Hamamatsucho is changing fast. What was once a busy but unremarkable business district is becoming one of the most closely watched mixed-use neighbourhoods in Tokyo. Luxury hotels are already open, a new residential tower is welcoming its first residents, and the rebuilt World Trade Center complex is taking shape on the horizon. With major completions stretching through to 2031, the area is in the middle of a transformation that will take time to fully land, but much of it is already visible today.
This article covers the key projects, what has opened, what is still under construction, and what the changes mean for people thinking about living or buying property in Hamamatsucho.
Hamamatsucho Redevelopment: Key Facts at a Glance
| Project | Status / Key Date |
| World Tower Residence | Open. 46 storeys, 389 units. Move-ins from March 2025 |
| BLUE FRONT SHIBAURA Tower S | Completed Feb 2025. Fully open September 2025. ~230m, 43 storeys |
| Fairmont Tokyo | Open since July 2025. Japan’s first Fairmont hotel. 217 rooms, floors 35–43 of Tower S |
| Minato Arts Centre m~m (むーむ) | Planned opening November 2027. Public cultural and performance hall |
| WTC Main Tower & Terminal (District A) | Partial opening from 2027. 46 storeys, 235m. Includes Raffles Tokyo (2028) and Station Core |
| Tokyo Monorail Station renovation | Expected completion 2029 |
| BLUE FRONT SHIBAURA Tower N | Scheduled for completion FY2031 (Nomura Real Estate) |
World Tower Residence: Living at the Centre of the Change
World Tower Residence is the residential centerpiece of the Hamamatsucho redevelopment. The 46-storey tower completed construction in 2024, with the first residents moving in from March 2025. Located a 2-minute walk from Hamamatsucho Station, one of the best-connected stations in central Tokyo, it is a practical and well-positioned base for anyone wanting to live in this part of the city.
The building offers 389 homes across a range of sizes. Compact 1LDK units of around 40 square meters work well for young professionals or couples. Larger 3LDK layouts reaching up to 148 square meters give families space to spread out. Every unit is designed to make the most of the tower’s height, with layouts that prioritize light and outlook.
Shared amenities are a key part of what makes the building stand out. The café lounge doubles as a comfortable workspace or meeting space. The party room and bar take the pressure off entertaining in a smaller apartment. A fitness room is available without needing a separate gym membership, and a golf practice lounge adds an extra dimension to the offering. Beyond the building itself, Kyu Shiba Rikyu Garden and Shiba Park are within a short walk, providing green space that is harder to find in most of central Tokyo.
Housing Japan currently has units available in World Tower Residence. For people who want to be in one of Tokyo’s most active redevelopment areas now, rather than waiting for future projects to complete, this is the building to look at.
BLUE FRONT SHIBAURA Tower S: Tokyo’s New Waterfront Landmark
BLUE FRONT SHIBAURA Tower S is a separate project from World Tower Residence, located on the Shibaura Canal waterfront a short walk south of Hamamatsucho Station. Developed by Nomura Real Estate and JR East, and designed by internationally recognized architect Fumihiko Maki, the 43-storey, approximately 230-metre tower completed construction in February 2025 and was fully open to the public by September 2025.
The building is a large-scale mixed-use development combining offices, retail, a hotel, and public spaces. The ground floor and lower levels house a Canal Dining Hall with over 700 seats, a range of shops and restaurants, and three public art installations. The GREEN WALK, a tree-lined pedestrian path connecting Hamamatsucho Station to the waterfront, opened alongside the building in March 2025. It is one of the more pleasant commuting routes in this part of the city, passing through landscaped canal-side spaces.
A second tower, BLUE FRONT SHIBAURA Tower N, is planned for completion in fiscal year 2031. It will add further offices, commercial spaces, and residential units, completing the project’s full 550,000 square metre footprint across both towers.
Fairmont Tokyo: Japan’s First Fairmont Hotel
Fairmont Tokyo opened on 1 July 2025, becoming Japan’s first property under the Fairmont Hotels & Resorts brand. It occupies floors 35 to 43 of BLUE FRONT SHIBAURA Tower S, with a lobby on the 35th floor that offers views of Tokyo Bay to the east and Tokyo Tower to the west. The hotel has 217 rooms and suites, five restaurants and bars, a Fairmont Spa, and an indoor 20-metre infinity pool with an outdoor terrace.
The arrival of Fairmont matters beyond the hotel itself. Luxury hotel brands do careful research before choosing a location, and their presence signals confidence in an area’s future. For Hamamatsucho, Fairmont joining the neighborhood is part of a broader story: Raffles Tokyo is also on the way, which will make this one of the few areas in Tokyo with two globally recognized luxury hotel brands within walking distance of each other. For international residents and business travelers, that combination improves the quality and convenience of daily life.
Getting to Fairmont Tokyo from Hamamatsucho Station takes around 6 minutes on foot. Haneda Airport is approximately 13 minutes away by Tokyo Monorail, a connection that matters for people who travel frequently.
The World Trade Center Redevelopment: What Is Still to Come?
The original World Trade Center Building, once the tallest building in Asia when it opened in 1970, closed in June 2021 and was fully demolished by early 2023. The new complex taking its place is the most ambitious part of the Hamamatsucho transformation, and it is still under construction.
The new Main Tower will stand 46 floors and reach 235 meters. Partial opening is planned from 2027, with the building set to include offices across more than 70,000 square meters, a multilingual medical Center, a tourism pre-experience facility, conference spaces, and at-grade retail. A Terminal building, connecting the complex directly to the Tokyo Monorail station, is planned for completion around 2029.
Note: A construction site fire broke out on the fifth floor of the building in March 2026. No injuries were reported and the fire was contained. As of the time of writing, assessments were underway to determine whether the 2027 partial opening timeline would be affected. Housing Japan will update this article when further details are confirmed.
Raffles Tokyo – Expected to Open in 2028
Raffles Tokyo will occupy floors 36 to 46 of the new Main Tower. Announced in July 2024 by Accor, World Trade Center Building Inc., and Tokyo Tatemono, the hotel will have 130 rooms and suites, all over 60 square meters, alongside six food and beverage outlets, a fitness studio, a pool, a spa, and a bathhouse. It is designed by Melbourne-based studio Layan. The hotel is expected to open in 2028.
The Station Core: Seamless Transport in One Space
One of the most practical features of the new complex is the Station Core, a covered atrium on the third floor that will connect JR trains, the Tokyo Monorail, the Toei Oedo and Asakusa subway lines, and buses, all without stepping outside. For anyone carrying luggage, travelling with children, or navigating the area in less-than-ideal weather conditions, this will make a real difference to everyday life. The Station Core is planned as part of the 2027 opening phase.
What Is New Since the Last Update?
Two significant additions were not covered in earlier versions of this article and are worth highlighting.
The first is the Minato Arts Centre m~m (むーむ), a public cultural facility confirmed by Minato Ward as part of the Hamamatsucho 2-chome redevelopment. The venue will include a theatre for music concerts and performances, alongside community spaces. It is planned to open in November 2027 and will add genuine neighborhood character to the area beyond the commercial and office functions of the bigger towers.
The second is the broader context of JR East’s Greater Shinagawa initiative (広域品川圏), announced in February 2026. This positions Hamamatsucho as the northern anchor of a coordinated urban corridor running south through Tamachi, Shinagawa, and Takanawa Gateway City, one of Tokyo’s other major redevelopment zones. A formal launch of Suica-based innovation across this corridor is planned for 28 March 2026. For people thinking about Hamamatsucho’s long-term trajectory, being part of a planned corridor rather than a standalone project matters.
Why People Are Choosing Hamamatsucho
Taken together, the changes underway in Hamamatsucho make a compelling case for the area. Here is a summary of the main reasons people are paying attention:
- Transport: Five train and subway lines plus the Tokyo Monorail to Haneda Airport (approx. 13 minutes). Three stops from Tokyo Station on the JR lines.
- Luxury hotels nearby: Fairmont Tokyo is already open. Raffles Tokyo is due in 2028. Both brands bring international-standard hospitality and the dining and retail that typically follows.
- Green space: Kyu Shiba Rikyu Garden and Shiba Park are within walking distance, a rarity for a central Tokyo location.
- Cultural infrastructure: The Minato Arts Centre m~m (むーむ) will open in November 2027, adding a theatre and community spaces to the neighbourhood.
- Office supply: More than 70,000 square metres of new office space arriving from 2027 will drive demand for nearby housing from the workers who fill it.
- Waterfront access: The GREEN WALK and BLUE FRONT SHIBAURA have opened up the Shibaura Canal waterfront in a way that was not previously accessible to the general public.
- Part of a bigger plan: Hamamatsucho now sits within JR East’s Greater Shinagawa corridor, connecting it to Takanawa Gateway City and Shinagawa as part of a coordinated city-wide strategy.
What Does This Mean for Hamamatsucho Property?
When an area receives this scale of investment, property values tend to move. Hamamatsucho has a combination of factors that support sustained demand: strong transport connections, new office supply bringing workers into the area, luxury hotels elevating the neighborhood’s profile, and the green space and cultural infrastructure that make a place liveable rather than just convenient.
Tokyo has seen this pattern before. When Roppongi Hills opened in 2003, surrounding property values rose as the neighborhood’s character shifted. The same happened in Marunouchi after its redevelopment brought a new wave of office workers and international visitors to the area. Past performance does not guarantee future results, and property decisions should always be made carefully and with professional advice. But the scale of what is happening in Hamamatsucho is comparable to those earlier transformations.
For people considering a move, the staged timeline also creates options. The area is different today from what it was in 2023, and it will be different again when the World Trade Center Main Tower opens in 2027 and Raffles Tokyo arrives in 2028. Those who move in now are buying into a neighborhood that is still becoming what it will eventually be.
Hamamatsucho Development Timeline
March 2025: World Tower Residence opens. GREEN WALK pedestrian path opens (south section).
July 2025: Fairmont Tokyo opens as Japan’s first Fairmont hotel.
September 2025: BLUE FRONT SHIBAURA Tower S fully open to the public.
November 2027: Minato Arts Centre m~m (むーむ) planned opening.
From 2027: World Trade Center Main Tower partial opening, including Station Core and tourism facilities.
2028: Raffles Tokyo expected to open in the upper floors of the Main Tower.
2029: Tokyo Monorail station renovation and World Trade Center Terminal building completion.
FY2031: BLUE FRONT SHIBAURA Tower N scheduled for completion.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hamamatsucho
When will the new Tokyo World Trade Center open?
Partial opening is planned from 2027, with Raffles Tokyo expected to follow in 2028. A construction site fire at the building in March 2026 raised questions about the timeline; assessments were still ongoing at the time of publication.
Is the Fairmont Tokyo open now?
Yes. Fairmont Tokyo opened on 1 July 2025 in BLUE FRONT SHIBAURA Tower S. It has 217 rooms across floors 35 to 43, with an infinity pool, spa, and five dining venues. Haneda Airport is approximately 13 minutes away by Tokyo Monorail.
What transport lines serve Hamamatsucho Station?
Hamamatsucho Station is served by five lines: the JR Yamanote Line, the JR Keihin-Tohoku Line, the Toei Oedo Subway, the Toei Asakusa Subway, and the Tokyo Monorail to Haneda Airport.
What is the difference between BLUE FRONT SHIBAURA and World Tower Residence?
They are separate buildings in the same wider neighbourhood. World Tower Residence is a residential tower at 2-4-1 Hamamatsucho, completed in 2024. BLUE FRONT SHIBAURA Tower S is a mixed-use commercial and hotel tower at 1-1-1 Shibaura on the waterfront, completed in February 2025. Housing Japan has properties for sale in World Tower Residence.
How Housing Japan Can Help
Housing Japan specializes in buying, selling, and managing luxury residential property in central Tokyo. We currently have units available in World Tower Residence, the 46-storey tower directly connected to Hamamatsucho Station that began welcoming residents in March 2025. Whether you are looking to buy a home, explore the market, or understand what is available in this area, our team bilingual skilled team is here to help.
