Nihonbashi was a major mercantile center during the Edo period, for it functioned as a key crossover point of land transportation and water transportation. Finally it became the center of both economy and culture. Nihonbashi then was known as the most crowded business district in the Edo city. Many Ukiyoe painters pictured Nihonbashi landscape. Nowasdays, Nihonbashi is still one of important and active business district in Tokyo.

Nippon Ginko (Central Bank of Japan) Headquarters Building was erected in 1896 In Nihonbashi. Around the same time, several department stores started business there. Mitsukoshi Department Store, a descendant of Echigoya Store, Built a western-style new store building. Since then, many western-style buildings were constructed.  Many famous big businesses, such as Mitsui Fudosan, Mitsui GroupCompanies and Nomura Securites are currently headquartered in Nihonbashi.

Mitsukoshi recently opened an annex building and expanded floor space Substantially. Coredo Nihonbashi, a complex of business and stores, opened in 2004. Coredo stands for “Core” and “Edo”. Some other new buildings are now under Construction. Nihonbashi, a business and shopping district, will surely keep on evolving in future, where the tradition and the contemporary successfully coexist.