Roppongi: From The National Art Center, Tokyo and Tokyo Midtown to the Night Views of Roppongi Hills

After viewing exhibitions at The National Art Center, Tokyo, directly connected to Nogizaka Station, walk east to Tokyo Midtown. Encounter design at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT set within Tokyo Midtown's green space, and finish with views of Tokyo from dusk to night at Tokyo City View on the 52nd floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower.

History and Area Appeal

Roppongi has an identity as a town of art. The National Art Center, Tokyo, the Suntory Museum of Art in Tokyo Midtown, and the Mori Art Museum in Roppongi Hills form the "Roppongi Art Triangle."

The first three locations on this course all began in 2007. The National Art Center, Tokyo opened on January 21, Tokyo Midtown opened on March 30, and 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT began operations within Tokyo Midtown in that same March. A bit earlier, in April 2003, Mori Tower of Roppongi Hills was completed. Conceived under the concept of a "Cultural Heart of the City," Roppongi Hills established cultural bases such as an art museum and galleries on the top levels of Mori Tower.

Beneath these modern buildings lies a deep history. During the Edo period, the site of Tokyo Midtown was the suburban residence (shimoyashiki) of the Mori clan of the Hagi Domain. In the Meiji era, it became an army garrison, and after World War II, it served as housing for US military officers and then as the Defense Agency's Hinokicho office, remaining closed to the general public for over 400 years. The annex of The National Art Center, Tokyo was also part of the former 3rd Infantry Regiment barracks associated with the February 26 Incident, constructed in 1928 (Showa 3).

Major Highlights

• ​The National Art Center, Tokyo​​: The fifth facility belonging to the Independent Administrative Institution National Museum of Art, and the only national museum among them without a permanent collection. It holds diverse exhibitions across a total exhibition space of 14,000 square meters. Designed by a joint venture of Kurokawa Kisho and Nihon Sekkei, its wave-like glass curtain wall and two massive inverted cones rising in the 21.6-meter-high lobby are striking features.
• ​Tokyo Midtown​​: A complex city bringing together a hotel, an art museum, approximately 130 shops, offices, residences, and a park. Green open spaces account for about 40% of the complex. In Midtown Garden, camphor and cherry trees that had taken root since the era of the Defense Agency have been transplanted. The large pond in Hinokicho Park adjacent to the garden evokes the "Shimizu-en," a feudal lord's garden from the Edo period.
• ​21_21 DESIGN SIGHT​​: A design facility located in Midtown Garden within Tokyo Midtown, primarily holding exhibitions themed on "everyday life." Designed by Ando Tadao, it features a roof that resembles a single folded sheet of steel, inspired by Miyake Issey's clothing design concept of "A Piece of Cloth." About 80% of the floor area is underground, accompanied by a sunken court that lets in natural light.
• ​Tokyo City View​​: An indoor observation deck located on the 52nd floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, 250 meters above sea level. From this 360-degree floor with an 11-meter ceiling height, full glass paneling, and a perimeter of about 300 meters, you can look out over landmarks such as Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Skytree. "Diamond Fuji," when the setting sun overlaps the peak of Mount Fuji, can be viewed from here each year in February and November.

Recommended Route and Duration

The estimated time required is about 5 hours. Exit 6 of Nogizaka Station on the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line connects directly to The National Art Center, Tokyo. First, look up at the undulating glass and inverted cones in the first-floor lobby before heading to the exhibitions. The tops of the inverted cones house a restaurant and a café.

Walking about 430 meters east from The National Art Center, Tokyo brings you to Tokyo Midtown. After exploring the interior of the building, head outside to the garden. 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT inside the garden is located about 200 meters north-northwest of Tokyo Midtown. Start by viewing from the outside how its roof slopes down toward the ground against the backdrop of towering Himalayan cedars. You can also walk straight through the garden to the pond in Hinokicho Park.

Roppongi Hills is about 780 meters south of 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT. The entrance to the observation deck is the glass-walled "Museum Cone"; from here, pass the ticket counter on the 3rd floor of Mori Tower and take the direct elevator up to the 52nd floor. At dusk, city lights begin to sparkle, and Tokyo Tower lights up to coincide with the sunset. Planning your visit to arrive in the late afternoon allows you to watch the city transition from day into night. One level up, on the 53rd floor, is the Mori Art Museum, accessible by escalator from the 52nd floor. For the return trip, Roppongi Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line is convenient as it connects directly via the concourse.

Experience Summary

Museums and an urban complex born in 2007, alongside the Mori Tower built just prior. Beneath these new structures rests the history of land that transitioned from a daimyo estate into an army garrison. Spend the day taking in works of art and design, and when night falls, ascend to the observation deck 250 meters above sea level. Conclude your day with the jewel-like night view of Tokyo.