“Ginza” originally was where silver coins used to be minted and issued from in the Edo period(1603 to 1867). At the beginning of the 17th century, two mints were built, one each in Kyoto and Osaka. The Osaka Mint did not actually mint coins, but played an intermediary role in rerouting silver from silver mines to Kyoto. All mints of this kind were abolished in 1868.