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Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower, left Image: Mori Building Co
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Japan's tallest skyscraper, at 330 meters, completed in Tokyo

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Tokyo is a great city to live in if you like cities. I personally prefer the seaside where we don't have skyscrapers. We have 360º skies. Like an inverted fish bowl.

24 ( +30 / -6 )

Tokyo is very nice ..... to look at from 10 kilometers away.

I moved out of the city and now work at home so don't need to make the tedious train journey anymore - life is peachy

19 ( +39 / -20 )

Where?

Sapporo Kobe Osaka etc

Why?

Depends on the city. Some have nicer people while others are not as crowded.

15 ( +25 / -10 )

Cool. Keen to check it out.

Was driving through some parts of Tokyo I had never seen in 20 years, on the weekend. Always surprising how absolutely massive the city is and all of the interesting nooks and crannies you can find.

Did the same in Yokohama Sunday night and it was pumping and loads of people out on dates in the parks, people filling the bars and streets in a summer vibe. Lovely to see and the views were fantastic.

12 ( +15 / -3 )

I see this building going to our office. Its so big I call it the "Tokyo Tower photo bomber". It just destroys the view of the historic tower on certain angles.

9 ( +20 / -11 )

I live near this area. It's just tower after tower after tower for the last few years with the odd patch of green or a tree or two to check whichever SDG box the corporation has on their websites. What little local character there once was is fast disappearing. Yet another one or two Hills or whatever on the way near Tokyo station, whoo and indeed hoo.

9 ( +14 / -5 )

Seems like Roppongi Hills has a sibling.

I kind of agree with this. All those Mori buildings look somewhat identical except maybe Toranomon Hills. All glass buildings are cool and all, but I would much rather prefer the area around Tokyo station and Otemachi where they mixed in old architecture with modern buildings. Add more distinction in designs, but I'm not saying go as far as building something like Mode Gakuen which is a cool looking building.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Another cookie-cutter skyscraper that lacks outward appeal. This is a recent trend in the big cities here, it seems. They did the same in Minatomirai although the Landmark Tower was done very well and highlights the port area nicely, all the others look basically the same.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

Have they figured out how to properly insulate a building yet?

Will they have random pipes in the exterior of the building?

I have lived in poorly insulated apartments and houses inside Tokyo, several of which I owned. I have also lived in modern, well-insulated high-end “tower mansions” like this building inside Tokyo. And I have lived in modern, well-insulated high-end mansions outside Tokyo, but within Japan.

Surprisingly, I enjoyed the “tower mansion” life inside Tokyo the most. I did not expect to like it before trying it though. We were next to a giant park, and everything was walkable or a short commute. I loved exploring the city, constantly finding something new, meeting new people. However, housing costs are considerably greater.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

You can insulate your home to whatever standard you want.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Tokyo is a great city to live in if you like cities. I personally prefer the seaside where we don't have skyscrapers. We have 360º skies. Like an inverted fish bowl.

I wouldn’t want to live in a big city but, for visiting and sightseeing, I like both. Natural scenery, such as along the Izu coastline, is generally beautiful, but the view from, say, Tokyo Sky Deck is quite something as well.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I would not call it ugly some nice lines.

4 ( +10 / -6 )

Tokyo is great if youre a tourist or short term visa stayer, single no kids.

if your long term , permanent resident with family then not so much,

plenty of better cheaper places to live in Japan. the rural home i bought in Japan 440m2 I paid less than you could buy a used condominium in Tokyo. while its classified as rural to Japanese Im only 40minutes commute from Osaka if I even had to work there, thankfully I dont

4 ( +5 / -1 )

I suffer vertigo, changing a light bulb.

If these high rise modernist tower blocks serve a economic purpose, and clearly they do, then fill your boots.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

↑ And a train station.

3 ( +11 / -8 )

Why do you agree with Jim?

because just like he said there are much more beautiful cities in Japan which are a thousand times better than Tokyo!

2 ( +24 / -22 )

A shrinking population and most people home working most of the time. No need for any more skyscrapers.

2 ( +14 / -12 )

Well said Jim

Why do you agree with Jim?

1 ( +24 / -23 )

I'll take Nobeoka here in Miyazaki thank you. Beach 15 min drive to Hyuga. If I want a big city for a few hours Fukuoka is just a 3 hour drive. Gorgeous nature at Takachiho only a 20 min drive. Wild horses at Cape Toi, a 2 hour train trip. Historic castle at Obi, 2 hour drive. Keep Tokyo, thanks.

1 ( +9 / -8 )

The first wood skyscraper is being built in Tokyo for an insurance company.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

It is ugly and sterile. I do not understand the attraction of these things.

1 ( +11 / -10 )

It's just tower after tower after tower for the last few years with the odd patch of green or a tree or two to check whichever SDG box the corporation has on their websites.

dull, even sometimes shiney but still dull, glass and concrete with some sapling trees dotted around with equal spacing......... much of Tokyo is becoming this dull mix.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Clearly this person hasn’t travelled much globally or even in Japan! Tokyo is the most overrated city in the world! Overpriced, nothing spectacular, copied architecture from other area, overcrowded to the max, impossible to get a decent restaurant reservation on any given Friday, Saturday or even Sunday, lack of 24 hours supermarket, long long lines everywhere, can’t get seats even at Starbucks, trains packed like sardine cans, apartment sizes are super small and super overpriced and the biggest problem is it’s disaster prone with earthquakes and the inevitable Mount Fuji eruption which will send 2 inches of black ash to Tokyo according to Japan Metrology Agency. There are much more beautiful cities in Japan which are a thousand times better than Tokyo!

I count the suburban prefectures of Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama, and Western Tokyo Prefecture as "Tokyo" and I'd rather live in one of those areas than within the 23 special wards. Living an hour away from Central Tokyo by train or car is ideal.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Maybe a bit of a hot take, but I don't mind this skyscraper. I agree that it looks generic though. I think more people will come around to it once TeamLab Borderless moves in.

There are definitely worse buildings out there. I'll take Azabudai anyday over London's giant Walkie Talkie, Singapore's Marina Bay Sands, or Orlando's unfinished "eyesore on i4". And skyscrapers that twist or bend - never was a fan of that design philosophy.

Bring back Machiya-style houses in the suburbs and Tokyo will look better instantly. Actually I think the residential neighborhoods are the worst looking ones in the city.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Tokyo is very nice ..... to look at from 10 kilometers away. 

I moved out of the city and now work at home so don't need to make the tedious train journey anymore - life is peachy

Yes, those who are aging tend to move towards the periphery of Tokyo and neighboring prefectures.

Minato, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Setagaya, Meguro are all very good places to live.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

People who work in these 'Mori Monstrosities' spend half of their lunch breaks waiting, then riding up and down elevators to get their food and drinks, while the service, delivery and utility staff experience even worse waits and delays in their service elevators. They are just not people friendly.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

JimJuly 4  07:37 am JST

Clearly this person hasn’t travelled much globally or even in Japan! Tokyo is the most overrated city in the world! Overpriced, nothing spectacular, copied architecture from other area, overcrowded to the max, impossible to get a decent restaurant reservation on any given Friday, Saturday or even Sunday, lack of 24 hours supermarket, long long lines everywhere, can’t get seats even at Starbucks, trains packed like sardine cans, apartment sizes are super small and super overpriced and the biggest problem is it’s disaster prone with earthquakes and the inevitable Mount Fuji eruption which will send 2 inches of black ash to Tokyo according to Japan Metrology Agency. There are much more beautiful cities in Japan which are a thousand times better than Tokyo!

To paraphrase Samuel Johnson; "Tired of Tokyo, tired of life".

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It is also expected to accommodate the British School in Tokyo

At first I felt sorry for the kids but it seems they will be located in a different (dedicated?) building, it seems great from the pictures

https://www.bst.ac.jp/uniquely-bst/central-tokyo-campuses/azabudai-campus

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

I like skyscrapers. They serve two very useful purposes.

They keep thousands of awful people in one place and you can see from miles away exactly the place you don't want to be.

-1 ( +13 / -14 )

Another monstrosity!!

French intellectuals said that about the Eiffel Tower just after its construction too.

-3 ( +10 / -13 )

Congrats to the Mori Building Corporation! Look forward to catching the elevator up to as high as the public can head up to when the Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower opens.

The yet to be completed Mitsubishi Estate building at 390 meters though should be drawjopping! Cannot wait for that.

This could be a renaissance in skyscrapers in Tokyo?

-5 ( +10 / -15 )

Yeah another ugly piece of Japan architecture. It's incredibly that they can build such ugly structure that does not fit whatsoever with the surrounding environment. Japan modern architecture is just chaos, nothing is done with a coherent vision. In fact similar to most cities in US.

Sapporo Kobe Osaka etc

Sapporo is a better place to live since it has less people and it's obviously cheaper than Tokyo. The weather is horrible in Hokkaido though. But boy it's also an ugly city. Ugly buildings everywhere, boring parallel streets, chaotic architecture, it's just ugly in most of the city. In terms of architecture it's a mini modern Tokyo, it's also very similar to Chiba. At least Tokyo has still some historical places that look much better than the modern developed areas.

I would argue that all Japanese cities with the industrial architecture Japan adopted post-war are awfully ugly. Rural towns are also very ugly and they look all the same. The only nice looking cities in Japan are the ones with some major historical areas.

-5 ( +18 / -23 )

The Azabudai Hills building is already expected to be surpassed by another skyscraper in fiscal 2027, however, as a building to stand at 390 meters is being constructed by Mitsubishi Estate Co near Tokyo Station.

Mori et al keep on building these luxury complexes like it is the bubble era, as wages and living standards decline.

https://japantoday.com/category/national/japan%27s-ultra-wealthy-population-to-shrink-in-5-years-to-2027-report

Maybe for these investors?

https://www.axios.com/2022/03/20/china-new-billionaires-faster-us

-6 ( +20 / -26 )

Have they figured out how to properly insulate a building yet?

-7 ( +43 / -50 )

How many floors is that?

-7 ( +7 / -14 )

Actually, it is tied with the Harukas Tower in Tennoji at that height.

-10 ( +0 / -10 )

because just like he said there are much more beautiful cities in Japan which are a thousand times better than Tokyo!

Where?

Why?

-10 ( +11 / -21 )

Have they figured out how to properly insulate a building yet?

Yes they a long time ago and not only that they learned how to building that withstand Earthquakes. By the way, has the west learn how to building a building that does not sink?

 

San Francisco’s Millennium Tower is still sinking despite fixes

https://www.archpaper.com/2022/01/san-francisco-millennium-tower-is-still-sinking-despite-fixes/

 

Nope!

-10 ( +2 / -12 )

Have they figured out how to properly insulate a building yet?

Will they have random pipes in the exterior of the building?

-12 ( +8 / -20 )

Well, well, well! Seems like Roppongi Hills has a sibling. I suppose Japan decided, "Who needs fancy innovation or stunning architecture when we have earthquakes, tsunamis, and the occasional gas leak explosions to spice things up in Tokyo?" Oh, the joys of living on the edge... quite literally!

-13 ( +6 / -19 )

Another monstrosity!!

-14 ( +10 / -24 )

Sapporo Kobe Osaka , Tokyo Fukuoka. It does not matter. All cities in Japan are great.

-15 ( +6 / -21 )

How is possible? A cool city is becoming even cooler.

-18 ( +4 / -22 )

Tokyo is so crowded like a can of squashed sardines. They have to make buildings taller to accommodate the lack of land.

-22 ( +21 / -43 )

Amazing!!.. 

Tokyo keep growing as one of the best cities to live in the world.. 

GO TOKYO!!.. Coolest and frikiest city of the world!!..

Clearly this person hasn’t travelled much globally or even in Japan! Tokyo is the most overrated city in the world! Overpriced, nothing spectacular, copied architecture from other area, overcrowded to the max, impossible to get a decent restaurant reservation on any given Friday, Saturday or even Sunday, lack of 24 hours supermarket, long long lines everywhere, can’t get seats even at Starbucks, trains packed like sardine cans, apartment sizes are super small and super overpriced and the biggest problem is it’s disaster prone with earthquakes and the inevitable Mount Fuji eruption which will send 2 inches of black ash to Tokyo according to Japan Metrology Agency. There are much more beautiful cities in Japan which are a thousand times better than Tokyo!

-25 ( +39 / -64 )

Clearly this person hasn’t travelled much globally or even in Japan! Tokyo is the most overrated city in the world! Overpriced, nothing spectacular, copied architecture from other area, overcrowded to the max, impossible to get a decent restaurant reservation on any given Friday, Saturday or even Sunday, lack of 24 hours supermarket, long long lines everywhere, can’t get seats even at Starbucks, trains packed like sardine cans, apartment sizes are super small and super overpriced and the biggest problem is it’s disaster prone with earthquakes and the inevitable Mount Fuji eruption which will send 2 inches of black ash to Tokyo according to Japan Metrology Agency. There are much more beautiful cities in Japan which are a thousand times better than Tokyo!

Well said Jim

-30 ( +25 / -55 )

Amazing!!..

Tokyo keep growing as one of the best cities to live in the world..

GO TOKYO!!.. Coolest and frikiest city of the world!!..

-45 ( +17 / -62 )

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