Toranomon Hills (photo via Creative Commons License for 準建築人手札網站 Forgemind ArchiMedia)

Toranomon Hills is the latest big building development project by the Mori development company that opened on June 11, 2014. Toranomon Hills will be the tallest skyscraper in Tokyo with a height of 256 metres (taller than Tokyo Midtown), but isn't a large as Roppongi Hills megaplex which was also built by the same company. The building and the Andaz hotel at the top look pretty gorgeous. The building takes its name from the Toranomon district that it is in, and "tora" means tiger, while "nomon" means gate. The neigbourhood used to be at the long demolished south gate to Edo Castle. Right now, the neigbourhood is sandwiched between the Imperial Palace to the north and the Tokyo Tower to the south. Great views of both places from the building.

Toranomon Hills is part of a series of redevelopment project in the heart of Tokyo and the building sits at one end of a new road that connects Toranomon to the Shimbashi district to the east. This road will be extended two more kilometres northwest for the 2020 Olympics. The building towers about the low to mid-rise buildings around it and it is a boost for the area which was hit by the economic turmoil of the 1990s. The closest train station on the Yamanote Line to the building is Shinbashi to the east, and the nearest metro station on the Ginza Line is Toranomon to the north.

The building is 52 stories high with fantastic views all around. Hyatt has opened the Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills on the 47-52 floors of the tower. Andaz is a boutique type hotel with 164 rooms which offers a locally inspired theme to make have you leave feeling like a local. The 51st floor has the main dining restaurant, the Andaz Tavern with great city views, and the 52nd floor has the Rooftop Bar which is designed with Japanese Teahouses in mind. Much of the rest of the building is occupied by business and residential. There is some shopping on the lower levels, but it is not a major mall.

The building also has an interesting mascot that looks much like the beloved Doreamon, but is a white tiger named Toranomon. Nice touch with the cute character mascot from Fujiko F. Fujio. Doraemon is also the official ambassador for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.