Vita in Vitro: Roppongi - Roppongi Hills, Mori Art Museum

Despite knowing Roppongi is just about the only not 100% safe place in Tokyo, I decided to go there in the evening. By myself. Since I didn't plan to go to the shady parts with night clubs and bars, I expected the trip to go OK. And it did so, most of the time. However, right at the beginning of my journey (soon after I left the subway station), I noticed a foreign guy observing me as we were standing next to each other at the zebra crossing. I didn't think it was strange when he crossed the street as well - we were standing there both after all. But I thought it was fairly strange when he kept following me through numerous streets and even waited in front of the drugstore I went to. Remembering that my ex said the most dangerous people in Roppongi were foreigners, I panicked and started to walk really fast/run and I eventually managed to loose the stalker. I think that at one point he tried shouting something after me, but the language he used was none of those I speak or know, which made me wonder what the hell was his nationality.

Totally random:

Very post-apocalyptic castle-like:

Hobgoblin:

Roppongi Hills are awe-spiring. The buildings are enormous, super modern, even slightly futuristic. It makes you feel really small on one hand, and on the other you also feel kinda snobbish because it's apparently a place for the higher middle class. There are hotels, spas, shopping centers, museum, offices... And there are not many people, at least at night. If you get lost around Roppongi hills, you really are lost - no one to ask, just futuristic, cold lights, tall buildings and the cleanest roads ever - but you don't know where they lead.

For 1000 Yen (student price), you get a combined ticket for the observatory and Mori Art Museum. At first, I didn't find the museum entrance and went back down, but I managed to explain and was allowed to go up again, which is normally NG. Thank god they were so nice (and basically led me up to the door).

Well, I wasn't to the Tokyo Tower or Skytree - but I would say, Mori Art Museum + observatory is certainly better value. Why? You get a 360° view that's not very crowded, there are plenty of places to support your camera, you get to go to the museum as well and you actually see the remaining two towers from there.

Tokyo at night is beautiful. During the day, it may be gray and dusty, overcrowded and even slightly dull, but at night, it's colorful, magical and modern-day fairytale like. It's hard to describe the feeling, but it was that night that made me fall in love with Tokyo. I felt butterflies fluttering their wings inside me, I felt like crying and I wanted to keep staring at the view forever. Despite all the people around me, I felt alone with the city - I couldn't hear the bustling down there, the giant city looked so small and welcoming, romantic and personal.

Some people hate Tokyo. I met up with my ex-boyfriend, who recently moved there from Osaka, and he was quite clearly unhappy there and he didn't have a single nice word to describe the city. But I really feel a connection to Tokyo - no matter the cost, I want to come back at some point.

It was hard to pull my eyes away from the scenery, but apparently, there was also a small side-exhibition.

To celebrate the 10 Year anniversary of the Mori Art Museum, there is a special exhibition about love, which is a must-see event! The concept of the exhibition is really well-thought, and there's everything for everyone - traditional art, modern art, futuristic art, pretty art, pretty-ugly art, traditional mediums, multimedia...

The exhibition is divided into several sections - what is love, familial love, love among lovers, love and gender, love in the area of science and computers... What probably made the biggest impact on me was a warm-like robot that sprung in front of you when he detected your presence, and after you spoke a Japanese word connected to love, it composed and sung a love song. There were also embroideries of fairytale princesses not as innocent maidens, but as lustful young women. Several paintings with gender-less lovers. Hatsune Miku holograph - since nowadays, the object of your love doesn't even have to be an organic thing. High-tech sex dolls dressed up and arranged so that they seemed to be conscious living women. Jacket that can provide a new home in case of another catastrophe like March 2011. A whole room designed by Yayoi Kusama.