Kabukicho Tower, New 225-Meter-Tall Skyscraper in Shinjuku Keeps History, Culture of Entertainment District Alive
12:30 JST, March 22, 2024
A high-rise landmark opened last year in Kabukicho, Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, one of the world’s leading nightlife districts.
Tokyu Kabukicho Tower — a skyscraper 225 meters tall, with 48 floors above ground and five floors below — houses a multiplex cinema, hotel, theater and more, and has been crowded with tourists since its opening last April.
In addition to its height, what is striking about the building is its architecture: a splash-like dynamic shape that is said to have been inspired by fountains. The windows are designed to resemble the shape of a wave, and water can be felt in every detail.
In fact, Kabukicho has a strong connection to water, as there used to be a river called Kanigawa running through the area. Benzaiten, the goddess of water, is enshrined in Kabukicho, and before the tower was built, a water fountain used to sit at the center of the plaza as a place to relax. Architect Yuko Nagayama who designed the tower’s exterior incorporated such history and culture into the design.
Kabukicho is also featured in artworks inside the tower.
“We want to pass on the area’s memories, history and the passion of people there to the next generation,” said Mai Kawazoe from Tokyu Corp.’s Shinjuku Project Planning & Development Headquarters.
The tower was built on the site of the movie theater Shinjuku Milano-za, which closed in 2014. In contrast to the watery blue of the upper floors, the lower floors of the new tower are brightly colored, inheriting the vestiges of the Milano-za.
The sixth to eighth floors are occupied by Theater Milano-za, a playhouse named after the old movie theater, and visitors can enjoy theatrical performances and live concerts there. There is also a hotel and restaurants that offer a panoramic view of the Shinjuku skyscrapers.
The tower was built with the concept of “master what you love.”
Mone Iguchi from the development headquarters said, “Anyone — those who have something they are passionate about such as movies or music, and those who don’t have anything like that — can enjoy themselves here.”
"Society" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Cherry tree falls on man on Sanneizaka steps leading to famous Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto
-
Tokyo District Court Rules AI Cannot Be Issued Patents; Law Recognizes Only ‘Natural Persons’ as Inventors
-
Small Animal That Appears to be Mouse Found in Chojuku Bread Products; Some Brands on Same Production Line to be Recalled Voluntarily
-
Earthquake Hits Japan’s Ibaraki, Tochigi, Chiba Prefectures, No Risk of Tsunami
-
Man Repels Bear Attack in Hokkaido by Kicking its Face After Encountering 2 Bears While Sightseeing
JN ACCESS RANKING
- Weakening Yen Adds Complexity to BOJ’s Rate Hike Decisions; Rising Commodity Prices may Impact ‘Virtuous Cycle’ Efforts
- Japanese Seafood Exports to China Sink 57% in FY23; U.S. Becomes Largest Seafood Export Destination
- 70% of Japan Companies to Raise Pay Scales in FY 2024
- Minutes Show Policymaker Wants BOJ to Consider Further Rate Hikes Further
- ASEAN Plus 3 Share Concerns About Excessive Exchange Rate Fluctuation; Seeking Stability in Exchange Rate