Neighbourhood guide
Toranomon and Akasaka: the new business heart
Toranomon Hills, The Okura, two EDITION hotels, the Hie Shrine and Kanda’s three-star counter.
Toranomon and Akasaka sit between the palace and Roppongi, and have been rebuilt around the towers of Toranomon Hills. The Okura Tokyo reopened here in 2019; the Hie Shrine climbs its hill through red torii; and Akasaka’s side streets hide kaiseki restaurants and the Toraya flagship.
Sights
Toranomon Hills, Suntory Hall and the Hie Shrine.
Eating
Kanda (Three MICHELIN Stars, 2026), Akasaka Kikunoi, Kioicho Fukudaya and MAZ (Two Stars), apothéose and Daigo (One Star); Toraya Akasaka.
Climb to the Hie Shrine by the torii-lined stairs on its west side.
Staying
The Okura Tokyo, The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon, the Andaz, The Capitol Hotel Tokyu, The Prince Gallery and the New Otani.
Our advice: lunch at Daigo, for shōjin cooking beside Atago Shrine.
Why it's on our list
- Sights
- Eating
- Staying
What’s nearby
Distances from Toranomon and Akasaka: the new business heart are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 12 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest metro stations
- Toranomon HillsHH-TSTS;H150 m2 min walk
- KamiyachoHH-TSTS;H450 m6 min walk
- ToranomonG500 m6 min walk
Key sights
- Tokyo Tower950 mWalk 12 minCycle 5 minCar or taxi 9 min
- The palace gardens2.4 kmWalk 30 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 14 min
- The Shibuya crossing4.1 kmCycle 20 minCar or taxi 20 min
- Meiji Jingū4.3 kmCycle 21 minCar or taxi 20 min
- Sensō-ji6.8 kmCycle 34 minCar or taxi 29 min
- Tokyo Skytree7.6 kmCycle 38 minCar or taxi 31 min
- Haneda Airport14 kmCar or taxi 52 min
Main railway stations
- Tokyo Station2.3 kmWalk 29 minCycle 12 minCar or taxi 14 min
- Shibuya Station4.0 kmCycle 20 minCar or taxi 19 min
- Shinagawa Station4.4 kmCycle 22 minCar or taxi 21 min
- Shinjuku Station5.0 kmCycle 25 minCar or taxi 23 min
- Ueno Station5.6 kmCycle 28 minCar or taxi 25 min
Location
The map comes from Google Maps, which sets its own cookies once it loads.
More in depth
The back storyTokyo at the table: eleven three-star dining rooms, and a bowl of sobaMore MICHELIN stars than any other city, sushi counters of eight seats, tempura fried in front of you, kaiseki, French and Chinese of the highest order, and noodle shops with a Bib Gourmand: how to eat in Tokyo.
The back storyTokyo CuisineEdomae sushi piece by piece, tempura straight from the pan, cold soba on bamboo, glazed eel, yakitori over charcoal, shoyu ramen and the wagashi of the tea ceremony: the dishes of Tokyo, and where to taste them.
The back storyWhere Tokyo sleeps: towers above the palace, ryokan and the new hillsAman and HOSHINOYA in Ōtemachi, the Palace Hotel on the moat, The Peninsula and the Imperial in Hibiya, the Bvlgari above Tokyo Station, Janu at Azabudai Hills and the reopened Park Hyatt in Shinjuku: where to stay, and why the address matters.