The grand opening of Dentsu's commercial and cultural facility, Caretta Shiodome–the leading development project in the Shiodome area–will take place on Sunday, December 1, 2002. The event is being held in conjunction with the relocation of the Dentsu Head Office to the Shiodome area at the end of the year.

Development plans for central Tokyo are moving forward in Roppongi, Shinagawa, Marunouchi and Shiodome, and the business and commercial environments of these core districts are continuing to undergo a major transformation as people return to the city's center and find places to live near their workplaces. Caretta Shiodome has 56 unique shops, which are home to many restaurants as well as fashion boutiques. Its cultural facilities are scheduled to include DentsuShiki Theatre SEA and Advertising Museum Tokyo. The surrounding neighborhood seeks a refined class of urban residents, portraying itself as an adult town, a new Tokyo district full of new discoveries, and an exciting and thriving urban center.

Where People Can Delight in the Pleasure of Dining
To create a restaurant district that encourages guests to "delight in the pleasure of dining," Caretta Shiodome has selected a number of exclusive restaurants, some of which are known for their difficulty in getting a reservation. The area offers all genres of Japanese, Western, and Chinese cuisine, and is a haven for those who want to relax and enjoy their food in a wonderful dining atmosphere.

Other shops include fashion boutiques, books, office supplies and anything else one might need to complement a new urban lifestyle.

Superior Construction and Design
Renowned commercial building designer Jon Jerde (Note 1) devised a sophisticated plan for the underground mall of floors B1 and B2, and created an innovative Canyon Terrace design for floors 1, 2, and 3, making it look like a canyon created by the slow erosion of ancient rocks by water. The office building designed by French architect Jean Nouvel (Note 2), houses on its uppermost floors (46 and 47) the Sky lounge/Restaurant, which offers a stunning 360-degree view of the city.

Note1: Jon Jerde: Born in the United States in 1940. Graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, Department of Architecture in 1964. His major works include the Los Angeles Olympic facilities (1984), the Universal City Walk (1992, Los Angeles), and Canal City Hakata (1996).

Note 2: Jean Nouvel: Born in France in 1945. Graduated from the Ecole des Beaux-arts in 1972. His major works include The Arab World Institute (1987, Paris) and the design for the Tour Sans Fin (1989, Paris).

Center for Theater and Advertising
DentsuShiki Theatre SEA, the Shiki Theatre Company's third exclusive theater in the capital region, is scheduled to show the big New York hit musical "Mamma Mia" for its opening performance. Advertising Museum Tokyo, which is scheduled to open at the same time, will house an advertising library, display advertising works and hold special events.

Sunken Plaza, located at the entrance of the commercial facility, is a large, 1,300-square-meter public space where people can relax and enjoy various events.

Facility Outline
Name: Caretta Shiodome

The name "Caretta" comes from the scientific name of the loggerhead turtle, caretta caretta. Once revered as gods that sustained the earth, turtles have long been thought to have spiritual power and to signify eternal prosperity. They have been leading characters in legends of longevity and good luck around the world, and in recent years have come to symbolize environmental preservation. Caretta Shiodome was named after the loggerhead turtle because of the image it provides for urban dwellers who are striving to live unhurried and affluent lifestyles, and because of its past role as a god of protection for commercial enterprises. A work of art featuring a turtle motif by Chinese artist Cai Guoqiang has been installed in the public space on floor B2.

Location: 1-5, Higashi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku

Shop area: Approximately 11,200m²
(restaurants/bars/cafes: 6,600m²; retail: 3,300m²; others: 1,300m²)

No. of tenants: 57
(restaurants/bars/cafes: 33; retail and service shops: 23; Advertising Museum Tokyo)

Opening day: Sunday, December 1, 2002