As the center of Japan, Tokyo is constantly opening new facilities housing popular and trending shops and restaurants. Azabudai Hills is one of them; it opened in November 2023 after almost 35 years of construction, and houses high end shops and the trendiest cafes and restaurants, as well as one of Japan’s popular art museum “teamLab: borderless”.
Azabudai Hills is located next to Roppongi and Tokyo Tower, with Kamiyacho station on the Hibiya line directly connected. It is a group of buildings, consisting of the tallest building in Japan the Mori JP Tower, which is almost the same height as Tokyo Tower.
You will find many high end shops and cafes, but the greenery and view is what makes it different from others. 70% of the site is green; with streams and public art here and there, you are able to enjoy just walking around.
The view from Mori JP Tower is surely something; it unfortunately is not open to the public as of April 2024, but if you have coffee or a quick bite at the Hilltop Cafe on the 34th floor (an additional entrance fee is needed), you have access to the Sky Deck where you can see Tokyo Tower up close. (You can also dine at Hilltop Restaurant for access, but it is high end thus expensive.)
Azabudai Hills is also home to a few art exhibits; a gallery focusing on Japanese manga is found on the B1F of building Plaza C, which is operated by one of Japan’s leading publishing company Shueisha. The exhibit changes regularly, but you are able to see sketches from world reknown mangas such as One Piece and Bleach.
A must visit for those looking for a new kind of art is teamLab: borderless. It is a digital art exhibit operated by a team of digital artists teamLab, which has gained popularity from all over the world with exhibits overseas. The theme of the exhibit is “borderless”; there are no boundaries to the artwork so they keep flowing from room to room, changing the exhibit rooms from time to time. With 70 installations, it truly is like a maze. Tickets sell out quickly, so buying them in advance is recommended!
<Azabudai Hills>
Website: https://www.azabudai-hills.com/en/index.html
<Author>
Saori Futsukaichi
Staff writer of WaWo Japan Travel