The Best Things to See and Do in Roppongi

Located inside the Roppongi Hills mall, the Mori Art Museum is Tokyo’s largest museum of contemporary art. Opened in 2003, it’s situated at the top of the central Mori Tower, with views across the city and amazing photo ops from it Tokyo City View and Sky Decks. Exhibitions change regularly, and span across a number of fields from architecture and photography to fashion and film. A café and restaurant are also on site if you need a break between exhibits.

The National Art Center is one of Asia’s largest exhibition halls, and a striking structure itself. The centre is rented out to third-party organisations who want to showcase their collections or curate a temporary exhibit. This approach often leads to interesting retrospectives and deep-dives into unusual collections which attract visitors from all over the world.

Upon its completion in 2007, Tokyo Midtown was the tallest building in Tokyo. At 569,000 square metres (0.2 square miles), it is one of the largest in Japan and contains office spaces, apartments, museums and a mall. Furthermore, it is also home to the luxury hotel the Ritz-Carlton and the Suntory Museum of Art which showcases the best of Japanese creativity.

Famous for its beautiful cherry blossom trees that turn pink during the sakura season and are illuminated for Christmas, Roppongi Sakurazaka and Keyakizaka Dori is a beautiful location with a scenic view. Take in the landscape by taking a walk around the area or stop by one of the cafés or restaurants nearby.

Roppongi is home to numerous shrines, temples and cultural sites both big and small. Nogi Shrine is located northwest of Tokyo Midtown and was built to pay homage to former general Nogi Maresuke and his wife, who committed suicide upon hearing news of Emperor Meiji’s death.

Buddhist Temple Zojoji is situated east of the Roppongi Hills in Shiba Park and has one of the oldest surviving wooden structures in Tokyo.

American club 1 Oak opened its first club in Asia in 2017 and quickly became a favourite with both locals and tourists, including Hollywood celebrities. This mean’s its often crowded, but worth a visit for the international DJs who often fly in from New York. The bold grey exterior gives way to a club adorned in gold, grey and black, with chequered dance floors and art covering the walls.