Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The gate looks awesome at
night, when it is illuminated.
d
Map E6 • Shiba-koen, Minato-ku
A Day in the
Art Triangle
Morning
Exiting Roppongi-Ichome
subway, the informative
Okura Shukokan Museum
of Fine Art
is a five-minute
stroll away. The museum
opens at 10am, but is
closed on Mondays. You
cannot miss this Chinese-
style building, directly
across from the stylish
Hotel Okura, perfect for a
coffee break. A ten-minute
walk away is Roppongi
Hills and its centerpiece,
the
Mori Art Museum
,
with its superb Tokyo City
View observation deck.
Cross Roppongi-dori and
walk north to the
National
Art Center
, a huge 12-
room art venue where you
can lunch at
Brasserie
Paul Bocuse Le Musée
(see p93)
with views of
the Roppongi skyline.
Descend to the Center
for an eclectic mix of
art, displayed regularly
in its temporary shows.
(
Zojo-ji Temple
Another victim of WWII
air raids, the temple is a 1970s
ferro-concrete reconstruction.
The original temple was founded
in 1393 and then removed to its
present location in 1598. In the
next century, it was chosen by
the Tokugawa shoguns as their
ancestral temple. Today, it hosts
many religious events. The main
hall contains ancient statues,
sutras, and other sacred objects.
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Map E6 • Shiba-koen, Minato-ku
• 3432-1431 • Open 6am-5:30pm
Afternoon
Heading north in the
direction of Nogi Shrine,
visit
Gallery Ma
(see p39)
.
Sponsored by the bath-
room appliance and fix-
tures company, Toto, it
focuses mainly on
architecture. A great place
to experience the latest
trends in the Tokyo design
world, and see the work
of foreign architects,
the gallery also has an
excellent bookstore. A
short walk south from
here is Tokyo Midtown.
Vinoteca
is an exceptional
wine bar on the second
floor of the Garden
Terrace. To reach your
table, you walk through a
tunnel with wine bottles
displayed behind plexiglass
panels on the walls,
ceiling, and floor.
Tokyo Tower etched against a clear sky
)
Tokyo Tower
When it was opened in 1958
as a broadcasting mast, this
Eiffel Tower clone was the tallest
building in Tokyo. Despite its
shabby aquarium, trick art
museum, tacky waxworks, and
souvenir stores, it attracts a large
number of visitors spurred by
nostalgia and the popularity of a
2007 film of the same name.
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Map K6 • 4-2-8 Shiba-koen, Minato-ku
• 3433-5111 • Open 9am-10pm
91
