Tokyo’s buzzy Roppongi neighborhood has two distinct faces. By night, it’s a neon-drenched district where the very un-Japanese practices of flashiness, bottle service, and sticky dancefloors prevail. By day, it masquerades as a refined area full of foreign influence, where international embassies reside and luxe hotel lobbies serve as a playground for Japan’s elite.

Complex665 sits in a space that speaks to neither the seedy chaos of nighttime Roppongi nor its daytime pretenses, but still feels very much at home. Tucked down a quiet street, the three-story building houses some of the city’s most exciting art happenings. Leading commercial galleries ShugoArts, Taka Ishii Gallery, and Tomio Koyama Gallery take up residence at this purpose-built structure developed by Mori Building Company (which created the Mori Art Museum atop the nearby Roppongi Hills Mori Tower). Each venue showcases cutting-edge works in various mediums—be it paintings, installations, photography, or sculpture—by contemporary Japanese artists. The presence of this respected trio results in a cultural space unique for Tokyo; collectively, they make up one of the city’s more sizable contemporary art venues, so the curators aren’t as restricted by square footage, making for exhibitions that often feel larger than life. —Lucy Dayman

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6-5-24 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan

Complex665: Exciting Art

Tokyo Attractions

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