Architecture Walk
Cultural Experiences
Architecture Walk in Tokyo: Ginza, Omotesando & Aoyama
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Discover Tokyo’s most stunning architectural masterpieces with an Architecture Walk in Ginza, Omotesando, and Aoyama—three districts where luxury, innovation, and tradition come together in breathtaking designs.
🔹 Ginza: A hub of high-end retail and avant-garde façades, featuring Louis Vuitton (Jun Aoki), Mikimoto Ginza 2 (Toyo Ito), Maison Hermès (Renzo Piano), and GINZA SIX (Yoshio Taniguchi). Explore how glass, metal, and light create ever-changing expressions of luxury.
🔹 Omotesando: Often called Tokyo’s “Architectural Avenue,” this tree-lined street is home to iconic designs like Prada Aoyama (Herzog & de Meuron), Tod’s Omotesando (Toyo Ito), and Omotesando Hills (Tadao Ando). Experience the intersection of minimalism and bold experimentation.
🔹 Aoyama: A district where contemporary architecture meets refined elegance, featuring masterpieces like Nezu Museum (Kengo Kuma), SunnyHills Minami-Aoyama (Kengo Kuma), and Spiral Building (Fumihiko Maki).
This guided walk immerses you in the cutting-edge designs of world-renowned architects while exploring Tokyo’s most stylish neighborhoods.
Notable Architectures
in Ginza
1. Tiffany Ginza
Architect: Kengo Kuma
Glass panels, each set at a different angle, reflect light in various ways, creating dynamic expressions. A renovation of an existing building.
2. Louis Vuitton Matsuya Ginza
Architect: Jun Aoki
The facade features a unique softness created by its undulating surface. At night, it illuminates with motifs inspired by Louis Vuitton's iconic flower pattern.
3. V88 Building
Architect: Jun Mitsui
Look up, and you’ll be amazed by the undulating facade. The surface reflects the city, changing its impression from powerful to elegant.
4. Mikimoto Ginza 2
Architect: Toyo Ito
The irregularly shaped windows scattered across the facade resemble sunlight filtering through trees. The smooth exterior is crafted by skilled artisans.
5. Wako Main Building
Architect: Hitoshi Watanabe
Recognized as a symbol of Ginza, it is one of the last grand buildings featuring a corner tower. A significant piece of Western-style architectural history in Japan.
6. San-ai Dream Center
Architect: Shoji Hayashi
Completed in 1963, this cylindrical building made of glass and stainless steel embodies the essence of modernism.
7. TASAKI Ginza Flagship Store
Architect: Kumiko Inui
The facade resembles a surface encrusted with gemstones. The combination of different frames, glass types, and sizes ensures no two sections are identical.
8. GINZA SIX
Architect: Yoshio Taniguchi
The facade is inspired by traditional Japanese motifs: the upper section resembles an "eave," while the lower part takes after a "noren" curtain.
9. Ginza Lion, Ginza 7-chome
Architect: Eizo Sugawara
Completed in 1934. Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a nostalgic world of mosaic tiles and murals. The lighting details are also worth noting.
10. Nicolas G. Hayek Center
Architect: Shigeru Ban
The open first floor and scenic fifth floor are highlights. One entire wall is covered in greenery, creating a refreshing atmosphere.
11. Louis Vuitton Namiki Dori Store
Architect: Jun Aoki
Renovated in 2021. The rippling glass facade is inspired by "columns of water." Interior design by Peter Marino.
12. Kabukiza Theater
Architect: Kengo Kuma
Rebuilt while preserving the atmosphere of its predecessor, including the iconic red carpet in the first-floor "Ōma" hall. The underground "Kobikicho Plaza" offers new attractions.
More Must-See Architectural Landmarks in Ginza
a. G. Itoya / Taisei Corporation
b. ZOE Ginza / Shimizu Corporation
c. Taya Ginza / Manabu Chiba
d. Gucci Ginza / James Carpenter Design Associates (Exterior) + Obayashi Corporation
e. Maison Hermès / Renzo Piano
f. Tokyu Plaza Ginza / Nikken Sekkei
g. Leica Ginza Store / Kazuo Kishi + K. ASSOCIATES / EX
h. GINZA PLACE / Klein Dytham Architecture (Exterior) + Taisei Corporation
i. Prada Ginza / Roberto Baciocchi
j. Cross Ginza Building / Takenaka Corporation
k. GINZA gCUBE / Joint venture of Kajima & Shimizu Corporation
l. Yamaha Ginza Building / Nikken Sekkei
m. Shiseido Ginza Building / Takenaka Corporation
n. Daiichi Sugawara Building / Kyoji Yoshida
Notable Architectures in Omotesando
& Aoyama
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Japan Nursing Association Harajuku Building
Architect: Kisho Kurokawa
A transparent cone is the signature feature. Upon climbing the central staircase, you will find a spacious terrace, perfect for a break while overlooking Omotesando.
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Omotesando Hills
Architect: Tadao Ando
The building is designed with consideration of the cityscape, with its height kept low, and a large open space underground. The preserved section of the old Dōjūnka Apartments at the southern end is also a captivating feature.
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Louis Vuitton Omotesando Building
Architect: Jun Aoki
The façade, made of small squares, was designed to resonate with the nearby small shops.
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Old TOD’S Omotesando Building
Architect: Toyo Ito
The silhouette of the Zelkova trees along Omotesando is reflected in the building’s façade. From 2020, it became the headquarters of Kering Japan.
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Omotesando Keyaki Building
Architect: Norihiko Dan
Designed to evoke the image of large trees extending upwards, this building contrasts with the neighboring old TOD’S building by offering a completely different interpretation of the Zelkova trees.
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ONE Omotesando
Architect: Kengo Kuma
Looking up, you’ll see elongated wooden slats (louvres) arranged in a way that softens both the building's appearance and the surrounding environment, a hallmark of Kuma’s architecture.
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Spiral Building, Aoyama
Architect: Fumihiko Maki
The façade is a collage of various geometric shapes. Inside, dramatic large spaces coexist with cozy smaller ones.
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United Nations University Headquarters
Architect: Kenzo Tange
A powerful symmetrical design resembling a pyramid. Triangular motifs are present in the structure’s apex, courtyard, and sides.
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Tsuta Coffee Shop & Tsuta Salon
Architect: Mamoru Yamada
A masterpiece of the “Secessionist” architect as his personal residence. The enlarged first floor is now a café, and large glass windows offer a view of a traditional Japanese garden.
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Old Carina Store
Architect: Kazuyo Sejima
A small building located behind Aoyama Street. The entrance staircase, emerging from a mesh box, is charming.
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Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum
Architect: Junzo Sakakura
Originally a combined residence and studio. The concrete block wall and convex lens-shaped roof create a spacious open-air studio.
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Nezu Museum
Architect: Kengo Kuma
A fusion of bamboo groves and large roofs in a “Japanese” style, integrated with glass and concrete, creating a refreshing space. A traditional Japanese garden is also within.
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La Collezione
Architect: Tadao Ando
Beautiful cylindrical slits and open spaces. The interior features a maze-like arrangement of stairways.
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The Jewels of Aoyama
Architect: Jun Mitsui
A combination of a main building and a glass corner building. A walkway runs between them, adding a nice accent to the streetscape.
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SunnyHills Japan
Architect: Kengo Kuma
Resembling a giant cocoon, the wooden surface is supported by a "Hell construction" method, providing a solid foundation for the building.
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COMMUNE 2nd
Architect: T-ADS
A gathering place for food stalls. The unique stalls were partially designed by the University of Tokyo’s design lab led by Kengo Kuma. (Currently closed)
There are even more notable architectural buildings
in Omotesando and Aoyama:
a. Jingu-mae Ohta Building / Architect: Takehiro Takeuchi
b. Oak Omotesando / Contractor: Obayashi Corporation
c. Meiji Life Aoyama Palacio / Mitsubishi Estate + Takenaka Corporation + Toda Corporation + Ricardo Bofill (Exterior)
d. Ao / Architect: Nihon Sekkei
e. Comme des Garçons Aoyama Store / Architect: Takao Kawasaki + Future Systems (Facade)
f. MIU MIU Aoyama Store / Herzog & de Meuron
g. Prada Aoyama Boutique / Herzog & de Meuron
h. Old Marc Jacobs Aoyama Store / Architect: Stefan Jaklitsch
i. Yokumoku Aoyama Flagship / Architect: Contemporary Planning Institute
j. INTERSECT BY LEXUS / Architect: Masamichi Katayama (Wonderwall)
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