The Nezu Museum, just beyond the top end of the Omotesando shopping strip, has something for everyone. Founded by a Japanese rail magnate, it houses his large private collection of Japanese and Asian art antiquities. But there’s a lot more to it than that. For architecture aficionados, there’s the beauty and simplicity of the Kengo…
Category: Architecture & Design
SunnyHills
SunnyHills quite literally sticks out among its neighbouring buildings in the backstreets of Aoyama. It’s a sampling café and store for SunnyHills pineapple cakes that hail from Taiwan. Designed by famous Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, the organic, latticed wooden structure relies on ancient Japanese building techniques, rising out of the ground like a giant basket…
The National Art Centre Tokyo
The National Art Centre Tokyo in Roppongi is one of the largest exhibition venues in Japan. It holds a rotating roster of temporary art and design exhibitions across the year in its 12 gallery spaces. Opened in 2007, the Kisho Kurokawa designed building is an architectural marvel, featuring an expansive facade of curvy glass walls. The…
Omotesando Hills
A stroll along Omotesando, Tokyo’s answer to the Champs-Elysees, isn’t complete without a look through Omotesando Hills. It’s an upscale shopping mall that stretches 250 metres along the boulevard. The mall was designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando and utilises brutal formed concrete in his signature style. It’s low-rise and angular and totally worth visiting…
La Kagu
La Kagu is a massive lifestyle goods store and cafe in Kagurazaka, the ‘French’ district of Tokyo. It’s housed in an old book storage warehouse that has been revamped and ringed in scalloped wooden terraces by Olympic Stadium architect Kengo Kuma. The ground floor features a cafe serving meals, coffee and sweets plus a women’s…
Spiral
Great architecture, art, food and shopping all under the one roof? You’ll find that at the Spiral building in Aoyama. Spiral has been a lifestyle destination since it was built in the 1980’s. It gets its name from a huge spiralling ramp within its atrium that takes visitors from an art gallery and café on…
Dover Street Market Ginza
Dover Street Market Ginza is the Tokyo incarnation of fashion conglomerate Comme des Garcons’ multi-brand ‘department’ store concept that originated in London. It features several levels of luxury Japanese and international fashion brands, all housed in unique and inventive ‘concept’ zones. Across the floors you’ll find departments housing Comme des Garcons’ multiple labels, Louis Vuitton,…
Maach Ecute
Tokyo has become really good lately at repurposing old, disused buildings and bringing them back to life. Maach Ecute, close to Akihabara, is a perfect example of this. A heritage railways station that trains stopped running to in 1943, has been redeveloped into a design-savvy shopping and dining precinct. Maach Ecute contains bars, restaurants, design…
21 21 Design Sight
21 21 Design Sight is a contemporary art and design museum in Roppongi with some big names behind it. The sleek concrete and steel building, which sits low in the park outside the Tokyo Midtown complex, was designed by Tadao Ando, one of Japan’s most prominent architects. Its directors include fashion designer Issey Miyake. 21…