Roppongi

Roppongi reinvented itself as Tokyo's art and nightlife quarter, shedding an older reputation as a raucous expatriate playground. Set in the Minato ward, it now balances glossy redevelopment with a concentration of galleries and museums that has earned the nickname Art Triangle.

Two large complexes reshaped the district. Roppongi Hills, centered on the Mori Tower, gathers offices, shops, a cinema and the Mori Art Museum, whose top-floor galleries pair with an observation deck for wide views over the city. Tokyo Midtown, a short walk away, adds the Suntory Museum of Art, design showcases and landscaped gardens that soften the surrounding towers.

The National Art Center completes the triangle, a striking glass-fronted building with a rippling facade that hosts large temporary exhibitions rather than a permanent collection. Together these institutions have made Roppongi one of the most rewarding areas in Tokyo for contemporary culture.

After dark the district keeps its energy. Bars, clubs and international restaurants cluster along the main crossing, drawing a mixed crowd of locals, professionals and visitors. The nightlife remains lively and can be brash, though the redevelopment has broadened its appeal well beyond the club scene.

Practical details make it easy to enjoy. Roppongi is served directly by two subway lines, and the museums are within a comfortable walk of one another. Evenings around the winter illuminations bring crowds to the tree-lined Keyakizaka slope below Roppongi Hills, a favorite photography spot. Daytime visitors come chiefly for the galleries and viewpoints, while the surrounding embassies lend the back streets a quiet, green character that surprises those who know Roppongi only by its nighttime reputation. An annual all-night art festival opens the galleries and streets late into the evening. Allow a full afternoon for the museums alone.