Talk:Tokyo/Wikibooks/Roppongi

Available Railways

Subway:

• Tokyo Metoro Hibiya Line
• Toei Oedo Line

Bus:

• Toei bus
• Minato Ward community bus

Outline

Roppongi is located in the Minato Ward, Tokyo in Japan. It is in the southern portion of the circle described by the Yamanote Line, south of Akasaka and north of Azabu. It was totally included in the Azabu Ward in the Meiji period, but it became independent.
Recently it exudes an image of downtown area, but it shows us many aspects with business street, shopping street, luxury apartment and embassy. Therefore, the people coming to Roppongi are diverse, such as businessmen and foreign people.

History

After World War II, during which the area was again destroyed, this time by aerial bombing raids, the United States Army and Allied government officials occupied several facilities in the area, beginning Roppongi's reputation as a neighborhood with large numbers of non-Japanese. Several large US military installations were located in the nearby area, with Hardy Barracks probably the most significant.
Starting in the late 1960s, Roppongi became popular among Japanese people and foreigners alike for its disco scene, which attracted many of Tokyo's entertainment elites. Contributing to the international scene was the location of several foreign embassies and foreign corporate offices in the Roppongi area. However, many dance clubs shut down in the recession following the market crash of 1989.
The Roppongi area received a major economic boost in 2002–2003 when the Izumi Garden Tower and the Roppongi Hills high-rise complexes were completed. These projects brought high-end office and condominium space to Roppongi for the first time. The Tokyo Midtown project, which was completed in 2006, and includes the first Tokyo Ritz-Carlton Hotel, continued this trend.

Tourist Attractions

Roppongi Hills

The Roppongi Hills is opened in 2003 as a complex facility. It was expected to be a new cultural city center in Tokyo based on the plan of the urban renovation. The construction of the skyscraper building took about 20 years to be completed. It located on an expansive site with gentle slopes. You can move wheel chair and baby stroller safely and smoothly.
In the Roppongi Hills you can look through the tailor's shops, variety stores, brand-name stores, restaurants serving the foods around the world, health club, movie theater, musium, park and tree-lined street, etc. The Roppongi Hills divides shopping and gourmet dining space into 5 areas which are North Tower, Metro Hat/Hollywood Plaza, West Walk, Hill Side and Keyakizaka. Especially the West Walk and the Hill Side tend to be crowded in a holiday and used for the meeting place. Its opening hours are varied from facility to facility.

Tokyo Midtown

The Tokyo Midtown is opened in 2007 on the site of the former Defense Agency, Akasaka, Minato Ward. It is a composite urban district with a new style. It comprises a package of six buildings set amongst lush greenery. This town features a variety of facilities such as stores, restaurants, offices, hotels and museums, surrounded by greenery. These resonate with each other to provide your urban life with a superior quality of everyday living. The sense of art is full of every corner of this town to welcome the visitors, as it is also a key factor in the proliferation of Japanese designs around the world. It competes with the Roppongi Hills.
If you want to know the Tokyo Midtown in detail, you can participate the Tokyo Midtown tour which is an approximately sixty-minute guided tour accompanied by a tour attendant. The tour attendant will show guest the main buildings and facilities within Tokyo Midtown

Opening hours: shops 11:00-21:00, restaurant 11:00-24:00

Personal Recommendation Best 3

★BEST 1★

Mori Art Museum

Mori Art Museum is at the 53 flour in the Mori Tower, Roppongi Hills. It organizes an exhibition of modern art mainly and also fashion, photography, visual art and architecture. In 2008 it recorded the total number of 6 million visitors. Its 360-dgree view from the 53 flour is great and you can see the Tokyo tour, Sky tree and so on. It opens by 10 pm., so you can enjoy looking at the works of art there till the night. This museum improves the barrier-free facilities for the elderly and the disabled, and also prepares the sign language tour,

★BEST 2★

STARBUCKS COFFEE Tsutaya Tokyo Roppongi

It is located along the Keyakizaka street near the Roppongi Hills. This store is attached a book store and the rental video/DVD shop, Tsutaya. You can drink a cup of coffee on a comfortable sofa, reading a book or listening to music of attached shops. Also you may see many people from other countries coming in this shop. This place is good for a little break or your waiting for someone.