In front of you is Omotesandō, the avenue of zelkova trees. Today it is a byword for luxury shops and contemporary architecture, but its name gives it away: omotesandō means ‘main approach to a shrine’.

1The road to the shrine

The avenue was laid out to lead to Meiji Shrine, which opened in 1920. It runs for about a kilometre, from Aoyama-dōri avenue to Harajuku Bridge, and it was designed as a ceremonial promenade. The air raid of May 1945 burned it, and most of the trees you see were planted after the war.

2The apartments that are no longer here

In 1927 the Dōjunkai Aoyama Apartments went up here, built in concrete after the 1923 earthquake as modern, resilient housing. Over the years they filled up with small galleries and shops. They were demolished in the early 2000s, and in their place the architect Andō Tadao designed Omotesando Hills, which opened in 2006. His building is no taller than the zelkovas, and at its eastern end he rebuilt a fragment of the old apartments as a reminder of what once stood here.

Look at the ramp inside Omotesando Hills: it has the same gradient as the avenue beneath your feet.

3What to look for

  • The zelkova trees, which turn yellow and ochre in autumn.
  • The ivy-covered block at the eastern end of Omotesando Hills.
  • The fashion houses' façades, designed by renowned architects.

Documented

The avenue was laid out as the approach to Meiji Shrine, which opened in 1920; the 1927 Dōjunkai apartments were replaced by Andō Tadao's Omotesando Hills in 2006.

Sources and credits

Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jingū), official website; Mori Building, information on Omotesando Hills; Jordan Sand, ‘Tokyo Vernacular’ (2013).

Photos:

  • Omotesando Hills behind the zelkova trees of Omotesandō avenue: Kakidai, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Spotted a mistake? Drop us a line and we’ll look into it.