2010-11

Have you visited Omotesando Hills in Tokyo?  If so, the architecture designed by Tadao Ando (安藤忠雄) must have caught you eyes.
Before this modern building was built, there was an apartment in this place.  The name of the apartment was Dojunkai Aoyama Apart (同潤会青山アパート), which was an old building completed in 1927.

This apartment is not completely gone.  Did you notice that the eastern edge of Omotesando Hills is not covered with glass?  This part is the reused Dojunkai Aoyama Apart.
The 2nd floor of this rebirthed Dojunkai is used as an art gallery.  It is a small gallery that exhibits modern arts, which goes very well with the stylish city of Omotesando.

Boutiques are of course attractive, but finding other charms of Omotesando is amusing too

Gallery Dojunkai
Location: Omotesando Hills
Website: http://www.gallerydojunkai.com/gallery.htm (Jap)

–
Higherground Co.,Ltd.
2-8-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
TEL:03-6459-2230
MAIL:info@higherground.co.jp
HP:http://www.higherground.co.jp/
TOP PAGE: http://livingtokyo.net/

Roppongi Duplex M’s #502　【Finished/終了】

Agent commission 50% OFF!

Bed Rooms: 2
Floor Area: 105.55 sqm / 1136.17 sqft
Address:  50-16-5, Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Access: 5 minutes walk to Roppongi Station / Hibiya Line, Oedo Line
8 minutes walk to Roppongi-icchome Station / Namboku Line
Completion: Jun. 2008
Structure: Steel-reinforced Concrete

Rent: JPY500,000/month
Management Fee: JPY0
Key Money: 1 month
Deposit: 2 month
Parking: Available
Pets: Not Allowed

Roppongi Duplex M’s is a furnished apartment, with good access from the busy streets of Roppongi.
It is pretty close to Tokyo Tower, too (it was too bright this day to get a good photo…)

This is Roppongi, so of course, there are many attractions in this area.
Ramen restaurants, Hard Rock Cafe, Sushi bars, Don Quijote, and more!

There is a cafe on the ground floor of Roppongi Duplex M’s.

Entrance with a chandelier, soaring 3 floors high.

Entrance on the 5th floor.
The Auto-lock entrance is not on the ground floor, but are on each residential floors.

Lobby on the 5th floor.

Powder room, with utility space.

Bath room, equipped with bath room dryer.

Rest room.

Living dining room.

Walk-in closet in the living dining room.

Kitchen in the back of the living dining room, with a dish washer and 3 induction cookers.
This kitchen is pretty small, but it is alright for 1 or 2 people.

Balcony with wooden floor.
You can get a good view of Roppongi Hills

Understairs storage.

And up the stairs…

Bed rooms.

There are 2 balconies on the 2nd floor.  Both balconies are connected to both bed rooms.
There is a dining set on the southern balcony.  It must be very nice to spend some time here when the weather is comfortable

物件名：六本木デュープレックスエムズ
賃料：500,000
敷／礼　：2/1
仲介手数料50%Off

Thank you for checking Roppongi Duplex M’s.
For more apartments nearby, click here!

–
Higherground Co.,Ltd.
2-8-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
TEL:03-6459-2230
MAIL:info@higherground.co.jp
HP:http://www.higherground.co.jp/
TOP PAGE: http://livingtokyo.net/

Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Museum (東京都庭園美術館) is a museum in Meguro, Tokyo.  There are temporary exhibitions 5-6 times an year, but the main exhibition of this museum is the building and the garden itself.

The building of the museum was built in 1933, as the mansion of Asakanomiya (朝香宮), member of the Imperial family.  The style is Art Deco, which stormed Europe in the 1920s to 30s.
The building was mainly designed by a French designer, and many of the interior accessories are from France and other countries.  Parts of the building were designed by a Japanese architect who belonged to the Imperial Household Ministry, and added some Japanese touch.

Teien (庭園), of Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Museum, means garden.  This fact shows that the garden is the main attraction.
The garden consists of the grass garden, Japanese garden, and Western garden.  Various flowers will amuse you throughout the seasons.  There are outdoor exhibitions, such as carvings, and a tea cermony house too.

Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Museum
Location: Meguro
Website: http://www.teien-art-museum.ne.jp/info/e_index.html (Eng)

–
Higherground Co.,Ltd.
2-8-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
TEL:03-6459-2230
MAIL:info@higherground.co.jp
HP:http://www.higherground.co.jp/
TOP PAGE: http://livingtokyo.net/

It’s the season of Christmas preparation!
Many ornaments are seen at discount stores etc.  If you are missing Christmas goods from the US or Europe, there is a shop where you can find them.

Daikanyama Chiristmas Company is a full-year Christmas shop in Daikanyama, Tokyo.  They have many ornaments, snowdomes, and more, from the West.  Also, there are original goods which the shop ordered to European craftmen, are only available at this shop.

Many of the goods sold here are hand-maid, with no same product in the world.  The warmth of hand-maid goods shall bring you a nice Christmas.

Shop early, and have a merry, well-prepared Christmas!

Daikanyama Christmas Company
Website: http://www.christmas-company.com/index.html (Jap)

–
Higherground Co.,Ltd.
2-8-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
TEL:03-6459-2230
MAIL:info@higherground.co.jp
HP:http://www.higherground.co.jp/
TOP PAGE: http://livingtokyo.net/

La Tour Ichigaya Sadohara #W202

Agent commission 50% OFF!
No Key Money!

Bed Rooms: 3
Floor Area: 131.6 sqm / 1416.6 sqft
Address:  1-17-3, Ichigaya Sadohara-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Access: 7 minutes walk to Ichigaya Station / Yurakucho Line, Namboku Line, JR Lines
7 minutes walk to Ushigome Kagurazaka Station / Oedo Line
Completion: Mar. 2007
Structure: Steel-reinforced Concrete

Rent: JPY780,000/month
Management Fee: JPY0
Key Money: JPY0
Deposit: 4 month
Parking: Available
Pets: OK

La Tour Ichigaya Sadohara is located in the prime land of Ichigaya.
In the neighbor lives the present chief justice of Supreme Court.

Greenery.
Trees are planted in the facade, and there is a courtyard in the site.

Entrance
There is a little Japanese taste, with wooden latticework

Lobby.

Room entrance, with a walk-in shoes closet, and a closet.

Rest room.

Living dining room.

Kitchen, with 4 cooking stoves, and a dish washer.

Balcony with wooden floor.
There isn’t much to see, since there are no tall buildings in this area, and La Tour Ichigaya Sadohara is surrounded by other apartments.

Bed rooms.
Bed room floors are carpeted, while the corridor and other rooms have wooden floors.

Storage room.

Powder room.
There is an emergency call button near the toilet.

Bath room.
There is an emergency call button here, too.

Utility room.

Master’s bed room.

Balcony, connected to the master’s bed room.
It is mainly for emergency use, and is very narrow.

物件名：ラ・トゥール市谷砂土原
賃料：780,000
敷／礼　：4/0
仲介手数料50%Off

Thank you for checking La Tour Ichigaya Sadohara.
For more apartments nearby, click here!

–
Higherground Co.,Ltd.
2-8-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
TEL:03-6459-2230
MAIL:info@higherground.co.jp
HP:http://www.higherground.co.jp/
TOP PAGE: http://livingtokyo.net/

In Kanda, Tokyo, many old, small houses and buildings are preserved.
Matching with the scenery, there are many soba restaurants in Kanda.

Of all, the most famous and oldest must be Yabusoba (藪蕎麦).  It is not known when Yabusoba opened, but it was already a long-established shop in the 1750s, according to some literature.
Officially, the restaurant Kanda Yabusoba (かんだやぶそば), was opened in 1880.  The wooden store, which is still in use today, was built in 1923, after the Great Kanto Earthquake.

The characteristic of Yabusoba, is the thick taste of soba sauce.  Today, we usually dip soba in the sauce for a few seconds, but in the Edo period, people dipped soba just a bit.  The sause of Yabusoba is suitable of the Edo period way of eating soba.

Tasting soba at Kanda, and walking around book stores at Jimbocho, which is nearby, will take you back to the old Japan.

Kanda Yabusoba
Website: http://www.norenkai.net/english/shop/yabusoba/index.html (Eng)

–
Higherground Co.,Ltd.
2-8-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
TEL:03-6459-2230
MAIL:info@higherground.co.jp
HP:http://www.higherground.co.jp/
TOP PAGE: http://livingtokyo.net/

La Tour Kagurazaka #2003　【Finished/終了】

Agent commission 50% OFF!
No Key Money!

Bed Rooms: 2
Floor Area: 99.6 sqm / 1072.1 sqft
Address:  1-12, Nishi Goken-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Access: 4 minutes walk to Edogawabashi Station / Yurakucho Line
8 minutes walk to Kagurazaka Station / Tozai Line
Completion: Oct. 2002
Structure: Steel-reinforced Concrete

Rent: JPY498,000/month
Management Fee: JPY0
Key Money: JPY0
Deposit: 3 month
Parking: Available
Pets: OK

Kagurazaka (神楽坂) is a with a sloping street at its center, lined by numerous cafes and restaurants.  In the early 20th century, the area was renowned for its numerous Geisha houses (置屋, Okiya), of which several remain today.

There are also many luxurious residences in this area.  La Tour Kagurazaka is one of them, with a fitness room.

Entrance.

Lounge and elevator hall.
Room key required to use the elevator.

Room entrance, with a walk-in shoes closet.
The entrance light automatically turns on when you enter the room.

Living dining room.

Kitchen, with 4 cooking stoves, and a dish washer.

Bed room.

Closet on the corridor.
Inside the door on the near side is the breaker box.

Rest room.
The red dot in the left picture is an emergency call button.

Master’s bed room, with a walk-in closet.

Balcony, and the view of Shinjuku.

Powder room.

Bath room, equipped with bath room dryer.

物件名：ラ・トゥール神楽坂
賃料：498,000
敷／礼　：3/0
仲介手数料50%Off

Thank you for checking La Tour Kagurazaka.
For more apartments nearby, click here!

–
Higherground Co.,Ltd.
2-8-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
TEL:03-6459-2230
MAIL:info@higherground.co.jp
HP:http://www.higherground.co.jp/
TOP PAGE: http://livingtokyo.net/

Okura Museum of Art (大倉集古館), is a museum in Akasaka, right in front of Hotel Okura.  This museum exhibits Japanese and oriental arts, which was collected by Okura Kihachiro (大倉喜八郎), an entrepreneur.  His son, Kishichiro (喜七郎), is the founder of Okura Hotel.

Okura Museum of Art opened in 1917, as the first proprietary museum in Japan.  After the building and some arts were lost in the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, the museum once closed, but reopened in 1928.
In 1997, the original building was rebuilt for the 80th anniversary event.  The building has classic Chinese taste, and has been selected as the natinal cultural heritage.

Okura Museum of Art owns about 2500 arts, and 1000 writings from ancient China.  The arts have a range in drawings, carvings, calligraphies, etc., and includes 3 national treasures.

Exhibitions differ from time to time.  For inforation of what is on now, check out the website

Okura Museum of Art
Location: Akasaka, Tokyo
Website: http://www.shukokan.org/english/index.html (Eng)

–
Higherground Co.,Ltd.
2-8-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
TEL:03-6459-2230
MAIL:info@higherground.co.jp
HP:http://www.higherground.co.jp/
TOP PAGE: http://livingtokyo.net/

La Tour Iidabashi #1904

Agent commission 50% OFF!
No Key Money!

Bed Rooms: 3
Floor Area: 133.81 sqm / 1440.37 sqft
Address:  1-6-2, Koraku, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
Access: 3 minutes walk to Iidabashi Station / Oedo Line, Yurakucho Line, Namboku Line, JR Sobu Line

8 minutes walk to Korakuen Station / Marunouchi Line, Namboku Line
Completion: Apr. 2010
Structure: Steel-reinforced Concrete

Rent: JPY700,000/month
Management Fee: JPY0
Key Money: JPY0
Deposit: 4 month
Parking: Available
Pets: OK

La Tour Iidabashi is an apartment in Iidabashi district.
There is a party room for residents, and on the basement floor is a pet foot wash room.

To get to La Tour Iidabashi, you have to cross a huge footbridge.

A Soba restaurant, located right next door.

Entrance.

Elevator hall.
Room key required to use the elevator.

Room entrance.

Rest rooms.

Closet on the corridor.

Bed rooms.

View from the bed room window.
There are the skyscrapers of Shinjuku in the distance.

Master’s bed room, with a walk-in closet.

Balcony.
The hand rail is glass-made.  Looking down is even frightening!

Powder room.

There are chests in all the mirrors.

Bath room, equipped with bath room dryer.
There is an emergency call button.

Living dining room.

Kitchen, with 4 induction cookers, and a dish washer.

物件名：ラ・トゥール飯田橋
賃料：700,000
敷／礼　：4/0
仲介手数料50%Off

Thank you for checking La Tour Iidabashi.

–
Higherground Co.,Ltd.
2-8-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
TEL:03-6459-2230
MAIL:info@higherground.co.jp
HP:http://www.higherground.co.jp/
TOP PAGE: http://livingtokyo.net/

The Imperial Hotel is one of the best known hotels in Japan, once owned by the Imperial family.  It is located near the Imperial Palace, with good access to Ginza station.

The original Imperial Hotel in Tokyo was built in 1890, with wooden structure.  This was replaced to brick-and- concrete-made buildings in 1923.  This building survived the Tokyo Earthquake, which occured few months later from the completion.

The hotel building which exist today was built after WW2.  Some parts of the former building (such as columns) are preserved in the hotel, and the facade and pool were moved to Meiji Mura Museum, a collection of modern buildings in Nagoya.

The Imperial Hotel is known for its detailed services, especially the cleaning service.  Of course they will wash out the stains which were attached during your stay at the hotel, but that is not all.  They are keeping various buttons from all over the world, and they find a button lost from your clothes, they will put on a similar one for you.  Also, they will iron your clothes so that the texture will match your taste.

The cleaning service is only for registered guests, but for those who aren’t spending the night, there are lounges and restaurants, shops, etc. to enjoy.

–
Higherground Co.,Ltd.
2-8-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
TEL:03-6459-2230
MAIL:info@higherground.co.jp
HP:http://www.higherground.co.jp/
TOP PAGE: http://livingtokyo.net/