Current Azabu Police Station (as of May 2015)

Azabu Police Station to move to larger site towards Tokyo Midtown

Azabu Police Station, which has maintained a large presence in Roppongi over many years, is set to move to a larger site close to Tokyo Midtown.

The police station is slated to move to a plot located one block inwards from Gaien-Higashi Dori, on the former site of the Mikawadai Junior High School (六本木4‐16-1). The school moved in to its newer premises as Roppongi Junior High School in the year 2000; the building was finally torn down in 2014, and the empty plot currently awaits construction. According to public construction records, the new police station building is set to be completed by the end of February 2018.

Azabu Police Station’s prospective new site is significantly larger than its current premises; the new building is expected to rise 8 stories above ground with two basement floors. Also in plans is a police dormitory, but whether this dormitory will utilize the same building as the police station or be constructed as a separate building on the premises is still uncertain.

Also uncertain is what will be built in place of the current police station. Built in 1972, the aging building occupies what has become a prime location, increasing in value over the years largely due to the opening of Roppongi Hills in 2004 and the resulting rise in traffic on Roppongi Dori. If the city does decide to sell the land to a private party, it will surely fetch a handsome price. Likely buyers include Mori Building, which already owns most of the land adjacent to the current Azabu Police Station.

Quick note – At first glance it may seem odd that Azabu Police Station is located in Roppongi and not Azabu. However, when the Azabu Police Station was established in 1946, Roppongi was part of the now defunct Azabu Ward, which encompassed most of the area that falls under the police station’s jurisdiction. Therefore, it’s safe to say that regardless of the upcoming move, the new police station will most likely maintain its Azabu moniker.

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Azabu Police Station

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New Site of Azabu Police Station (to be completed in Feb 2018): 35.664338, 139.732908
Current site of Azabu Police Station (as of May 2015): 35.662306, 139.730895
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New Site of Azabu Police Station (to be completed in Feb 2018)
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Current site of Azabu Police Station (as of May 2015)
Azabu Police Station, Minato, Tokyo, Japan
APA Hotel Roppongi Ekimae

APA Hotel to open behind Roppongi Station

A new APA Hotel is slated to open behind Roppongi Station. The name of the hotel will be, aptly, APA Hotel Roppongi Ekimae.

While there has been an APA Hotel on Roppongi Dori for some years, it is located closer to Roppongi Itchome station (APA Hotel Roppongi Itchome Ekimae). This will be a major move for APA in a high-profile area located at a 1 minute walk from Roppongi Station (Hibiya line).

According to public construction details, the building is 15 stories above ground with one basement floor, and construction is expected to be complete by the end of July 2015. The hotel itself is slated to open for the public in December 2015, according to signs posted outside the construction site.

The exact address of the hotel is 六本木6‐7 (Roppongi 6-7). It is located opposite the Roppongi station Tsutaya’s street-side entrance, on the street behind the Azabu Police Station connecting to 芋洗坂 (Imo-Arai zaka).

APA Hotel is currently looking for a restaurant tenant to fill the 1st floor spot (40.2m²).

 

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APA Hotel Roppongi Ekimae

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APA Hotel Roppongi Ekimae 35.662347, 139.732297 APA Hotel Roppongi Ekimae
Hoshino Coffee

Upcoming: Hoshino Coffee

Old-time sundries shop Nuovo (ヌーボー) shut down last month. It sold all sorts of random goods for women – clothes, makeup, sunglasses… to incense, iPhone covers, and – way in the back – toys for small children. This place was my mother’s favorite spot, as I suppose it was for a lot of obachans. It was a perfect place to pick up a last-minute gift for tea-time gatherings and such. Quite surprising to see it go since it has been in the same spot for probably 20 years or so.

But, that’s the nature of Roppongi right now – a lot of shops that have defined Roppongi of the past 10 years have been shutting down in the last year or so. And so in the place of Nuovo, opening up is Hoshino Coffee (星乃珈琲店). From the looks of their website, seems like it’s an old-timey 60s-like café. No sign of when it’s opening yet – the sign just went up this week.

I think it’ll do well. With the closure of Starbucks and Excelsior Caffe on the main strip, the small Starbucks across Midtown is always filled to the brim, so it seems like an ideal location for a café.

I’m betting yes on this one.