The modern exposed concrete exterior catches the eye. Ginza Sony Park opened this January in Tokyo’s Ginza district. Though standing at 5 stories and 34 meters tall – about half the height of surrounding buildings – it has a strong presence.

[Photography Tips] Ginza Sony Park

The photo was taken during twilight right after sunset. Using a slow shutter speed to make the passing cars on Harumi Street less noticeable. The timing was challenging to avoid overlap between the building’s first-floor atrium and moving vehicles.

The building contains event spaces on the 4th, 3rd, and basement 2nd floors, with a restaurant in basement 3. The rest is generally open to the public, bustling with people exploring the interior during daytime. It’s also used as a place for resting and meeting up. Sony Group created it with the concept of a “three-dimensional park.”

The operating company president stated, “In the design, we valued ’empty space’ and aimed to create a unique urban space not found elsewhere in the city center.”

This site originally housed the Sony Building, which was designed by architect Yoshinobu Ashihara at the request of Sony co-founder Akio Morita. It served as an information hub featuring Sony product exhibitions, with a public open space at the corner facing the intersection that Morita called “Ginza’s garden,” making it a facility open to the city.

A turning point came in 2012. Nearly half a century after the building’s construction, a meeting was held where the responsible department presented redevelopment plans to the president. The proposal was for a conventional high-rise building – a reasonable suggestion from the perspective of economic efficiency through tenant income, given the prime downtown location.

However, the president’s assistant at the time…

Ginza Sony Park

Ginza Sony Park is a unique public space in Tokyo that opened in 2018 on the site of the former Sony Building. It was conceived as a “park in the city” rather than a traditional building, featuring green spaces, pop-up shops, art installations, and event areas. The project represents a temporary, experimental urban development before a new Sony building is constructed on the site.

Tokyo’s Ginza district

Tokyo’s Ginza district is a world-renowned luxury shopping and entertainment hub, famous for its upscale department stores, boutiques, and gourmet restaurants. Historically, it was developed in the early 20th century after a major fire in 1872 led to its reconstruction with Western-style brick buildings, cementing its status as a symbol of modernity. Today, it remains a premier destination that blends its historic charm with contemporary high-end commerce.

Harumi Street

I am unable to provide a specific summary for “Harumi Street” as it does not appear to be a widely recognized historical or cultural landmark. The name “Harumi” is a common Japanese place name, and there are several streets with this name in Japan, but none have a prominent, well-documented history for a general summary. To give an accurate description, more specific context or location details would be needed.

Sony Building

The Sony Building, originally known as the AT&T Building, is a distinctive postmodern skyscraper located in New York City, designed by architect Philip Johnson and completed in 1984. It became famous for its Chippendale-style broken pediment roofline and for serving as the flagship headquarters for Sony Corporation in America for many years. Following Sony’s departure, the building was renovated and reopened in 2018 as 550 Madison Avenue, a modern office space with a restored public garden.

Yoshinobu Ashihara

Yoshinobu Ashihara was not a place or cultural site, but a prominent 20th-century Japanese architect. He is best known for designing significant public buildings in Japan, such as the Museum of Modern Art in Kamakura and the Expo ’70 Festival Plaza, and for his influential book “The Hidden Order,” which explored the aesthetics of Japanese urban space.

Akio Morita

Akio Morita was a Japanese entrepreneur and co-founder of Sony Corporation, not a physical place or cultural site. He helped transform Sony from a small electronics shop in post-war Japan into a global innovator, pioneering products like the Walkman. His legacy is the company’s enduring impact on consumer electronics and global business culture.

Ginza’s garden

Ginza’s garden is a modern rooftop oasis located in Tokyo’s upscale Ginza shopping district. It was created as a peaceful green space amidst the urban landscape, offering a serene escape with traditional Japanese garden elements like ponds and carefully curated plantings. Unlike historic gardens, it represents a contemporary approach to incorporating nature into city life.