Azabudai Hills: A Two-Hour Walk from Dusk to Night

I arrived at Azabudai Hills (麻布台ヒルズ) in Minato Ward, Tokyo, around 4:30 in the afternoon in winter. Walking down from Tokyo Tower and cresting one hill, my view suddenly opened up,…

Tokyo · Abu Dhabi Hills

I arrived at Azabudai Hills (麻布台ヒルズ) in Minato Ward, Tokyo, around 4:30 in the afternoon in winter. Walking down from Tokyo Tower and cresting one hill, my view suddenly opened up, and terraced gardens unfolded below. After spending a long time in Southeast Asia, the first things you notice when you return to Tokyo after a while are the air temperature and the pace at which people walk—and both were distinctly evident here. A dry wind in a December afternoon, and a leisurely walking pace where no one is in a hurry.

Terraced Gardens — A Village on a Hill, Not a Shopping Mall

The first view from the GardenPlaza deck looking down explains everything about this neighborhood's character. Low-rise glass box buildings scattered about, with dirt paths and stone steps connecting them. The spiral tower visible in the distance straight ahead is the Roppongi skyline, and the massive metal canopy stretching to the upper right is the substructure of Mori JP Tower. Since it's winter, most trees have shed their leaves, which actually made all the pathways between buildings visible.

Overview of Azabudai Hills' terraced gardens at dusk, with EDITION hotel signage and Roppongi skyline on the left, metal canopy pillars on the right — 4:30 p.m., the moment when the sunset reflected entirely off the western building's glass. The 'EDITION' sign in the upper left is EDITION Toranomon.

Moving a few steps toward the central lawn plaza, your gaze drops lower. Winding apartment buildings, low structures topped with tile roofs, and oddly standing wooden kiosks. On one side of the plaza sat a small excavator and blue tarps laid out as-is. The area had only recently opened, so work was still ongoing, all of it captured in photos. This stuff never appears in promotional photos.

View of Azabudai Hills' central plaza from above the stairs, with wooden kiosk and operating excavator, Hermès store glass facade on the right — Landscaping areas still being organized on the right side of the plaza. Blue tarps and traffic cones remain visible.

The stone steps have low risers and wide treads, so pulling a suitcase isn't a burden. The dirt path sections are quite long, though. I took a walk in white sneakers the day after rain and got dirt on the sides of the soles.

Easy to Get Lost—Trust the Signage

The first stumbling block for first-time visitors is understanding that this complex is three-dimensional, not flat. The same "first floor" varies in elevation across different zones. Even checking a map app, you can't tell how many meters above ground you're standing, so you end up unable to find the stairs even when your destination is right in front of you.

Azabudai Hills outdoor directional sign showing arrows to Mori JP Tower, GardenPlaza, Central Plaza, and Roppongi-itchome Station — This sign is essentially the table of contents for this complex. Zones are divided by color blocks, so you can just follow the colors.

Reading the signage puts the structure into perspective. Left side: Mori JP Tower, Tower Plaza, British School in Tokyo, and GardenPlaza (museum, gallery, market). Right side: Residence A and Janu Tokyo hotel, plus Roppongi-itchome Station. The GardenPlaza sign also has Kamiyacho Station marked. With two stations nearby, the Hibiya Line's Kamiyacho Station is directly connected underground, which is better on rainy days. From the Namboku Line's Roppongi-itchome Station, you come up to ground level and walk a bit up the hill.

I recommend the route from Tokyo Tower. It's just over 15 minutes on foot and downhill, so it's not strenuous. Conversely, if you're heading from here to Tokyo Tower, you'd be going uphill, so it's better to plan the route this way.

When the Sun Sets, This Neighborhood Changes Character

Shortly after 5 p.m., the sky darkened rapidly. The Tokyo winter sun really does set fast. And then lights came on in the Hermès building across the plaza. There were more than a few people who waited until dusk specifically to see this building.

Corner view of the illuminated Hermès Azabudai store at night, with a crescent moon above the glass facade — The water drop pattern etched into the glass surface comes alive when lit from inside. The small dot in the upper right is that night's moon.

An irregular dot pattern is printed across the entire glass surface, so during the day it's just frosted glass, but at night the interior lighting illuminates each dot individually. The rounded corner treatment becomes apparent too. You can see straight through to the clothing racks and lighting fixtures inside the second-floor store. I stepped back a few paces to photograph it, and the person behind me moved to the same spot.

View looking up at the Hermès building and dark tower above it at night in the plaza, with EDITION hotel lights in the far left — The whole composition from the plaza's dirt floor. The contrast between the bright glass box below and the dark tower rising above is the essence of this building.

Stepping out to the middle of the plaza, the angle changes completely. A high-rise tower with a black diamond pattern rises seamlessly above the bright glass lower level, with the bottom brightly lit and the top barely visible as silhouette. The plaza floor being compacted dirt rather than pavement meant footsteps made no sound—a striking feature. It's rare to feel this kind of surface underfoot in central Tokyo.

Panorama of Azabudai Hills plaza at night, with illuminated high-rise buildings on the left, white conical sculpture in the center, and Hermès store on the right — Groups of office buildings in the Toranomon direction stretch out to the left of the plaza. The white cone in the center is a sculptural installation in the plaza.

Turning your body to face west across the plaza, rows of office buildings in the Toranomon direction stand lined up. It wasn't even 6 p.m. yet, but every window had its lights on. Sitting here, you see two versions of Tokyo in one frame. Tokyo still at work, and Tokyo strolling dirt paths.

Looking up at Hermès lower level and dark high tower, with moon in deep blue sky and white bench in the foreground — To fit the tower's peak and moon in one frame, you need to step back to the southern end of the plaza. The white object in front is a sculptural bench for sitting.

You Can Sit at the Tables Without Ordering

On the way back, I discovered an outdoor seating area under the canopy. Over twenty white metal tables and rattan-woven chairs were arranged, and they're public seating—no purchase necessary. I pulled out my laptop and sat for about thirty minutes. My fingers got cold in the winter evening, but with almost no other people around, I had plenty of choice spots.

White tables and chairs in outdoor public seating, laptop screen in foreground, illuminated Hermès building and white conical sculpture across the way — In the public seating under the canopy. The spot where Hermès is directly ahead and the white cone sculpture is to the left is the best.

Someone sitting near my table was just looking at their phone without coffee either. The fact that this isn't a space where you have to buy something to sit is this complex's most practical virtue. I couldn't find any power outlets though, and in a December evening at 6 p.m., your fingertips go numb after just fifteen minutes of sitting. If you plan to stay longer, it's better to head into the indoor Tower Plaza.

Good to Know Before You Go

Arriving 40 minutes before sunset is ideal. You'll see both the sunset reflection and nighttime lighting at once. In winter, that's around 3:40 to 4 p.m.
Route flows downward: GardenPlaza deck → stairs → central plaza gives continuous expanding views.
Kamiyacho Station via underground connection is most convenient, Roppongi-itchome Station is ground-level walking. From Tokyo Tower is around 15 minutes downhill on foot.
The plaza floor is dirt, so it's better to avoid light-colored shoes.
Operating hours and store operations vary by zone, so check the directional signs on-site.

Two hours pass easily here without buying or eating anything. The design of turning the hillside into stairs and cutting dirt paths between them ultimately keeps people walking. Next time I want to come when the cherry blossoms are in bloom and see how those leafless trees transform.