Hello everyone! Today, I would like to review "Mita Garden Hills", a newly-built condominium in Tokyo, which is located in the Mita district of Minato Ward.
When you hear the name "Garden Hills," the first thing that comes to mind is probably "Hiroo Garden Hills." It is a legendary vintage mansion that has only increased in value over time, but all the attention is now on Mita "Garden Hills", the series of luxurious residence, which is coming up after 38 years! It is sure to become the next-generation vintage legend, and the exterior design is just too cool! The common facilities and services inside are also luxurious, making it a top-class apartment with no expense spared.
Of course, the price is also inaccessible, so some people may compare it to "World Tower Residence," which I recently wrote an article about. While "World Tower Residence" is a high-rise tower located in front of a train station, "Mita Garden Hills" is a low- to mid-rise apartment complex in a residential area (both were almost simultaneously put up for sale and moving in). I think they will both be popular among the rich who demand uncompromising living spaces.
If you can afford it, you definitely want to buy it! Let me explain the advantages and disadvantages of this property below.
Location: 1-102-1 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo (land parcel number)
Transportation: 5-7 minutes walk from Tokyo Metro Namboku Line "Azabu-Juban" Station, Toei Subway Oedo Line "Azabu-Juban" Station, and 10-12 minutes walk from Toei Subway Mita Line "Shiba Koen" Station
Total number of units: 1002 units (952 units for general sale and 2 retail units)
Land ownership/lease type: Ownership
Move-in date: Scheduled for late April 2025
Sales start date: February 2023
Structure/floors: Site 1: 14 floors above ground and 2 floors below ground, reinforced concrete structure; Site 2: 14 floors above ground and 1 floor below ground, reinforced concrete structure
Construction company: Obayashi Corporation Seller: Mitsui Fudosan Residential Co., Ltd. and Mitsubishi Estate Residence Co., Ltd.
Parking: 501 spaces for 1002 units [mechanical: 459 spaces (including 2 spaces for the physically challenged), surface: 42 spaces], plus 7 spaces for visitors (mechanical), 2 spaces for car sharing (mechanical), 2 spaces for visitors/EV charging (surface), and 14 spaces for services (surface)
General notes: Bicycle parking: 1002 spaces for 1002 units, 20 share bicycles, and 11 motorcycle parking spaces for 1002 units.
Benefits of Mita Garden Hills
Convenient yet Quiet Location
It is a super high-end residential area in the heart of Tokyo that balances tranquility and accessibility. You can say that it is well-known, or rather, it's a place known by a privileged few. For people from Tokyo or those who have lived there for a long time, it's common sense that Mita in Minato ward has been one of the most prestigious residential areas in Tokyo, with Italian and Australian embassies, and Mitsui Club, among other high-end establishments. The property is located on a hill, overlooking Mitsui Club on a vast site.
The access to Azabu-Juban Station is excellent, taking only 5 to 7 minutes. It's just the right distance, not too close and not too far.
By the way, in the Mita area there are three "Park Mansion" buildings, which is Mitsui Fudosan's highest-class condominium series. "Park Mansion" buildings are only built in high-end residential areas, and besides Mita, there are only four other locations where they exist: Akasaka, Ichibancho, Minami-Aoyama, and Takanawa (Akasaka has five buildings, as expected!). One of the buildings in Mita Garden Hills is a Park Mansion, making it the fourth Park Mansion in Mita, and the second-highest number after Akasaka.
A Great Environment on a Hill
Being located on top of a hill, the view is good, and although it is not a tower apartment, the overall environment is good in terms of views and sunlight (depending on the direction).
The air around the area is clean and quiet.
In addition, many splendid trees are planted on the roads and houses in the surrounding area, making it a pleasant and green environment. Shibakoen (one of the biggest park in Tokyo) is just nearby, and it's luxurious to be able to use the park in your everyday life.
Although the electric poles around the area are not beautiful in the sight, the road on the front side has been designated as a priority maintenance route for the Minato Ward Electric Pole Underground Plan, so it will eventually be undergrounded.
Superb Design
The superb design of the building that is made to be a vintage legend in the future is impressive, and the entrance in front is so cool that it raises one's excitement!
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The lobby's grandeur and beauty make me want to sigh in amazement.
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It seems that they are extremely particular about the appearance.
In addition, materials such as stained glass and bricks that were used in the "Former Ministry of Communications, Insurance Bureau Building," a historic building that used to stand on this site until recently, will be reused in the facade of "Mita Garden Hills." You can feel the unique value of tradition that is passed down across generations, which is wonderful.
Comprehensive Facilities and Services
While the level of service may vary between the Park Mansion and other buildings, overall the shared facilities and services are quite comprehensive.
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First of all, one of the biggest selling points of this property is the vast private courtyard exclusively for residents. Unlike the public spaces typically found in high-rise apartment buildings, this private space is only accessible to residents, which adds to its appeal.
中庭完成予想CG（公式HPより抜粋）
中庭完成予想CG（公式HPより抜粋）
While living in the city, it is such a luxury to be able to take a deep breath every morning in such a rich green environment. One might say, "If you love greenery so much, why not move to the countryside?!" but personally, I'm not a fan of encountering insects and animals in the wild (perhaps a common trait among urban working women), and I love having greenery that is well-managed and maintained like this.
By the way, it seems that the apartments with a great view of this beautiful courtyard can be quite expensive, and the ones on the lower floors with a better view of the courtyard can be more expensive than those on the higher floors. It's a reverse pricing phenomenon! It will be interesting to see what happens when they become secondhand.
In addition, the property is packed with a wide range of facilities, including open lounges, family lounges, lounge gardens, workspaces, work gardens, community gardens, bar lounges, café lounges, fitness centers, golf ranges, members-only restaurants, members-only fitness centers, members-only pools, rock saunas, saunas, guest rooms, theater rooms, sound studios, and more.
If you check out the property listing, you can see photos of all these facilities, so be sure to take a look. They are all so stylish that I couldn't help but sigh with admiration!
The members-only fitness center and pool are generally reserved for Park Mansion residents or those who live in apartments of 120 square meters or more. Other residents can use them for an annual fee of about 700,000 yen.
The property also offers top-notch concierge services, valet services, butlers, doormen, bartenders, and other high-quality services in partnership with the Imperial Hotel.
The drawbacks of Mita Garden Hills
Mita Garden Hills is a desirable property to buy if you can afford it, but let's consider the negative aspects.
Expected noise and changes in the view due to redevelopment in the surrounding area
Large-scale redevelopment is planned in the "Mita Koyamacho West District" on the northwest side of Mita Garden Hills, where high-rise office buildings and tower apartments (with more than 1,400 units) will be constructed.
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Originally, Mita Koyamacho was a low-lying area along the Furukawa River, and it is quite different from the upscale residential area on the hill where Mita Garden Hills is located. However, through this redevelopment, I believe it will be reborn as an attractive residential area.
The two are quite close in distance. The area circled in blue below is the Mita Koyamacho redevelopment area (more precisely, the area enclosed in black with mesh), and the area circled in red is Mita Garden Hills.
三田小山町西地区第一種市街地再開発事業 施行区域図（港区HPより抜粋）
The construction is scheduled to take place from 2023 to 2027, so residents are likely to deal with noise for several years after moving in.
In addition, the northwest view will be blocked, so the existing sense of openness will disappear. This is an important point to check.
Furthermore, there are Akabane Elementary School and Akabane Kindergarten next to the property, but rebuilding work will be carried out. Construction will begin in April 2023, and completion is scheduled for 2027.
It may be a happy news for parents who prefer public schools as they will be rebuilt into a very cool building and will be located right next to the property. However, residents will have to deal with noise from the construction for several years after moving in.
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Watch Out for the Steep Slopes in the area!
First of all, it's no surprise that there are many hills in Minato Ward, and upscale residential areas are often located on hilltops. However, the elderly are the ones who are most affected by this disadvantage, so it's understandable that many elderly people prefer to purchase tower apartments in low-lying areas.
At Mita Garden Hills, you can take a walk in the courtyard on the premises and exercise at the gym, so you may not have many opportunities to take a walk around the area. However, it will be an essential checkpoint for those who make it a daily routine to take a walk around their home.
The Large-Scale Apartment with about 1000 Units May Feel Cramped?!
One thing that surprised me about this apartment was the sheer size of it, with over 1000 units. It's like a tower apartment, or even more so! That means there will be at least 3000 people living on this property.
The distance between the buildings is also close, so I think there is a slightly cramped feeling.
配棟計画イメージイラスト（公式HPより抜粋）
However, the original site is vast, so unless the room is close to the neighboring building, you won't feel cramped in your daily life. Since there are quite a few shared facilities, it shouldn't be as crowded as a typical high-rise apartment.
As can be seen from the type and number of shared facilities, it will be a large-scale apartment overflowing with vitality. If you're looking for the tranquility of a luxury residential area, you may be better off with a smaller or medium-sized low-rise apartment.
In addition, each building does not have an independent entrance, and you have to go through the Park Mansion entrance to go outside. Some residents of Park Mansion may find it noisy, but for other buildings' residents, it may be lucky to experience the luxurious entrance of Park Mansion. Some may find the walking distance too long and troublesome.
Disparities between residents?!
First, there is "Park Mansion," which is synonymous with luxury housing, and other buildings that have slightly different services available (such as a members-only pool and butler service).
In addition, the other buildings have various sizes and layouts, and I was surprised to learn that there are rooms as small as 29 square meters in the North Hill building that are used as SOHO rooms!
The shared facilities are also very luxurious and extravagant, so I can imagine that there will be many external visitors. (I'd love to visit too!)
On the positive side, it's a lively space full of diversity with people of various ages and values, but on the negative side, there may be disparities between residents.
Poor Layout!!
To be honest, I think the layout falls into the category of being poor. I was surprised at the price for this kind of layout.
Here are three examples of layouts that I thought were not so good.
- This one is tough! The bedroom is small! The storage space is disappointing, and the placement of the hallway is not good...
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First, the bedrooms...! Especially bedroom 1 and 2, those are really tight... about 5 square meters in size and this narrowness makes them hard to use. And in bedroom 1, the window shape looks distorted as a result of the column intrusion. Bedroom 2 is even more cramped, squeezed between the balcony and the windows of bedroom 1. It's already narrow, but the tightness on the window side is noticeable. I wonder how anyone can use this room, especially bedroom 2.
As for the master bedroom, I wish they had not included that big pipe space. Considering the price of this unit, the walk-in closet is also a bit small. I will repeat this again, considering the price.
It's great that there is ample storage in the hallway, but the storage in bedroom 1 and 2 is extremely small and it seems like they won't open unless the closet doors are left open.
It's also unfortunate that hallway 1 and 2 are not connected. To get to a private room, you need to go through the living room.
There are also two dead spaces along the two hallways and next to the kitchen (which is almost like a hallway), so even with 85 square meters, the living room will feel cramped, and the bedrooms will be small. I wonder if there will be people who will renovate this 2LDK unit after moving in?
2. This room also has an awkward shape...
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It's a luxurious specification that exceeds 100 square meters! However, I wish the opening of the living and dining room was larger. The balcony juts in and it's an awkward shape. Since it's a large 20 tatami room, the awkward shape may not be a big concern, but I think a larger opening would have been better.
In bedroom 1, the pipe space is too large, and it's disappointing that the opening is narrow.
The master bedroom is 10 tatami mats, but the dead space next to the closet is large, so you may not feel the spaciousness as much. Also, I wish the walk-in closet had a sliding door. With this design, if the wife is in the walk-in closet and the door is left open, you have to shuffle sideways and crab walk to get out into the hallway.
It's great that you can access the balcony from all rooms! However, some family members may be concerned about privacy.
3. Overall, the private rooms are long and narrow...
間取り図（公式HPより抜粋）
I have been longing for a 120-square meter or more space! But, isn't Bedroom 1 and 2 too narrow and long...?
Also, there are pillars along the window side, but what about the lowered ceiling in this area? Considering the unit price, I don't think it should be that low, so it's something to check.
To summarize the three statements, although the overall width has been expanded, there are many narrow rooms, dead spaces, and narrow openings as a tendency in the layout.
The material grade is high, so it may not look strange (and we believe it). As the residents are wealthy, they may be able to manage with luxury custom-made furniture, or the space could become lovely after remodeling after move-in, so there may not be too much to worry about!
The ceiling height is set at 2.6 meters, which is slightly higher than the average for an apartment. However, recently, 2.5 meters or higher is normal, and there are also rooms with 2.7 or 2.8-meter-high ceilings. The height of the window sashes is considered to be excellent.
Thank you for reading my thoughts on the Mita Garden Hills. It seems that while there are some negative aspects to the design and layout of the apartments, the overall design and luxurious shared facilities are quite impressive and attractive to many people. It's understandable that many would be drawn to this building and aspire to live there.
