Roppongi

ROPPONGI DISCOVERED

In the eight or nine times I have been to Tokyo, I have never ventured into the quarter called Roppongi. Why you ask? For the same reason I did not get to Santa Croce until my third trip to Florence. For the same reason one cannot see everything in the Louvre in one visit. Life is all about choices. Sometimes we get to things immediately, sometimes it takes five or six tries.

I am staying at the Grand Hyatt Hotel located in the fashionable Roppongi Hills division of Roppongi proper. This is at last my opportunity to experience this neighborhood whose reputation is one of a foreign enclave where the greater percentage of non-Asian faces can be found in the crush that is Tokyo. The area is know for it's endless variety of bars, clubs and eateries catering to the eclectic needs of the Gaijin.

I arrived on a Saturday evening and the streets resembled Bourban Street, New Orleans on any weekend. These revelers were still out Sunday morning when I went for my jog; most were deeply hung over.

The main reason to head to Roppongi when in Tokyo is the abundant choice of reasonable eateries of every ethnic variety. All are within easy walking distance of each other. Add to this the hip vibe of a youth-filled neighborhood and you will enjoy the areas flash and energy.