Search
Personal Tools
Toolbox
Omotesando Hills
From Virtual Japan
Omotesando Hills (表参道ヒルズ) is an urban development located in the Aoyama District of Tokyo, Japan. The complex, built by the urban development company, Mori Building, is one of a series of urban complexes from Mori that started with its initial design of Roppongi Hills in the 1980s. Omotesando Hills, opened in 2005, is a much smaller version of that design.
Development
Omotesando Hills was built for $330 million along a 250 meter stretch of Omotesando, a shopping avenue in Aoyama that had become quite famous on its own. Utilizing Tadao Ando, the architect well known for his work with Issey Miyake, the complex contains 130 shops and 38 apartments.
Its development was marked with multiple bouts of controversy as the building replaced the Dojunkai Aoyama Apartments, originally built in 1927 after the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. Protests and public outcry from those seeking to preserve the historical significance of those apartments was wide spread. Additionally, there was a good deal of concern from local landowners and citizens over the use of Tadao Ando as architect as his designs tend toward the flashy, fashionable aspects that would detract from historical sites nearby and only increase the amount of people flowing through.
The building itself only showcases six stories above ground to ensure that it did not go above the height of the nearby Zelkova trees which line the famous street. However, another six stories stretch beneath ground where additional shops are located.
Shops
Omotesando Hills is home to six floors of shopping, each one with a theme of sorts for which kinds of clothing, food, and amenities are offered.
- Third Floor – The top floor of shopping (just below the apartments) is home to the higher range of dining options with Japanese and western style sit in restaurants as well as a number of cafes and bars.
- Second Floor – The second floor is home to a wide array of specialized concept stores with fashion particulars in mind. Custom made items from boutiques include bags, shoes, accessories, cosmetics, and jewelry as well as some clothing.
- First Floor – The ground floor of the complex is home to the highest quality fashion from the biggest name designers as well as a large, well known café and quick service restaurant.
- Basement First Floor – The first floor basement is home to up and coming trendsetters in Japan’s fashion scene from the newest Japanese designers both living in Tokyo and overseas.
- Basement Second Floor – The second floor basement is home to an intriguing mixture of goods ranging from interior wares to children’s apparel and beauty services. Additional restaurants and cafes can be found here as well.
- Basement Third Floor – The final floor of Omotesando Hills is devoted to a wide array of multi-purpose stores for things like books, stationary, hobby supplies, electronics, interior wares, and daily necessities. Additional food and café services are also included on this floor.