Minoru Mori | Tokyo | Roppongi Hills | Shishido Hills Country Club

Guests at the Grand Hyatt, like full-time residents of Roppongi Hills, can also make arrangements to play Shishido Hills Country Club, an exclusive golf course an hour's drive from Tokyo, where one of the most prestigious events on the Japanese Tour is played.

Roppongi Hills, in short, is a place that offers access to just about anything.

Minoru Mori launched his plans for Roppongi Hills in the mid-1980s. And after 17 years, his project has come to fruition. But he doesn't plan to stop here. His goal is a completely revitalized Tokyo, one with less sprawl and more concentrated culture, a city that lives up to the image of everything a global capital can be. "Just think," he says, "if you rebuild three percent of Tokyo a year, this urban dreamscape could become a reality within the next 30 years. My aim is globalization. Not in the sense of incorporating what's foreign, but in the sense of welcoming people from abroad. People are coming to recognize that Japan is not just a place you travel to, but a place in which you are welcome."



bruce osborn is originally from los angeles, but tokyo has been his home since 1980. in addition to photography, he also shoots and directs tv commercials and music videos.
the man behind the vision
what inspired minoru mori's concept for roppongi hills? and what's next?

american way: why roppongi hills? and why now?
minoru mori: i've been alarmed at how far tokyo has been lagging behind much of the world in terms of attractiveness of the city. that is mostly because there has been no plan, or grand design as i call it, for tokyo to be an important world center in the 21st century. people need more access to culture and a lifestyle that allows for more free time. a compact city that has everything in it is the best answer, and that is roppongi hills.