Note this down, culture vultures!

Text & Photos/MATCHA

A year ago, a friend asked me to recommend Tokyo attractions. He wasn’t a first-time, second-time, or third-time visitor to the city, nor was he someone who loved shopping. “Something cultural, something delicious,” he said, not asking for much. “Ideally, I’d like to explore Tokyo in style.” After much thought, I put together this “Explore Tokyo in Style” list to max out his rather depleted cultural vibe all at once.

Stop 1. Roppongi, where you can bump into masterpieces while walking

The top pick for “exploring Tokyo in style” is none other than Roppongi, a place brimming with artistic flair. Roppongi has long been a trendy hub in Tokyo, and with the successive opening of its three major art museums, its cultural strength has become truly formidable. Especially in the area radiating from Roppongi Hills, you might even stumble upon masterpieces while walking around—whether it’s works by Japan’s contemporary architectural master Tadao Ando or those by Tokujin Yoshioka, known as Japan’s “Design Emperor,” they’re scattered all over Roppongi.

Photo source:【Tokyo. Attractions】A Grand Collection of “Public Art” in Roppongi!

Take this “Chair that Disappears in the Rain,” for example—it’s a work by Tokujin Yoshioka. When it rains, the chair blends seamlessly with the street, making it one of Yoshioka’s most famous pieces. Aside from the numerous public artworks by master artists, the most irresistible attractions in Roppongi are undoubtedly the “Art Golden Triangle”: the Mori Art Museum, the National Art Center Tokyo, and the Suntory Museum of Art.

Mori Art Museum
Located on the 53rd floor of Roppongi Hills, the Mori Art Museum is often called “Japan’s highest art museum” due to its lofty location. It was co-designed by Richard Gluckman, the architect behind New York’s Whitney Museum of American Art and Germany’s Guggenheim Museum. The museum primarily features modern art, and most of its exhibits prohibit photography. But don’t despair—the “Roppongi Hills Observatory” right below the museum is more than enough to max out your camera’s memory.

Photo source:Exclusive Interior Footage & Interview: ‘Roppongi’ Ghibli Grand Exhibition & 360-Degree Night View Double Delight!

National Art Center Tokyo

As Japan’s fifth national art museum, the National Art Center Tokyo differs from most other museums that have their own permanent collections. Instead, it promotes a new kind of museum model with “no permanent collection,” serving mainly as an exhibition space for various shows. In the museum’s own words, its mission is “to act as a bridge between people and art.”

Aside from its rich exhibition resources, the National Art Center Tokyo also boasts an eye-catching exterior, designed by Japan’s “father of architecture,” Kisho Kurokawa. With “symbiosis” as the design concept, the building makes extensive use of glass curtains to let in abundant natural light, making it a must-see piece of contemporary Japanese architecture.

Photo source:【Roppongi. Attractions】Explore 3 Museums, Enjoy Fashionable and Artistic Delights

Suntory Museum of Art

Different from the other two museums, the Suntory Museum of Art, located in Tokyo Midtown within Roppongi, is the most recently established. Its exhibition content is also quite distinct, focusing mainly on the “beauty of everyday life,” with displays centered around Japanese art pieces such as ancient paintings, ceramics, and textiles. It’s a museum designed to be experienced through sight, smell, and the senses.

Photo by Zengame

In fact, the Suntory Museum of Art was originally established in Akasaka. In 2007, its new building moved to Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi. The architecture of the new building was designed by Kengo Kuma, a renowned contemporary Japanese architect. With its white vertical lines covering the exterior and a subtly layered design style, it’s described as a fusion of modernism with traditional Japanese elements. The interior makes extensive use of symbols from traditional Japanese architecture, reconstructing “a serene Japanese tatami room” with natural wood, all of which highlight the understated cultural elegance of Japan—a museum well worth a visit.

Photo source:The Beauty of Art: 5 Masterpiece Architectural Works by Japan’s Kengo Kuma

Stop 2. The University of Tokyo: Full of Academic Vibes, Also Boasts Culture and Cuisine

Aside from Roppongi, the second stop on the “Explore Tokyo in Style” journey is the University of Tokyo, a place full of academic atmosphere, as well as art and cuisine. If you were to find the intersection of the keywords “Kengo Kuma,” “Michelin,” and “academic institution,” it would undoubtedly be “Kudamono Kuragi” at the University of Tokyo.

Photo source:Hidden within the University of Tokyo: Kengo Kuma Architecture × Michelin-Level Wagashi Creates a New Tokyo Attraction

Imagine sitting in a café, savoring Michelin-level wagashi while enjoying the warm sunlight streaming through wooden slats—that’s the epitome of elegance. Kengo Kuma, a University of Tokyo alumnus and professor, designed this academic research building on the Hongo Campus in 2014. The exterior features the slender cedar boards that Kuma is known for, giving off a completely different vibe from the typically cold school buildings, naturally attracting many visitors to come and pay homage.

Photo source:Hidden within the University of Tokyo: Kengo Kuma Architecture × Michelin-Level Wagashi Creates a New Tokyo Attraction

The semi-open space on the first floor has also introduced a café, helmed by the rising star of Japan’s culinary scene, Chef Jun Kurogi. His restaurant, Kappo “Kurogi,” is described as the hardest restaurant in Japan to book—a reservation three months in advance isn’t even a guarantee. It’s no wonder that with the backing of both Kengo Kuma and Jun Kurogi, the runaway success of “Kuri-Zushi Kurogi” is anything but accidental. Listed in the “Michelin Tokyo Guide” in both 2011 and 2012, it has become one of the new must-visit spots near the University of Tokyo.

Stop 3. Spend a night in a machiya—a historic guesthouse

The third stop of “Stylish Tokyo Exploration” features not just a place steeped in history, but one where you can actually stay overnight: a machiya guesthouse. What is a “machiya”? Traditional Japanese wooden townhouses are called machiya, sometimes referred to as “kominka.” Rich in historical charm, these machiya are often converted from storied Japanese homes, making them a popular choice for accommodations among travelers in Japan in recent years. Unlike the ancient city of Kyoto, Tokyo doesn’t have many machiya left, so being able to stay in one is quite a stroke of luck.

A century-old rice shop that said no to high-end redevelopment: “Araiya”

Even before stepping inside, Araiya’s century-old elegance is evident at the doorstep. Once a traditional rice shop, Araiya is located in a prime area and has caught the eye of numerous developers who wanted to turn it into high-end housing—but the original owner consistently refused. It wasn’t until the appearance of “Shukuba JAPAN Co., Ltd.,” experts in old building renovations, that Araiya was successfully transformed into a modern machiya guesthouse without compromising its original structure.

Photo source:Shinagawa: A traditional rice shop’s stunning transformation into the machiya guesthouse ‘Araiya’

A former student dorm turned into a guesthouse: “Hanare”

Photo source:A complete makeover of a former student dormitory—where the whole town becomes your guesthouse, hanare

In addition to machiya guesthouses, the “hanare” (detached unit) near Nippori is another accommodation option in “Stylish Tokyo Exploration.” Although the hanare doesn’t have the century-long history of Araiya, it was converted from a former student dormitory. The bathroom even provides you with a “bath voucher,” allowing you to choose any nearby public bath—making it a fun guesthouse where you can fully experience dormitory life.

Explored enough? Time to recharge your cultural soul!

If you’re a frequent visitor to Tokyo, if you’ve been to Tokyo many times before, you simply must give this “Stylish Tokyo Exploration” list another try. From contemporary to ancient, from art to history, explore Tokyo through various lenses. In Tokyo, if you’re willing, nearly a hundred museums and art galleries can keep you entertained for over two months—and that’s not even counting regularly changing exhibitions, private galleries, or emerging old-building-revamped attractions. It’s almost guaranteed to leave your cultural soul enriched.

Author: MATCHA
Blog　Facebook Page