Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
collection of Tomo Kikuchi, this gallery is as elegant as many of the fifty-odd pieces
carefully spotlit as objets d'art. Inside is a stunning stairwell with a barley-sugar-like
banister and slivers of
washi
paper decorating the walls, while out the front is the old
Kikuchi family home, an incongruous Taishō-era villa. From the museum's fancy
French café and restaurant,
Voie Lactée
, there's a lovely view on to the old home's
tranquil garden.
Roppongi
ຊ
Its name meaning “six trees”,
Roppongi
was once reputed to be home to six
daimyō
,
all of whom coincidentally had the Chinese character for “tree” in their names. From
the Meiji era onwards, the area was a military stamping ground, first for the imperial
troops and then, during the American Occupation, for US forces. Thus the
gaijin
community started hanging out here, and today's entertainment district was born.
Roppongi is still principally a party town, but three recent major developments
- Roppongi Hills, the National Art Center and Tokyo Midtown - have recast the area
in a more refined light. Roppongi Station is the principal access point for the area,
although you can also use Nogizaka for the National Art Center and Kamiyachō for
Tokyo Tower.
Tokyo Midtown
౦ژϛουλϯ
• 9-7-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku •
W
www.tokyo-midtown.com • Roppongi or Nagizaka stations
Tokyo Midtown
is an enormous mixed-use complex of of
ces, shops, apartments,
a convention centre, two museums and other public facilities, plus the small park
Hinokichō-kōen, all revolving around the 248m
Midtown Tower
.
The complex's design and visual influences come from traditional Japanese
architecture and art: look out for the
torii
gate in the rectangular archway entrance
to the Galleria shopping mall, for instance. Head to the top of Mori Tower or the
ANA InterContinental Hotel
to get the best bird's-eye view of it all.
8
ROPPONGI GALLERIES
Those bumping and grinding in Roppongi's clubs would likely scoff at you for suggesting so,
but the area is now almost as notable for its excellent art scene as it is for drinking - there are
galleries dotted all over the place, all the way south to Azabu-Jūban. As well as those listed
here, there's excellent art on display at Musée Tomo in Akasaka (see opposite), the Suntory
Museum of Art (see p.94) and 21_21 Design Sight (see p.94) in Tokyo Midtown, and the lofty
Mori Art Museum atop Roppongi Hills (see p.96).
Axis Gallery
4F Axis Bldg, 5-17-1 Roppongi,
Minato-ku
T
03 5575 8655,
W
www.axisinc.co.jp;
Roppongi station.
Larger-than-average space on the
top floor of a building housing several design-related
businesses. Their monthly magazine carries information
in English on the artists they feature.
Daily 11am-7pm.
Gallery MA
8-11-27 Akasaka, Minato-ku
T
03 3402
1010; Nogizaka station.
Across the road from the
Nogi-jinja shrine (see p.94), there's often an interesting
exhibition at Gallery MA, on the third floor of the TOTO
Nogizaka building (which belongs to Japan's largest
manufacturer of toilets). The gallery specializes in
interior design and architecture, both from Japan and
overseas, and has an excellent bookstore.
Tues-Thurs
& Sat 11am-6pm, Fri 11am-7pm.
Striped House Gallery
5-10-33 Roppongi,
Minato-ku
T
03 3405 8108,
W
striped-house.com;
Roppongi station.
Taking its name from the striped
brick building in which it's based, this gallery has
an eclectic range of exhibitions, almost all of which
focus on young, adventurous local artists.
Daily
11am-6.30pm.
Take Ninagawa
2-12-4 Higashi-Azabu, Minato-ku
T
03 5571 5844,
W
takeninagawa.com; Azabu-
Jūban station.
Representing mixed media artists such
as Ohtake Shinrō and Misaki Kawai, it's worth swinging
by to see what's on at this space for up-and-coming
local artists.
Wed-Sun 11am-7pm.
