Roppongi Hills... Big Bold and Eight-Legged Bronze?

 19th August, 2010 - After our fill of celebrity (Julia Roberts, why don't you write to me?), we had a bit more of a look around TV Asahi studios, though at that time of night, there wasn't much to be seen except for a faux-faux-Eiffel Tower (ok, Tokyo Tower might be taller, but will never quite capture the same feeling).



Right next to TV Asahi is the rather delightful surprising Mori Garden... snuggled as it were amongst the glass and steel, and looking beautiful under the artificial Tokyo electric sun in Roppongi.

Side Note: Roppongi is the suburb name, and comes from the Japanese 六本木 which means "6 trees", from roku (六) which means 6, hon (本) or long-cylindrical counter and ki (木) trees.... so why isn't it called rokuhonki?... well, the Japanese in their wisdom realise that some things just don't quite sound right, so they soften the sounds to form roppongi. See Japanese is pretty easy. The history was that the area was actually famous for 6 pine trees, but they were successively killed off and finally the last 3 were destroyed in WWII. In recent times Roppongi has been more synonymous with partying (especially by foreigners)... although strangely enough it's also the home of quite a few foreign embassies as well.

Actually the name, Mori, is sort of well used around this development, commonly known as Roppongi Hills. Mori refers to Mori Minoru (of the Mori clan) and now billionaire building tycoon who constructed the 4 billion dollar development in Roppongi.... the 54 storey Mori Tower being the most dominant part of the development. Whislt Roppongi might have a bit of a mixed reputation, Roppongi Hills is quite a swank location to go out for Japanese, and it also offers a great observation deck (at a pretty pricey 1500 yen) as well as an art gallery and a great selection of restaurants (ranging from reasonable to very expensive).

Just in front of Mori Tower, and just coming out of the Subway Station you will be immediately taken by a very special embassador to Roppongi Hills. Maman. This amazing bronze sculpture which stands some 10m high, straddles the open plaza and entrance to the Mori Art Gallery. It was created by French artist, Louis Bourgeois (1911-2010) who actually intended it to represent the spider aspects of his mother (of all things); a weaver, clever, protector of the family... and of course Maman is the french word for mother. It is used here however to signify that Roppongi Hills was the centre of the social web of Tokyo. It's infuriatingly Japanese in both it's sheer oddity and yet undeniable charm. Though as a last note, the sculpture exists in about 8 or 9 different locations across the globe, so you might yet bump into Louis' immortalised mother on your travels.

Overall, I enjoyed our evening with T-chan's brother in Roppongi Hills - it's a great place to socialise, to eat, see a bit of culture, and possibly head out for a party afterwards. It's also a great place to view that other Tokyo attraction... you guessed it, the real faux-Eiffel Tower, Tokyo Tower. And this view is free.

By the way, Ebisu Garden Place is just a quick train ride away and another great place to socialise. Note - you might also see Ebisu spelt Yebisu... don't get confused, but it's also a name of a beer. Hmmmm Beer.....

And one of the best things to do when you're thinking of beer..... hmmm... is to enjoy a meal of Jingisukan, or Mongolian Lamb BBQ - which is a speciality of my adopted home of Sapporo. And indeed, when in Ebisu Garden Place, you should definitely pop into the Sapporo Beer Station for a Sapporo beer and a slab of bbq'd lamb. Two of my favourite things.

Day 4 - Tokyo Tower

3rd February, 2003 - Tokyo Tower. It is called the fake-Eiffel tower, and it's easy to see why. It is an almost self-proclaimed tourist trap that sucks people in... it's shiny red and yellow glow a siren call to leave your good sense behind. It is a bit cheesy - yes - but, then again, it's hardly a trip to Tokyo without indulging in a bit of sentimentality.

Waiting at ground level you wonder if this is he end of the day that you really expected. It's been a long tiring day...The ride to the top is smooth and quick - then the doors open out and you find yourself on the observation deck. It feels quiet tonight; a bit like a chic club that celebrates it's not-quite-popular-status. Perhaps it's glory day has passed - or perhaps it's us as visitors that approach the tower with a certain cynicism. Still - for all that we walked around studying the neon and fluorescent skyline. This is Tokyo... and the Tower stands as an ever present reminder of that fact.

For the adventurous, there's the standard thick perspex floor window, allowing you to stand cm's from a cold and silent death drop. Ok - it might not be the Syndey Harbour Bridge climb, but for those of us that have a discomfiture of heights it's enough of a thrill.

Had a nice coffee here, foot-sore and yet feeling romantic... and still the night was young. The moral of the story is - enjoy Tokyo Tower because it is an uneasy (and perhaps slight dated) icon of Tokyo!
Osukaresama deshita!

Day 4 - Zojo-ji (Minato)

3rd February, 2003 - After walking some distance (always towards the tower) we came across Zojo-ji (or Zoujou-ji)... which was established around 1393 AD... but like many other such temples was significantly damaged during WWII and remade mostly out of concrete. Behind the temple, Tokyo Tower looms over the surrounds, like a giant rocket ship ready to take the enlightened few to a much better place. Australia?

Zoujou-ji is also rather well known for it's Jizo statues that surround the temple like some mystical totem fence. The Jizo are there to represent the lost children (or those that died in childbirth), and indeed are where the ashen remains are stored. It's an eerie feeling walking past these sad, beautiful statues, their sad innocent expressions, their hand made windmills catching the last rays of sunlight.The children's clothing is meant to protect them on their solitary journey.  A sobering and moving experience.