Roppongi

nihongo|Roppongi|六本木|Roppongi is a district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan, famous as home to the rich Roppongi Hills area, an active night club scene, and a relatively large presence of Western tourists and expatriates; though the vast majority of visitors and residents are Japanese and other Asians. It is in the southern portion of the circle described by the Yamanote Line, south of Akasaka and north of Azabu.

History

The name "Roppongi", which appears to have been coined around 1660, literally means "six trees". Six very old and large zelkova trees used to mark the area; first three were cleared, and the last was destroyed during the Pacific War. [ [http://www.weekender.co.jp/new/030207/roppongi-030207.html Tokyo Weekender - Weekender Archives - Roppongi - A history of our favorite watering hole ] ] Another legend has it that the name comes from the fact that six daimyo lived nearby during the Edo period, each with the kanji character for "tree" or a kind of tree in their names. Roppongi was not extensively populated until after the Meiji Restoration, although the area was trafficked for centuries and served as the site of the cremation of Shogun Tokugawa Hidetada's wife in 1626] . Gary Cooper, [http://www.weekender.co.jp/new/030207/roppongi-030207.html Good ol' six trees—the way it was] , "Tokyo Weekender".]

In 1890, the Third Imperial Guard of the Imperial Japanese Army was moved to a site near Roppongi (now home to the Pacific bureau of "Stars and Stripes"). The influx of soldiers led to the area's rise as a nightlife district, briefly interrupted by the Great Kanto Earthquake which flattened the area in 1923. Roppongi was administratively part of Azabu Ward from 1878 to 1947.

After World War II, during which the area was again destroyed, this time by aerial bombing raids, the United States Army and Allied government officials occupied several facilities in the area, beginning Roppongi's reputation as a foreigner neighborhood. Several large US military installations were located in the nearby area, with Hardy Barracks probably the most significant. In large part due to the US military presence, the area soon became crowded with Western-oriented shops, bars, restaurants, prostitution establishments and "hostess bars." Robert Whiting, "Tokyo Underworld : The Fast Times and Hard Life of an American Gangster in Japan" (Vintage Departures, 2000) ISBN 0-375-72489-3]

Starting in the late 1960s, Roppongi became popular among Japanese and foreigners alike for its disco scene, which attracted many of Tokyo's entertainment elites. Contributing to the international scene was the location of several foreign embassies and foreign corporate offices in the Roppongi area. However, many dance clubs shut down in the recession following the market crash of 1989.

The Roppongi area received a major economic boost in 2002–2003 when the Izumi Garden Tower and the Roppongi Hills high-rise complexes were completed. These projects brought high-end office and condominium space to Roppongi for the first time. The Tokyo Midtown project, which was completed in 2006, and includes the first Tokyo Ritz-Carlton Hotel, continued this trend.

Nightlife in Roppongi

The area features numerous bars, nightclubs, strip clubs, restaurants, hostess clubs, cabarets, and other forms of entertainment. Among the Western expatriate community, the area tends to be favored by business people, students, and off-duty US military personnel. Overall though, the neighborhood caters to a younger crowd.

Clubs can range from large, multi-level establishments, to smaller one-room clubs located in upper levels of buildings. Popular celebrity hangout, Lexington Queen is a longtime Roppongi venue. Roppongi is also home to large strip clubs which feature white performers. The most visible and famous of these would be the "7th Heaven." Restaurants in Roppongi vary from upscale Japanese fare to popular American restaurant T.G.I. Friday's.

In the past, Roppongi had a reputation as an area with high Yakuza presence, whether as customers at Roppongi establishments, conducting business, or managing or owning clubs and bars in the area. Although still exerting some influence in Roppongi, in recent times they appear to have shifted much of their presence to other districts in the Tokyo area. [" [http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/624/feature.asp Feature: Dark Matter] ," "Metropolis", March 10, 2006.]

Some nightclubs cater to certain clientèle. "Although most of the clubs are open to all races, and Japanese predominate everywhere, the kind of music played depends on the race of the next largest racial group.” [ Wood, Joe. "The Yellow Negro." Transition 73: 40-67.] There are clubs catered to Japanese customers. These clubs may play Asian pop but mix in some American hip-hop as well. It is notable that there are establishments exclusive to Japanese customers only. Other clubs cater to foreign patrons. These clubs may play more dance music, rock, and popular American hip-hop. Finally, some clubs draw mostly black patrons. These clubs are known to play a lot of hip-hop and reggae.

Companies based in Roppongi

* Anderson Mori & Tomotsune
* Genco
* Livedoor
* Rakuten
* TV Asahi
* Yahoo! Japan
* MTV Japan

A number of Western firms have their Japanese offices in Roppongi, including investment banks Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, State Street and Lehman Brothers, and law firms Allen & Overy, Davis Polk & Wardwell, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, Corning Incorporated and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.

Rail and subway stations

* Roppongi Station (Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line (H-04) & Toei Ōedo Line) (E-23)
* Roppongi-itchōme Station (Tokyo Metro Namboku Line) (N-06)

Education

Public elementary and middle schools are operated by the Minato City Board of Education ( [http://www.city.minato.tokyo.jp/kyoiku_e/index.html] in English, [http://www.city.minato.tokyo.jp/kyoiku/index.html] in Japanese).

Public high schools are operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Board of Education. Roppongi High School [http://www.roppongi-h.metro.tokyo.jp/] is located in Roppongi.

ee also

References

External links

* [http://gmap.jp/gmap/roppongi/ Roppongi-Azabu Maps]
* [http://wikitravel.org/en/Tokyo/Roppongi Wikitravel: Tokyo/Roppongi]
* [http://picturetokyo.com/en/city/roppongi.html Roppongi Travel Guide @ Picturetokyo.com] Information, Gallery, Nightlife, and Clubs
* [http://living.in-japan.jp/2007/06/are_you_a_night_lifer.html Night Life in Roppongi]