48. Garden Review: Midtown Garden & Hinokicho Park (Roppongi)

Midtown Garden and Hinokicho Park make up 40% of total area of the Tokyo Midtown complex. The architects of Tokyo Midtown did an excellent job creating a true oasis in the heart of Roppongi.

Once part of the Japanese Self Defence Agency, Midtown Garden contains over 140 trees from the former site. The garden contains huge grassy lawns, a playground, walking paths, fountains, sculptures, and even a mini basketball court. For those who want to work outside, there are wireless LAN access points.

Hinokicho Park was once a garden attached to the residence of the Mori family, part of the Hagi Clan of the Edo Period. Hinoki means 'cypress tree', and there are many on the grounds. The trees and greenery surround a small pond fed by a bubbling stream, which is overlooked by a traditional Japanese teahouse.
If you visit Tokyo Midtown make sure you take some time to relax in the garden. You won't believe that the dirt, grime, and noise of Roppongi is right around the corner.

47. Sightseeing Spot Review: Tokyo Midtown (Akasaka)

Tokyo Midtown, located on 569,000 square meters of land, consists of six main buildings filled with stores, restaurants, offices, a hotel, condominiums, museums, and more.

Previously home to the Japan Defense Agency, some of its current tenants include: Konami, Yahoo! Japan, Fujifilm/Fuji Xerox, and Cisco Japan. There is also a medical clinic associated with John Hopkins Hospital, and a 250-room Ritz Carlton Hotel is located on the 47th through 53rd floors of the Midtown Tower.
The Galleria, the main attraction of Tokyo Midtown, consists of five floors of stores and restaurants. The new Suntory Museum is also located here (see review #46 for details), in addition to Design Sight 21_21 - an exhibition gallery (free) and research workshop. Fuji Film / Fuji Xerox have two excellent photography galleries (also free) with often changing exhibitions.

Behind the entire complex is a beautiful 10 acre public park (see review #48).

I like Tokyo Midtown much more that Roppongi Hills. It is much easier to navigate and the stores are more appealing, especially those related to home interior. The restaurant selection is extensive - I was especially impressed with the selection of delicious, inexpensive choices below ground. Many of the more expensive restaurants upstairs have at least some 'open-air' dining, and they have great lunch deals.

http://www.tokyo-midtown.com/en/index.html

46. Museum Review: Suntory Museum of Art (Roppongi)

Recently moved to its new location in Tokyo Midtown, the Suntory Museum of Art has been around since 1961. It's theme has always been based on 'Art in Life'. Their collection of over 3000 pieces includes lacquer ware, ceramics, paintings, glass, textiles, metal works, and more. Everything is 'connected to Japanese life', including their famous collection of hairdressing articles.

The museum entrance is located on Midtown's 3rd floor. Once tickets have been purchased, visitors are sent up an elevator to the 4th floor. The exhibition rooms have black walls, high ceilings, wood floors, black benches, and dim lighting. Leading down to the 3rd floor is a beautiful wood and glass staircase which is back lit by light seeping through a wall of vertical wood boards. The ceiling in this room are two stories high. I was impressed with the design and 'feel' of the museum.

(Sept. 1 to Oct. 21) The exhibition that I saw was called 'Biombo', the name for Japanese folding screens in Spanish and Portuguese. Some of the screens exhibited had been gifts to foreign governments, others came from private collections. They were some of the most magnificent and unique screens that I had ever seen. I cannot recommend this exhibition strongly enough!

Future exhibitions:

(Nov. 3 to Dec. 16) National Treasure: Choju-Jinbutsu-Giga Emaki (frolicking animals and figures), four famous screens from Kosanji Monastery in Kyoto and related articles.

(Dec. 23 to Jan. 14) 'Wa-mode' - the elegant costumes of Japanese women

(Jan. 26 to Mar. 9) Works of Toulouse-Lautrec, a leading Parisian artist from the late 1800's.

The museum was larger than I expected, and the exhibit was superb. I would definitely recommend the museum for those who visit Tokyo Midtown.

On the 3rd floor, beside the ticket desk, is a small museum shop and also a cafe. The cafe is run by 'Fumuro-ya', an establishment from Kanazawa that dates back to 1865. They specialize in 'Kaga-fu' (Kaga style wheat-gluten cakes) which were originally a meat substitute for Buddhist priests.

Address: Tokyo Midtown Gardenside 9-7-4 Akasaka, Minato-ku 107-8643

Hours of Operation: Sundays, Mondays, and National Holidays 10:00 - 18:00
Wednesday to Saturday 10:00-20:00
Closed on Tuesdays, New Year's Day, and during exhibition preparation periods. If Tuesday is a national holiday, it is closed the following day.

Admission varies by exhibition. Free admission for junior high students and younger.

43. Museum Review: Okura Shukokan Museum (Minato-ku)

Kihachiro Okura, a collector of Buddhist artwork established the Okura Shukokan Museum of Fine Arts to hold and display his treasures. Kihachiro was a weapons dealer in the mid-1800's. He later founded the Okura zaibatsu, and the Tokyo University of Economics. He was also one of the main investors for the original Imperial Hotel. His son, Kishichiro Okura, was the president of the hotel during the 1920's and 30's. Kishichiro also developed the Okura hotel chain, and he collected many 'Nihonga' (modern Japanese painting), which were added to the museum collection.
Opening in 1917 as Japan's first private art museum, the Okura Shukokan houses over 2,000 works of art. Built on land that was formerly the Tokyo residence of the Matsudaira feudal lord of Naebashi, the building itself was designed by Chuta Ito and is a nationally registered cultural property.

Although I find the building itself absolutely beautiful, I think 800 yen is too much to charge for an exhibition of this size. The museum has two floors, and each floor is a large room with art around the edges. The exhibition I visited was called "Longing for Asia", and it included many Buddhist statues, a few Chinese paintings, and a selection of pottery. Although I'm sure the items are historically significant, I didn't find the exhibit that interesting.

Fortunately, I didn't have to pay the entrance fee as this museum is free with the Grutt Pass. I would definitely recommend visiting the museum if you have the pass. Perhaps a future exhibition will be more interesting (the next one focuses on hanging scrolls), and the building is definitely worth taking a look at.

There is also a path that runs around the museum. Large sculptures, lanterns, Buddhist statues,... are on display and it is not necessary to pay in order to view them. Guests of the Okura Hotel, which is right in front of the museum, can visit the museum for free.

Address: 2-10-3 Toranomon, Minato-ku
Phone: 03-3583-0781

Hours of Operation: 10:00 - 16:30 (last entry at 16:00)

Closed on Mondays (except when Monday is a national holiday, then it is closed the next day) and for the New Year's holidays.

Admission: Free for hotel guests
Prices vary depending on the exhibition.
Currently (Sept. 07): Adults: 800 yen. College & High School students & those over 65: 500yen.
Junior school students & younger - free

http://www.okura.com/tokyo/info/shukokan.html

**Free with the Grutt Pass 2007 (#28).

35. Garden Review: Kyu Shiba-rikyu Garden (Minato-ku)

The Kyu Shiba-rikyu Garden was built on reclaimed land in the Edo period. The 4th Shogun, Tokugawa Ietsuna gave the land to Lord Okubo Tadatomo to use as his Tokyo residence. It went through a variety of owners until it was sold to the Imperial Household Agency in 1875. The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 destroyed all the buildings and nearly all the trees. The garden was restored, and in 1924 it was opened to the public. It is one of two surviving feudal era Japanese gardens in Tokyo.The Kyu Shiba-Rikyu Garden is a landscape garden built with a circular walking trail so that visitors can enjoy it from a variety of angles. The garden's focus is Sensui Pond, which takes up almost 1/4 of the total area of 43,070 m. Originally it was a salt water pond, but was converted to fresh water after additional land reclamation nearby. Many hungry carp now make the pond their home. In addition, there are man-made hills, a large stone lantern, islands connected by bridges, grassy picnic areas, and a lovely wisteria trellis.

The downside of the garden is that is is surrounded by a number of tall buildings, and a particularly ugly neon coffee billboard. But, it is always quiet, is well tended, and the entrance fee is only 150 yen. I do find it to be a pleasant oasis,and I especially recommend stopping here if you are walking to Hinode Pier from Hamamatsu or Daimon Station.

32. Attraction Review: Tokyo City View (Roppongi)

An observatory on the 52nd floor of Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills, the 'Tokyo City View' gives a great view of the city, especially at night. A 360 degree view from 250 meters above sea level, it is quite breath-taking.

If you are willing to pay the price, I recommend the Tokyo City View over the Tokyo Tower. It always seems to be less crowded, it is more stylish, and there are lots of places to sit and really get a good look at the city. Go right at sundown for the best views.

Inside, the 'Sunset Cafe' serves coffee, tea, juice, beer,... There is also the 'Mado Lounge' - haven't been inside, but it looks pretty fancy. They regularly have live music and special events, and I believe it is available for private parties (although I bet the cost is pretty high).

Hours of Operation: 9:00 to 1:00 am, open everyday

Admission: Adults 1,500 yen, high school and college students 1,000 yen, children 500 yen.

For English Information: http://www.tokyocityview.com/en/index.html

27. Museum Review: National Art Center, Tokyo (Roppongi)

The National Art Center, Tokyo is Japan's first national art museum without a permanent collection. It is the largest exhibition space in Japan with 14,000 square meters, and a total floor space of 48,000 square meters. There are 12 exhibition rooms, and a library with over 50,000 publications. It is a facility especially designed for exhibitions organized by curators and exhibitions presented by artist associations.
It was designed by the famous Japanese architect, Kisho Kurokawa (who is currently running for governor of Tokyo). The curved front is based on "computer-rendered rhythmic images formed by mountains and the seashore." The idea was to balance nature and high technology. For example, glass lets in natural light, but an energy saving design cuts solar heat and UV rays.
Each exhibition is priced separately. I visited the exhibition, 'Paris du monde entier : Artistes étrangers à Paris 1900-2005'.

This exhibition introduced more than 200 works of art from the collections of the Centre Pompidou. The exhibit is said to "explore the significance of artists' activities associated with Paris in the history of modern and contemporary art". I thought it was an excellent exhibit. There were so many works that I was a little overwhelmed, but at least I felt as if I had gotten my moneys worth. This exhibition runs until May 7th.
Admission: Adults 1500 yen, University students 1000 yen, High school 800 yen, free for Jr. high and younger.

Even if you have no interest in art, go and visit the museum. Have a snack or coffee in one of the three cafes, or lunch in the restaurant. Currently there is a free exhibition on Kisho Kurokawa's architectural designs. Although it was all in Japanese, it was fascinating. You do not need to pay anything to enter the building itself, only to enter individual exhibition rooms.

The National Art Center, Tokyo
7-22-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-8558
03-5777-8600

Hours of Operation: Most of the exhibitions (and the cafes) are open from 10:00 - 18:00, with last admission at 17:30. Exhibitions organized by The National Art Center stay open until 20:00 on Fridays. The art library opens from 11:00 - 18:00 and the restaurant is open from 10:00 - 22:00. The facility is closed on Tuesdays (unless a national holiday, then closed the next day) and during the New Year's holidays.
Access: Chiyoda Line - Nogazaka Station, exit 6 is directly linked to the center.
Hibiya Line - Roppongi Station, 5 minute walk from exit 4A.
Toei Oedo Line - Roppongi Station, 4 minute walk from exit 7.

Website:
http://www.nact.jp/english/index.html

23. Aquarium Review: Aqua Stadium (Shinagawa)

The Aqua Stadium is a new aquarium in the Shinagawa Prince Hotel Complex. When it first opened, there were a lot of advertisements, it looked great. Don't let the advertisements fool you like they did me. Do not go to this aquarium, you will be very disappointed.

Although it looks larger from the outside, and there is a fancy parking lot,... this is actually a very small aquarium. Most of the space is used for a dolphin performance pool and a sea lion show. The dolphins and trainers were not used to working with one another and the show was not up to par with others I have seen. The sea lion show was also pretty standard.

We visited the dolphin show first as it was about to start when we entered the aquarium. Little did we know that the few tanks we passed on our way there were most of the exhibits. All in all, I was not at all impressed, especially concerning the entrance fee of 1800 yen for adults, 1000 yen for ages 7 to 15, and 600 yen for ages 4 - 6.

One of the advantages stressed by this aquarium is that it is open late, that is the only impressive thing about it.

Hours of Operation: M-F: 12:00 - 22:00, Saturday: 10:00 - 22:00, Sunday and Holidays: 10:00 - 21:00.

Address: Takanawa 4-10-30, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8611, inside the Shinagawa Prince Hotel Complex. Phone: 03-5421-1111

Access: Directly across from Shinagawa Station. They also have a lot of paid parking.

19. Museum Review: Matsuoka Museum of Art (Meguro)

The Matsuoka Museum is the private collection of Mr. Seijiro Matsuoka (1894 - 1989), an entrepreneur. The collection consists mainly of Oriental ceramics and Japanese style paintings. But, there are also French Impressionist paintings, stone figures of Indo-Gandhara, and antiquities of Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The display of stone figures and antiquities is permanent, but the other displays are changed every three to four months.

This is a small museum, but it is well laid out and the collection is interesting. It also looks out over a lovely Japanese garden. I visited this museum in combination with the 'Institute for Nature Study' and the Teien Museum, as they are all within walking distance of one another, and they are all completely different. Have lunch at a cool cafe nearby and you've got yourself a perfect day.

Address: 5-12-6 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0071
Phone: 03-5449-0251

Admission: Adults: 800 yen, Students: 500 yen. Some discounts available.

Hours of Operation: 10:00 - 17:00 (last entry 16:30), closed on Mondays (except national holidays, then closed the next day) and the New Year's holidays. Also closed occasionally for exhibition changes.

Access: 6 minute walk from exit 1 of Shirokanedai Station. This museum is on the backside of the 'Institute for Nature Study' park.

website: http://www.matsuoka-museum.jp/

**Free entry with Grutt Pass 2007 (#22)

18. Museum Review: Teien Art Museum (Meguro)

The Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum was once the residence of Prince Asaka, the eighth son of Prince Kuni. He was married to Princess Nobuko, the eighth daughter of Emperor Meiji. The house was built in 1933, in the Art Deco style of the 1920's and 30's. Unlike most museums, this one is itself an art treasure. I visited during the special exhibition, 'Art Deco Jewelry - Charles Jacqueau and the Brilliant Epoch'. The exhibition fit well with the interior of the museum, but I was much more interested in the building than the jewelry. In fact, I highly recommend this museum to everyone, it is not often that 'commoners' get an opportunity to see such a unique and grand residence. The gardens were very nice as well.

Address: 21-9, Shirokanedai 5-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0071

Phone: 03-3443-0201

Hours: 10:00 - 18:00 (last entry 17:30). Closed on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays (unless a national holiday, then closed on Thursday). Also closed during the New Years holidays and for exhibition changes.

Admission: Cost of admission varies according to the nature of each exhibition. A ticket for admission to the museum also covers the garden.

*Admission to the museum is free for the disabled and their helpers, and pre-school aged children.

*School children of all ages (in Tokyo) are admitted for free if they are making an educational visit accompanied by a teacher and museum must be contacted beforehand.

*Adults over 65 may enter for free on the third Wednesday of each month.

*Tickets can be purchased for admission to only the garden, but it is foolish to visit here and skip the museum.

Access: The museum is a 7 minute walk from Meguro Station, or 6 minutes from Shirokanedai Station. It is built in a corner of what is now the 'Institute for Nature Study' (see previous blog).

**Free entry with Grutt Pass 2007 (#20)

17. Park Review: Institute for Nature Study (Meguro)

The Institute for Nature Study is part of the National Science Museum. It is the only place left in Tokyo that is reminiscent of the former Musashino Plain. I had no idea that natural forest and wetlands of this size were sitting in the middle of Meguro. Except for the dull noise of traffic, it is easy to forget you are even in Tokyo. The park is home to many different kinds of plants, insects, birds, and other creatures. If you don't have time to leave the city, but you need some 'nature', this is a good place to visit.The park is nothing fancy, just walking trails through the woods and wetlands. For someone who lives in the countryside, nothing special. For someone who lives in the center of Tokyo, it is a nice oasis.

Address: 5-21-5 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0071

Phone: 03-3441-7176

Admission: Adults and College Students: 300 yen.

*Free for children and youths in grades 1 - 12

*Free with the Grutt Pass

Hours: 9:00 - 16:30 (last entry 16:00) from Sept. 1 ~ Apr. 30

9:00 - 17:00 (last entry 16:30) from May 1 ~ Aug. 31

Closed on Mondays (if a national holiday, closed on Tuesday) and closed the day after a national holiday (but remains open on Saturdays and Sundays). Also closed from Dec. 28 - Jan. 4.

Access: 7 minute walk from the east exit of Meguro Station of the Yamanote Line

4 minute walk from exit 1 of Shirokanedai Station of th Namboku and Mita Lines

**Free entry with Grutt Pass 2007 (#21)

12. Sightseeing Review: Tokyo Cruise Boat (Hinode - Asakusa)

To get a true taste of traditional Tokyo, visit Asakusa. The best way to get there is by river cruise boat. The boats run from Hinode Pier, a two minute walk from Hinode Station of the Yurikamome Monorail. The Yurikamome Line starts in Shimbashi (on the Yamanote Line). You can also walk to the pier from Hamamatsucho Station (10 minutes).

Upon arrival, look for the 'Hinode Passenger Terminal'. It is a small, new building, and the name is in English. Inside are ticket machines with English instructions. A one-way ticket to Asakusa is 760 yen.

Check this website for departure times and more information:

http://www.suijobus.co.jp/english/cruise_e/index_su_line.html

The cruise boat travels at a leisurely pace up the Sumida River, passing under 12 bridges. If you sit inside near a speaker, there are brief English descriptions of the bridges. If you travel during the spring, make sure to ride on the left side of the boat as the cherry blossoms are quite beautiful. The ride upriver takes about 35 minutes. Views from the boat are not incredible, but it is obviously more scenic than the subway.
If you travel in the opposite direction, another option is to get off at Hama Rikyu Garden, once the suburban residence of the Tokugawa family. After enjoying the garden, it is a 10 minute walk to Shimbashi Station. It is possible to go from the garden to Asakusa, but the boat will head to Hinode first, then backtrack past the garden. One problem with traveling from Asakusa are the crowds. There is almost always a long line of people waiting for the cruise boat. From Hinode, I've never had a problem getting a good seat by the window.

There are other options from Hinode Pier. Boats run to different parts of Odaiba, and also to the Ooi Seaside Park/Shinagawa Aquarium. Since Odaiba is in the middle of Tokyo Bay, views from these cruises are very scenic.