Things to Do in Minato, Tokyo: 7 Stops and Two Walking Routes

For a first visit, combine Kyu-Shiba-rikyu Gardens, Zojoji and Tokyo Tower, then add teamLab Borderless if you have a ticket. For an art-focused afternoon, start at the National Art Center, Tokyo and finish at Roppongi Hills.

Minato is a ward, not one compact neighborhood. These seven stops work best as nearby groups rather than a checklist to complete in one day. The Nezu Museum in Minami-Aoyama is an alternative for traditional art and a garden.

Hours, prices and closure notices checked October 9, 2026; check the linked calendars for your visit date. Visit lengths and route budgets are planning allowances.

Shiba and Azabudai: gardens, temple and Tokyo Tower

1. Walk around Kyu-Shiba-rikyu Gardens

This pond-centered former daimyo garden is a straightforward starting point if you arrive by JR. Use Hamamatsucho Station’s North Exit, a one-minute walk away, or Daimon Exit B2, about three minutes away.

Allow 45–60 minutes for the pond, bridges and rock arrangements. Standard admission is ¥150; hours are 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:30. It closes December 29–January 1. This is Kyu-Shiba-rikyu, not the separate Hama-rikyu Gardens. Garden information and access

2. Visit Zojoji with Tokyo Tower behind it

Zojoji was the Tokugawa family temple, and six shoguns are buried here. Allow 30–45 minutes for a basic visit; add time for the paid Treasures Gallery, whose centerpiece is a detailed model of the former Taitokuin Mausoleum. Temple history and gallery

The Main Hall opens 6:00–17:30; Ankokuden, where amulets and goshuin are available, opens 9:00–17:00. The gallery opens 11:00–15:00 on weekdays and 10:00–16:00 on weekends and national holidays, with last entry 15 minutes before closing. It closes Tuesdays unless the Tuesday is a national holiday. Worship hours · Gallery hours

For a direct arrival, the temple lists ten minutes on foot from Hamamatsucho or five from Daimon. Its historic Sangedatsumon gate is undergoing conservation work, so do not expect an unobstructed view matching older photographs. Temple access · Restoration notice

3. Choose Tokyo Tower’s deck—or see it from Shiba Park

Tokyo Tower’s 150-meter Main Deck costs ¥1,500 for adults and opens 9:00–23:00, last entry 22:30. The 250-meter Top Deck Tour includes the Main Deck and costs ¥3,300 online or ¥3,500 at the counter for adults. Allow roughly an hour, plus any queue. Official prices and hours · Deck information

If the structure itself matters more than the skyline, skip the ascent and spend time around Zojoji and Shiba Park. Minato Ward Shiba Park offers a lawn-side view of the tower. Tokyo Tower area guide

For the tower alone, use Akabanebashi Station’s Akabanebashi Exit, five minutes away, or Onarimon Exit A1, six minutes away. Walking from Hamamatsucho North Exit takes about 15 minutes; a subway transfer is not automatically worth it. Official station exits

4. Explore teamLab Borderless at Azabudai Hills

Borderless is the immersive digital-art choice: artworks move between spaces, and the museum provides no map. Its current venue is Azabudai Hills Garden Plaza B, B1, not Odaiba.

Use Kamiyacho Exit 5, then follow the underground signs; the museum lists a two-minute walk. Standard hours are currently 8:30–21:00, with date-specific exceptions and extensions to 22:00 on many October weekdays. Last entry is one hour before closing. October 20, 2026 is a scheduled closure. Standard Entrance Passes specify an entry time, and adult pricing is dynamic: book your chosen slot before arranging surrounding stops. Official venue, access and tickets

Reserve two to three hours. The venue warns of darkness, flashing lights, loud sounds and aromas—relevant when choosing a family activity or planning around sensory sensitivities. Visitor precautions

Roppongi: an exhibition and an evening view

5. See the National Art Center, Tokyo

Choose this for an exhibition-led visit or a shorter architecture stop. Entry to the building is free, while exhibition admission depends on the show; cafés and the museum shop do not require an exhibition ticket. Official visitor FAQ

Use Nogizaka Exit 6, directly connected to the center. From Roppongi, use Hibiya Line Exit 4a or Oedo Line Exit 7. Official access

Typical exhibition hours are 10:00–18:00, with NACT-organized/co-organized exhibitions generally extending to 20:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. Last admission is 30 minutes before closing. It closes Tuesdays, shifting to the next weekday when Tuesday is a national holiday. Check the particular exhibition; allow 90 minutes for a show. Hours and exceptions

6. Finish at Tokyo City View—or add Mori Art Museum

Tokyo City View is the 52nd-floor indoor observation deck at Roppongi Hills Mori Tower; Mori Art Museum is on 53F. Choose the deck for a skyline finish and the museum for contemporary art. Check the ticket product rather than assuming one admission covers both.

For arrival, use Roppongi’s Hibiya Line Exit 1C. Follow signs toward the Museum Cone and the 3F Museum & Observatory Tickets / Information counter, rather than searching the tower’s office entrances. Official entrance directions

City View lists 10:00–22:00, last admission 21:30. It is scheduled to close October 27 and November 10–12, 2026; access to its central Mount Fuji-facing area is restricted October 28–30 and November 4–9.

Mori Art Museum is closed September 24–October 30, 2026, reopening October 31. Its forthcoming exhibition normally opens 10:00–22:00, shortened to 17:00 on Tuesdays, with date-specific exceptions. Official hours, closures and tickets

Minami-Aoyama: traditional art and a garden

7. Pair the Nezu Museum with Omotesando

The Nezu Museum combines pre-modern Japanese and East Asian art with a garden and a building designed by Kengo Kuma. It suits a quieter art-focused half-day rather than an add-on after several large attractions. About the museum

Use Omotesando Exit A5, an eight-minute walk, or B3 for elevator access, about ten minutes away. Hours are 10:00–17:00, last entry 16:30. It closes Mondays, during exhibition installations and over New Year; a Monday national holiday shifts the weekly closure to Tuesday. Admission varies by exhibition and purchase method. Official visitor information

Allow around two hours for art and garden together. The garden and café require museum admission, and the garden has hills and steps—it is not a free, level park shortcut. Garden access rules

Two routes that avoid unnecessary transfers

First-visit route: Hamamatsucho → garden → Zojoji → Tokyo Tower → Azabudai Hills. Start at the North Exit, visit Kyu-Shiba-rikyu, then head toward Daimon and Zojoji. Budget about 15 minutes between garden and temple. GO TOKYO lists roughly six minutes from Zojoji to Tokyo Tower and 11 minutes from the tower to Azabudai Hills; leave extra time to find the Borderless entrance. No train is needed between these sights. Walking connections

Without Borderless, budget three to four hours including a break. With it, reserve most of the day and build the route around your entry slot. Finish at Kamiyacho rather than walking back to Hamamatsucho. For Roppongi dinner, Kamiyacho and Roppongi are adjacent Hibiya Line stations, so no transfer is needed. Tokyo Metro line information

Art-afternoon route: Nogizaka → National Art Center → Roppongi Hills. Enter through Nogizaka Exit 6, see one exhibition, then walk toward Roppongi Hills; budget about 20 minutes for the connection and entrance-finding. Finish with City View or, when open, Mori Art Museum. Leave Nezu for another half-day instead of squeezing in a third museum.

For a waterfront alternative, use the separate Rainbow Bridge walking guide. For Takanawa and Sengakuji, continue with the Shinagawa-area routes.