A New Tallest Skyscraper for Japan

The Toranomon-Azabudai reaches 330 meters into the sky, far lower than international standards but taller by 30 meters than the previous tallest building in Japan.

1 minute read

July 5, 2023, 10:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


The construction site of a new development in the Azabudai Hills neighborhood of Tokyo.

A street-level view of the construction of the Toranomon-Azabudai project in June 2023. | Ned Snowman / Adobe Stock

The Toranomon-Azabudai project, in central Tokyo, has completed construction on the signature piece of a massive development project, replacing the Abeno Harukas skyscraper in Osaka as the tallest building in the country, according to an article by Jessie Young for CNN.

The Toranomon-Azabudai tower reaches 330 meters (1,083 feet) in height, with 64 floors above ground and aims to create a “city within the city,” according to Young in a 2019 story on the project, also written by Young.

“The building, one of several within the development, will be multi-purpose, hosting branded hotel residences, office spaces, a university medical center, retail shops and restaurants, and the largest international school in central Tokyo, according to the release,” writes Young in the more recent article. “Spanning an area of more than 8 hectares (nearly 20 acres), the project aims to revitalize the entire neighborhood, with other on-site facilities including a spa, fitness clubs, an art gallery and a museum.”

Building height is all relative, to be sure. The new tower is “still dwarfed by towers in New York, Taiwan and Dubai,” according to the article.

Tuesday, July 4, 2023 in CNN

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Concrete Brutalism building with slanted walls and light visible through an atrium.

What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities

How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.

February 28, 2025 - Justin Hollander

Complete Street

‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge

Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.

February 27, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

Green electric Volkswagen van against a beach backdrop.

The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan

Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.

March 3, 2025 - ABC 7 Eyewitness News

Aerial view of single-family homes with swimming pools in San Diego, California.

San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule

The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.

16 minutes ago - Axios

Close-up of row of electric cars plugged into chargers at outdoor station.

Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives

A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.

4 hours ago - UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

Blue train on coastal rail in Southern California.

SoCal Leaders Debate Moving Coastal Rail Line

Train tracks running along the Pacific Ocean are in danger from sea level rise, but residents are divided on how to fix the problem.

March 7 - The New York Times