Toranomon translates to ‘Tiger’s Gate’ and while you won’t find any tigers roaming the streets of this up-and-coming Tokyo destination, you will find some fierce food and drink venues and excellent accommodation options.

We love this area for a few reasons:

Location – Firstly it’s a 30-minute cab ride from Haneda Airport – super important when arriving late at night or leaving early in the morning. It’s also a short walk from Shimbashi & Ginza, it’s close to Roppongi, a mere 10-minute taxi ride to Tokyo Station, close to the Imperial Place and it’s situated on both the Ginza and Hibiya subway lines, so you are incredibly well positioned to take in the best that Tokyo has to offer.

Tokyo Tower – Sure, Tokyo Skytree is the tallest tower in Japan and the views from the observation deck are insane, but nothing beats the O.G. for charm and character.  Tokyo Tower is peak Showa period retro and is by far and away the local's (and our) favourite. First opened in 1958 and having a very striking resemblance to Mr Eiffel’s iconic structure in the City of Light, Tokyo Tower is now an internationally recognised symbol of Tokyo. Toranomon Hills feels like it was built around this structure with hotel rooms with tower views in high demand.

Atago Jinga Shrine – featuring the famed ‘Stone Steps to Success’, this shrine was originally built in 1603 and then reconstructed in 1958. It is perched on the highest natural point in Tokyo and is renowned for its 86 stone steps from street level up to the shrine, the successful climbing of which reportedly brings success in life. We think the real reward is the forest-like sanctuary which awaits at the top: perfect for when you need a little grounding in this busy city.

The vibe – despite an excellent range of hotels and awesome location, the area is not at all touristy. It maintains its low-key energy and being in Toranomon Hills feels like you are experiencing Tokyo like an in-the-know local.

Hotels - Toranomon Hills is home to four of our favourite hotels in Tokyo, the timeless and incredible Andaz Tokyo, the uber-cool Tokyo Toranomon Edition with its swanky Gold Bar, the recently renovated but classic mid-century gem - The Okura Tokyo, and our current crush - the Hotel Toranomon Hills – which opened with the Toranomon Hills Tower complex in October 2023.

World-class dining options - Toranomon Hills was (and still is) a business and administrative centre so has always had an excellent range of restaurants and bars catering to the needs of the salarymen and women who commute there each day.

A huge amount of development over the last decade, culminating with the opening of the Toranomon Hills Tower in late 2023, further enhances the very cool Toranomon Hills dining scene which has exploded over the last few years (and those epic salaryman favourites are still there if you’re after a classic Japanese experience…)

With so many restaurants and eateries, there is literally something for every taste and budget - we have a list of favourites and recommendations which is a whole separate post - which we plan to share soon.

Not a lot of visitors are familiar with the Toranomon area or the Toranomon Hills precinct, which is what we love the most about it. It’s got everything that you could want in a Tokyo neighbourhood, and you get to experience it as if you were a Tokyoite.

So why not contact us to start planning your Toranomon Hills adventure today!