Hi there! Writing the final post of Ginza. Did you know that Ginza was famous for the willows? The willows have long history in the neighborhood but the number of them is getting few recently. However, I was happy to see these beauties here.

みなさん、こんにちは。また、銀座歩きの続きを。銀座の柳はその数は減ってしまったけれど、今でもその何本かは昔ながらの佇まいを残していました。

Keiko Kishi is a famous actress and writer aged 85, who is a front runner in the movie industry. She acts and lives in France and she wrote about the nostalgia toward the willows of Ginza, in her latest book about her own love story.

岸恵子がその著書「わりなき恋」の中で銀座の柳への郷愁を綴っていました。

And this Okuno Building the first pic suits perfectly with the atmosphere of the willows that is classy. It is about 80 years old and it used to be called  Kyu Ginza Apartment. It was a celeb apartment in Ginza district back then where everything was chic and gorgeous.

そして最初の写真の奥野ビルは銀座の柳が醸し出す風情によく馴染んでいます。以前原宿にあった同潤会アパートと同年代の約80年前の建築物で、かつては旧銀座アパートメントと呼ばれたこの奥野ビルは、銀座界隈でも屈指の高級アパートでした。

I was able to see inside. Got on an elevator that is operated by hands. I felt as if I was in a monochrome movie set.

建物の中も見学出来て、手動エレベーターに乗り込むとまるで自分がモノクローム映画のセットの中にいるかのような錯覚に襲われます。

The rail and the building caretaker’s room also look so traditional.

手すりも管理人室も全てがクラシックで格調高い。

I was so impressed with the residents there that they allow anyone to drop by to take a look inside of this historical apartment. The people who still live there must share a value that this one of a kind architecture is so treasurable that they want to preserve it and cherish it for the next generations. We must pay respect for them.

一般人が自由に立ち寄れるようになっているとは、住民の方々の懐の深さと、この歴史的なアパートメントの価値を世界中の人々と共有して行こうとの矜持が感じられます。このような貴重なビルディングが大切に保存され、次世代へと受け継がれてゆくことを切に願います。

That’s all for Ginza. I wrote about the city in the 4 articles. Ginza is a special place of Japan where they have cutting edge fashion trend and the classical beauty that has long history. Both old and new coexist here by sharing the same spirit of “genuinely valuable”. It would be such an honor if I could have written the depth of the charm of Ginza in these articles.Well, that’s all for today. Blessings to each one one you!

銀座という街とその魅力を四回に分けて書きましたが、新しきの革新性と古きのゆかしさが「ほんとうに良いもの」という共通項を持ちつつ共存している。この街の持つそんな奥行きが、少しでもみなさんの元に届いたのなら、私は嬉しく思います。それでは、今日はここまで。みなさんに多くの祝福がありますように！