Matsuya Asakusa History: A Department Store Connected to Tobu Asakusa Station
Matsuya Asakusa is directly connected to Tobu Asakusa Station.
While photographing this modern-looking building, I suddenly found myself wondering: What did it look like in the past?
That curiosity led me to do a bit of research.
Matsuya Asakusa first opened on November 1, 1931.
In November 2021, it celebrated its 90th anniversary.
As today is January 3, 2026, that means it will reach its 100th anniversary in just five years.
I can’t help but wonder what kind of events they will hold to mark such a milestone.
At the time of its opening, the rooftop featured an amusement park and even a small zoo.
From the rooftop, visitors could enjoy panoramic views of the Sumida River and the city of Tokyo.
It is said that more than 300,000 people visited on the very first day.
The amusement park eventually closed in 2010.
Even now, the building maintains a modern appearance that feels surprisingly timeless.
This is the exterior of Matsuya Asakusa at the time of its opening.
The current exterior was renovated to match an early Showa-era retro style in 2012, around the time Tokyo Skytree opened.
Even so, it doesn’t feel drastically different from the original design.
*Current exterior of Matsuya Ginza: Photographed on December 26, 2025
Rather than constantly replacing everything with something new and modern, preserving the charm of the past like this allows history to remain visible in everyday life.
There’s something special about that.
The next time I visit Asakusa, I’ll be sure to take another close look at Matsuya Asakusa and see how it continues to age alongside the city.
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New Year’s Day in Asakusa 2026 #3
