photo by freakland

Minoru Mori had a vision of building a city within the city of Tokyo, and after seventeen years with the help of some four hundred of Tokyo’s individual landowners, his vision was realized in 2003.

Roppongi Hills is an eleven-hectare vertical city, and its centerpiece, the fifty-four story Mori Tower, can be seen from all over Tokyo.

Divided into eight distinctly themed areas, Roppongi Hills has something for everyone from everywhere. Yet all of the areas seamlessly meld together, providing a wide variety of experiences in a somewhat restricted space.

The Mori Tower houses the Tokyo offices of many international conglomerates, and the ultra-exclusive Roppongi Hills Club. Its 52nd floor observation area has seating areas, and its Mori Art Museum has nine galleries spreading over two floors.

The Roppongi Hills Mori Garden, with its seventeenth-century design, including a path circling a river-fed pond, is the perfect escape for those seeking quiet space in the heart of the Tokyo megalopolis. The atrium of the TV Asahi Studio is open to the public, and has a small cafe looking out onto the Mori Garden.

Roppongi Hills’ West Walk, Hill Side, and MetroHat/Hollwood Plaza are what draw shoppers from around the globe. The West Walk, in the four-story Mori Tower Galleria, is the location of such upscale establishments as Anne Fontaine, Byblos, and Mandarina Duck.  The West Walk features Japanese restaurants, and Hill Side, international ones.

The boutique-lined Hill Side faces the Mori Garden and is where shops like Michael Negrin and Anna Sui will be found.  And the MetroHat/Hollywood Plaza, as its name suggests, has stores to appeal to the younger trendier shopper.

Finally, with its Keyakizaka Doori, Roppongi Hills has an answer to Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive, and its Virgin Cinema complex boasts the largest screen in Japan. For an extra charge, Premiere Screen reclining seats with tables on which to place popcorn, candy, and soda are available.

Just a three minute walk from Roppongi Hills, the reasonably-priced, clean and friendly B Roppongi Hotel is very popular among both business travelers and tourists.

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