Lonely Planet Tokyo

by Lonely Planet

  Local Life

  AMarkets There's a small antiques flea market on the fourth Sunday of the month at Nogi-jinja.

  ANetworking Attend PechaKucha (www.pechakucha.org/cities/tokyo) events at SuperDeluxe to discover what the local creatives are up to.

  AEvents The covered arena next to Roppongi Hills' Mohri Garden regularly hosts events and performances, such as those for Roppongi Art Night (www.roppongiartnight.com) and outdoor film screenings during the Tokyo International Film Festival (東京国際映画祭, TIFF www.tiff-jp.net/en) in October.

  Getting There & Away

  ASubway The Hibiya and Ōedo subway lines run through Roppongi. The Ōedo line runs through Azabu-Jūban and near Shiba-kōen. The Yūrakuchō, Hanzōmon, Namboku, Chiyoda, Marunouchi and Ginza subway lines all converge in and around Akasaka.

  ABus The quickest way to get between Roppongi and Shibuya is on buses running along Roppongi-dōri.

  Lonely Planet's Top Tip

  Keep your ticket stub for Mori Art Museum, Suntory Museum of Art or the National Art Center Tokyo, and when you visit one of the other two galleries you'll be entitled to a discount on admission. At any of these venues, pick up the Art Triangle Roppongi walking map, which lists dozens of smaller galleries in the area.

  Best Places to Eat

  A Tofuya-Ukai

  A Honmura-An

  A Sougo

  A Kikunoi

  A Gogyo

  Best Places to Drink

  A Brewdog

  A SuperDeluxe

  A These

  A The Garden

  Best Places to Shop

  A Japan Traditional Crafts Aoyama Square

  A Souvenir From Tokyo

  A Axis Design

  A Tolman Collection

  TOP SIGHT

  Roppongi Hills

  The pedestrian area between Mori Tower and the TV Asahi building | COWARDLION / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

  Roppongi Hills sprawls more than 11 hectares and is home to the city’s leading contemporary art museum, a sky-high observatory, shops galore, dozens of restaurants and even a formal garden. It’s imposing, upmarket and polarising – an architectural marvel, a grand vision realised or a crass shrine to conspicuous consumption? Explore this urban maze and decide for yourself.

  The Mori Art Museum occupies the 52nd and 53rd floors of Mori Tower. There's no permanent exhibition; instead, large-scale, original shows introduce major local and global artists and movements. Past exhibitions have focused on the works of Chinese artist and dissident Ai Weiwei and native son Murakami Takashi.

  Admission to the Mori Art Museum is shared with Tokyo City View (東京シティビュー MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-6406-6652; www.roppongihills.com/tcv/en; 52nd fl, Mori Tower, Roppongi Hills, 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku; adult/child/student ¥1800/600/1200; h10am-11pm Mon-Thu & Sun, to 1am Fri & Sat; bHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 1), the observatory that wraps itself around the 52nd floor, 250m high. The view is particularly spectacular at night. Weather permitting, you can also pop out to the rooftop Sky Deck for alfresco views.

  The open-air plaza near the street entrance is the lucky home of one of Louise Bourgeois’ giant Maman spider sculptures ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; bHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 1). It has an amusing way of messing with the scale of the buildings, especially in photos. There are other sculptural wonders scattered around the complex, too.

  Finally, don't miss Mohri Garden ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; bHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 1), modelled after the gardens popular during the Edo period. When juxtaposed with the gleaming towers, it creates a fascinating study of luxury then and now. Look for the cherry trees in spring.

  Don't Miss

  AMori Art Museum

  ATokyo City View

  AMaman spider sculpture

  AMohri Garden

  Practicalities

  A六本木ヒルズ

  A MAP GOOGLE MAP

  Awww.roppongihills.com/en

  A6-chōme Roppongi, Minato-ku

  Ah11am-11pm

  AbHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 1

  1Sights

  1Roppongi

  Roppongi Hills Top Sight

  MAP GOOGLE MAP

  Complex 665GALLERY

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 6-5-24 Roppongi, Minato-ku; h11am-7pm Tue-Sat; bHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 1)

  Opened in October 2016, this three-storey building tucked on a backstreet is the location of three major commercial art galleries: Taka Ishii (www.takaishiigallery.com), ShugoArts (https://shugoarts.com) and Tomio Koyama Gallery (www.tomiokoyamagallery.com). The free shows gather up an eclectic selection of Japanese contemporary works and are generally worth a look.

  Tokyo MidtownLANDMARK

  (東京ミッドタウン MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.tokyo-midtown.com/en; 9-7 Akasaka, Minato-ku; h11am-11pm; bŌedo line to Roppongi, exit 8)

  This sleek complex, the yin to nearby Roppongi Hills' yang, brims with sophisticated bars, restaurants, shops, art galleries, a hotel and leafy public spaces. Escalators ascend alongside constructed waterfalls of rock and glass, bridges in the air are lined with backlit washi (Japanese handmade paper), and planters full of soaring bamboo draw your eyes through skylights to the lofty heights of the towers above.

  Suntory Museum of ArtMUSEUM

  (サントリー美術館 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3479-8600; www.suntory.com/sma; 4th fl, Tokyo Midtown, 9-7-4 Akasaka, Minato-ku; admission varies, child free; h10am-6pm Sun-Wed, to 8pm Fri & Sat; bŌedo line to Roppongi, exit 8)

  Since its original 1961 opening, the Suntory Museum of Art has subscribed to an underlying philosophy of lifestyle art. Rotating exhibitions focus on the beauty of useful things: Japanese ceramics, lacquerware, glass, dyeing, weaving and such. Its current Tokyo Midtown digs, designed by architect Kuma Kengō, are both understated and breathtaking.

  21_21 Design SightMUSEUM

  (21_21デザインサイト MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3475-2121; www.2121designsight.jp; Tokyo Midtown, 9-7-6 Akasaka, Minato-ku; admission varies; h11am-8pm Wed-Mon; bŌedo line to Roppongi, exit 8)

  An exhibition and discussion space dedicated to all forms of design, the 21_21 Design Sight acts as a beacon for local art enthusiasts, whether they be designers themselves or simply onlookers. The striking concrete and glass building, bursting out of the ground at sharp angles, was designed by Pritzker Prize–winning architect Andō Tadao.

  21_21 Design Sight | ISAAC MOK / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

  Fujifilm SquareMUSEUM

  (フジフイルム スクエア MAP GOOGLE MAP ; http://fujifilmsquare.jp/en; 9-7-3 Akasaka, Tokyo Midtown, Minato-ku; h10am-7pm; dHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 4A)F

  This small gallery on the ground floor of the Tokyo Midtown West Tower is a fascinating look at the history of cameras, from 18th-century camera obscuras to zoetropes to the latest Fujifilm DSLRs. There are two galleries of photography, as well as a computer with a database of vintage Fujifilm TV ads starring Japanese celebs such as electronica group YMO.

  Nogi-jinjaSHINTO SHRINE

  (乃木神社 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3478-3001; www.nogijinja.or.jp; 8-11-27 Akasaka, Minato-ku; h9am-5pm; bChiyoda line to Nogizaka, exit 1)

  This shrine honours General Nogi Maresuke, a famed commander in the Russo-Japanese War. Hours after Emperor Meiji's funerary procession in 1912, Nogi and his faithful wife committed ritual suicide, following their master into death. An antiques flea market is held on the shrine grounds on the fourth Sunday of each month (9am to 4pm).

  General Nogi's Residence (旧乃木邸 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 8-11-32 Akasaka, Minato-ku; h9am-4pm; dChiyoda line to Nogizaka, exit A1) is up the hill from the shrine. This is where Nogi disembowelled himself and his wife slit her throat; it's open to the public only on 12 and 13 September, although you can peek through the windows the rest of the year.

  National Art Center TokyoMUSEUM

  (国立新美術館 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5777-8600; www.nact.jp; 7-22-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku; admission varies by exhibition; h10am-6pm Wed, Thu & Sat-Mon, to 8pm Fri; bChiyoda li
ne to Nogizaka, exit 6)

  Designed by Kurokawa Kishō, this architectural beauty has no permanent collection, but boasts the country’s largest exhibition space for visiting shows, which have included titans such as Renoir and Modigliani. Apart from exhibitions, a visit here is recommended to admire the building's awesome undulating glass facade, its cafes atop giant inverted cones and the great gift shop Souvenir from Tokyo.

  National Art Center Tokyo | TAKASHI YASUI / 500PX ©

  1Akasaka

  State Guest House, Akasaka PalacePALACE

  (迎賓館, 赤坂離宮 GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3478-1111; www8.cao.go.jp/geihinkan/index-e.html; 2-1-1, Moto-Akasaka, Minato-ku; front garden free, palace & main garden adult/student ¥1000/500; h10am-5pm according to opening schedule; dJR lines to Yotsuya)

  Check online for the opening schedule and somewhat complex admission details for this imperial palace and garden. Outside it's a dead ringer for London's Buckingham Palace. Inside, the tour route passes through four grandly decorated rooms – the most impressive being the Kacho-no-Ma (Room of Flowers and Birds), with Japanese ash panels inset with cloisonné panels – plus the entrance hall and main staircase.

  Japan's only neo-baroque European-style palace was designed by Katayama Tōkuma, a pupil of British architect Josiah Conder, and completed in 1909. During its lifetime it's hardly been used by the imperial family and today serves duty as the State Guest House, providing accommodation and a diplomatic meeting space for visiting heads of state and other VIPs.

  If you've not reserved an entry ticket online (which you will need to do around two months in advance), head to the front gate to bag one of the timed entry tickets, which are made available from 8am. It's very popular with locals so you may have to wait anything up to an hour to get in when your time slot comes up.

  Online reservation is essential for the 120 places available on the six daily guided tours (lasting 40 minutes) around Yushin-Tei, the Japanese-style annexe building in a separate part of the grounds. The cost of this tour plus entry to the main palace is ¥1500.

  Hie-jinjaSHINTO SHRINE

  (日枝神社 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3581-2471; www.hiejinja.net; 2-10-5 Nagatachō, Chiyoda-ku; h5am-6pm Apr-Sep, 6am-5pm Oct-Mar; bGinza line to Tameike-sannō, exits 5 & 7)F

  Enshrining the deity of sacred Mt Hiei, northeast of Kyoto, this hilltop shrine has been the protector shrine of Edo Castle, now the Imperial Palace, since it was first built in 1478. Host of one of Tokyo’s three liveliest matsuri (festivals), Sannō-sai, it's an attractive place best approached by the tunnel of red torii (gates) on the hill's western side. There are also escalators up the hill from Tameike-sannō.

  Hie-Jinja | FOTOKON / SHUTTERSTOCK ©

  Atago-jinjaSHINTO SHRINE

  (愛宕神社 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3431-0327; www.atago-jinja.com; 1-5-3 Shiba, Minato-ku; hdawn-dusk; bHibiya line to Kamiyachō, exit 3)

  Climbing the 85 stone steps up to this rustically attractive shrine will give you a workout. They are known as shussei-no-ishiden (stone staircase of success) after a legend that a samurai managed to climb them on horseback to deliver plum blossoms to Tokugawa Ieyasu. The 1603-vintage shrine occupied the highest point in Edo, 26m above sea level.

  Musée TomoMUSEUM

  (智美術館 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5733-5131; www.musee-tomo.or.jp; 4-1-35 Toranomon, Minato-ku; adult/student ¥1000/500; h11am-6pm Tue-Sun; bHibiya line to Kamiyachō, exit 4B)

  One of Tokyo’s most elegant and tasteful museums is named after Kikuchi Tomo, whose collection of contemporary Japanese ceramics wowed them in Washington and London before finally being exhibited at home. Exhibitions change every few months but can be relied on to be atmospheric and beautiful.

  HIDDEN GARDENS OF AKASAKA

  Akasaka's largest garden – attached to the State Guest House, Akasaka Palace – is mostly off-limits to commoners; even on a tour of the palace you will be allowed to see only a tiny portion of the vast area of greenery. Never mind; there are other lovely traditional gardens in the area, but you need to know where to look.

  Nonguests are welcome to visit the beautiful 400-year-old garden at Hotel New Ōtani (ホテルニューオータニ MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.newotani.co.jp; 4-1 Kioi-chō, Chiyoda-ku; h6am-10pm; bGinza line to Akasaka-mitsuke, exit D), one of Tokyo's most enchanting outdoor spaces. Once part of the estate of a Tokugawa regent, this Japanese garden includes vermilion arched bridges, koi (carp) ponds and a mini Niagara waterfall. Ask at the hotel reception whether it's possible to access the rooftop Rose Garden, which is planted with tens of thousands of the flowers.

  Across the road from the New Ōtani are the landscaped grounds wrapping around part of Tokyo Garden Terrace ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.tgt-kioicho.jp.e.yu.hp.transer.com; 1-2 Kioi-chō, Chiyoda-ku; bNamboku line to Nagatachō, exit 9A). Dotted around the complex are large-scale sculptures, including White Deer by Nawa Kōhei and the giant metallic flowers of Ōmaki Shinji.

  Sōgetsu Kaikan (草月会館 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3408-1151; www.sogetsu.or.jp/e; 7-2-21 Akasaka, Minato-ku; h9.30am-5.30pm Mon-Fri; bGinza line to Aoyama-itchōme, exit 4) is one of Japan’s leading schools of avant-garde ikebana (traditional flower arranging). Inside the building's lobby is a giant, climbable piece of installation art – a stone garden by the revered Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi. There's a cafe here too, on the 2nd floor, with a panoramic view of the trees in the Akasaka Palace garden.

  Nearby is the most intriguing garden of all. Bring photo ID, sign in and take the escalator up to the entrance to the Canadian Embassy, which is fronted by the stark and brilliant stone sculpture garden ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.canadainternational.gc.ca/japan-japon/index.aspx?lang=eng; 7-3-38 Akasaka, Minato-ko; hgarden 10am-5.30pm Mon-Fri; bGinza line to Aoyama-itchōme, exit 4). Designed by the Zen priest Shunmyō Masuno, natural and cut stones from the Hiroshima region are used to represent Canada's geology. Over the balcony, Akasaka Palace's garden and the distant skyscrapers provide shakkei, the 'borrowed scenery' that's a key principle of Japanese garden design.

  1Shiba-kōen

  Zōjō-jiBUDDHIST TEMPLE

  (増上寺 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3432-1431; www.zojoji.or.jp/en/index.html; 4-7-35 Shiba-kōen, Minato-ku; hdawn-dusk; bŌedo line to Daimon, exit A3)F

  One of the most important temples of the Jōdō (Pure Land) sect of Buddhism, Zōjō-ji dates from 1393 and was the funerary temple of the Tokugawa regime. It's an impressive sight, particularly the main gate, Sangedatsumon (解脱門 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3432-1431; www.zojoji.or.jp/en/index.html; 4-7-35 Shiba-kōen, Minato-ku; bŌedo line to Daimon, exit A3), constructed in 1605, with its three sections designed to symbolise the three stages one must pass through to achieve nirvana. The Daibonsho (Big Bell; 1673) is a 15-tonne whopper considered one of the great three bells of the Edo period.

  Tokyo TowerTOWER

  (東京タワー MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.tokyotower.co.jp/english; 4-2-8 Shiba-kōen, Minato-ku; adult/child/student main deck ¥900/400/500, incl special deck ¥1600/800/1000; hobservation deck 9am-10pm; bŌedo line to Akabanebashi, Akabanebashi exit)

  Something of a shameless tourist trap, this 1958-vintage tower remains a beloved symbol of the city's post-WWII rebirth. At 333m it's 13m taller than the Eiffel Tower, which was the inspiration for its design. It's also painted bright orange and white in order to comply with international aviation safety regulations.

  The main observation deck is at 145m (there’s another ‘special’ deck at 250m). There are loftier views at the more expensive Tokyo Sky Tree.

  5Eating

  5Roppongi & Akasaka

  oGogyōRAMEN¥

  (五行 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5775-5566; www.ramendining-gogyo.com; 1-4-36 Nish-Azabu, Minato-ku; ramen from ¥1290; h11.30am-4pm & 5pm-3am, to midnight Sun; bHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 2)

  Keep an eye on the open kitchen: no, that's not your dinner going up in flames but the cooking of kogashi (burnt) ramen, which this dark and stylish izakaya (Japanese pub-eatery) specialises in. It's the burnt lard that
gives the broth its dark and intense flavour. There are plenty of other dishes on the menu, and a good range of drinks too.

  GonpachiIZAKAYA¥

  (権八 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-5771-0170; www.gonpachi.jp/nishiazabu; 1-13-11 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku; skewers ¥190-1500, set lunch weekday/weekend from ¥900/2200; h11.30am-3.30am; bHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 2)

  This cavernous old Edo-style space (said to have inspired a memorable set in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill) is a Tokyo dining institution, with other less-memorable branches scattered around the city. Kushiyaki (charcoal-grilled skewers) are served here alongside noodles, tempura and sushi.

  LauderdaleINTERNATIONAL¥

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %03-3405-5533; www.lauderdale.co.jp; 6-15-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku; mains from ¥1400; h7am-midnight Mon-Fri, from 8am Sat & Sun; W; bHibiya line to Roppongi, exit 1)

  Just off chic Keyaki-zaka and sporting a spacious outdoor terrace, this is an on-trend, all-day dining space that works as well for breakfast as it does for dinner. Weekend brunch is very popular here, particularly the egg dishes.