8 best new attractions and facilities opening in Tokyo in 2025

A full five years after the start of railway service at Takanawa Gateway Station, the district just north of Shinagawa will celebrate the opening of its crown jewel. Extending across five massive buildings, the mixed-use Takanawa Gateway City development counts among the largest of its kind in Tokyo.

It’ll comprise vast swaths of commercial space, a JW Marriott hotel, offices and residences, but also ample greenery in the form of a 40,000sqm park and a stunning-looking rooftop garden on the 28th and 29th floors of one of the central buildings.

One of the most eagerly awaited structures is the Cultural Creation Building, designed by none other than ubiquitous starchitect Kengo Kuma. It will have six stories and three underground floors with an exhibition hall, restaurants and more.

When is it opening? March

Long a familiar spot for press events, fashion shows, talks and the like, Quest Hall near the Harajuku end of Omotesando is being replaced by a two-part complex that, if the architectural renderings are anything to go by, will become yet another landmark in a district not short on spectacular buildings.

Harajuku Quest will host shops, restaurants and cafés, offices and more, including a rooftop terrace in the main eight-level building, all while providing convenient walking access between Omotesando and Ura-Harajuku. The developers are promising a cultural focus in the lower building, where you’ll find a diverse line-up of small stores and eateries, while the bulkier structure is set to welcome designer boutiques and other Omotesando-appropriate tenants.

Architect Shohei Shigematsu’s design strikes a balance between the wow factor of the Omotesando side and the understated scale of the spaces along the pathway on the Ura-Harajuku end. Plans are for the latter to serve as venues for artist collabs and small-scale exhibitions.

When is it opening? Sometime in spring

Ever since the Yoshinobu Ashihara-designed Sony Building from the ’60s was demolished back in 2017, its central Ginza site has lived in a limbo of sorts. The lot was briefly turned into a park in the run-up to the pandemic-ravaged 2020 Olympics and then hidden behind temporary walls for years.

But now the reborn Ginza Sony Park – a concrete-and-glass building, despite the name – is nearly ready to be unveiled. The structure will extend both upwards and downwards, with five storeys above ground being paired with a three-level subterranean public space.

This unique city-centre ‘park’ will be open to all and serve as a venue for a plethora of artistic and cultural events. You’ll find a range of casual dining options on the third basement floor.

When is it opening? January 26

The Hyatt hotel group’s newest line of lifestyle hotels made its Japan debut in Osaka last year, and now Caption is taking on Tokyo. Set to open in Kabutocho – our pick for coolest neighbourhood in the city back in 2020 – the property is aiming to attract youthful and energetic travellers eager to connect with the city and their fellow guests during their stay.

One feature designed to encourage socialising is the Talk Shop, a lounge-like space located where most hotels’ would place a lobby. Open to anyone throughout the day, it welcomes out-of-towners and Tokyoites alike to hang out, maybe get some work done, and sample casual cuisine highlighting local ingredients.

Set to offer around 200 rooms, Tokyo’s Caption by Hyatt will be within walking distance from Tokyo Station while offering convenient access to five subway lines via nearby stations. The location is easy to reach from Haneda and Narita airports, too.

When is it opening? Sometime in autumn

One of the busiest shops in Japan in terms of customer traffic, the iconic Seibu department store near the east exit of Ikebukuro Station has been in business for 85 years. The golden oldie is getting the most comprehensive facelift in its history this year, transforming into an even better version of its eclectic, occasionally artsy self between January and autumn.

First in line for the makeover is the food-focused basement (depachika), which will expand to house a whopping 180 tasty concessions across two levels. The already expansive beauty section a few floors up will also be reborn early in the year, whereas the luxury goods floors – think designer fashion, watches, fragrances and the like – are set to re-open with an international array of around 60 boutiques by late spring.

When is it reopening? Summer

Another international hospitality brand making its first foray into Tokyo, the US-based 1 Hotels will be setting up its inaugural Japan location on the upper floors of the 209-metre-tall Akasaka Trust Tower, a part of real-estate giant Mori’s sprawling Tokyo World Gate Akasaka development.

A self-styled purveyor of ‘sustainable luxury’, 1 Hotels is noted for making nature an integral part of its properties while highlighting local culture, materials and ingredients across design, experiences and food and drink offerings. In Tokyo, this philosophy will be embodied by tranquil common spaces featuring details such as moss-covered boulders, manicured greenery and surfaces mimicking the raked sand patterns of a Zen garden.

The Zen theme will extend to the guest rooms and wellness facilities too, with organic materials featuring heavily amidst a fusion of traditional Japanese design and contemporary luxury.

When is it opening? October

Previously frequented mainly by scholars and students, the prestigious Gakushuin University’s history museum is set to metamorphose into a modern exhibition facility showcasing the university’s considerable collection of artistic and historical treasures.

Housed in a comprehensively renovated former university library building designed by pioneering Modernist architect Kunio Maekawa, the museum will feature a permanent display of Gakushuin’s illustrious history as well as a gallery for special exhibitions. These shows will highlight especially artefacts with a connection to the imperial family and the pre-war nobility.

When is it opening? March 14

Fans of Osamu Akimoto’s classic manga KochiKame: Tokyo Beat Cops should find plenty to keep them occupied at this compact museum dedicated to the series and its setting, the down-to-earth Kameari district out in Katsushika.

The ground floor of the museum will recreate the neighbourhood police station where Ryo-san and his fellow officers are stationed in the story, while on the upper floors visitors will be invited to follow in the bumbling protagonist’s footprints through a succession of humorous displays.

When is it opening? March