marker for the national highway network. A small bronze marking on the roadway shows the exact reference point for these measurements.
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