Hillside Terrace is the six-building Fumihiko Maki architecture series in Daikanyama, built across 23 years from 1969 (Block A) to 1992 (Block F). Each phase reflects Maki’s evolving thinking on city-scale low-rise; together they form a walkable open-air architecture museum and the anchor that turned Daikanyama into a designer neighborhood.
What to Expect
Walk Komazawa-dori from Daikanyama Station east — Hillside Terrace starts at the corner. Block A (1969) is the original, with the brutalist concrete frame; Block F (1992) is the most refined, with glass-and-steel and a public courtyard. The complex hosts cafes, galleries and a few residences. The Hillside Plaza is publicly accessible 24/7; the residential blocks are private.
Consider This Instead
For Tokyo’s densest concentration of architect-flagship buildings, head 5 min east to Aoyama — Prada (Herzog & de Meuron), Dior (SANAA), Tods (Toyo Ito) all in walking distance.
How to Get There
Getting There
From Shibuya Station
- 1Take Tokyu Toyoko Line → Daikanyama Station
- 2Walk east on Komazawa-dori → Hillside Terrace
Tips
- Walk all six blocks. Block A → F is a 23-year evolution of Maki’s thinking; visible in the materials.
- Anjin in T-Site connects. Side-street walk between Hillside and T-Site is 5 min.
- Galleries in Block F. Free, rotating Japanese designer + architecture exhibits.
FAQ
Worth a trip for non-architects?
If you appreciate calm urban design, yes. If not, skip — the buildings are subtle and require attention to read.
Combinable with Tsutaya T-Site?
Yes — 5 min walk between, both feel like the same design ecosystem.
