Shibuya is out. Roppongi Hills is in. Thanks to a $2.25 billion face-lift, Tokyo's old red-light district is the city's new cultural hub. The now-trendy neighborhood is enticing a different class of thrill seekers with 200 shops and restaurants, a multiplex open till 5 am, and - as of October 18 - a contemporary art center. The Mori Art Museum, overseen by British curator David Elliot, occupies the top two floors of the 54-story Mori Tower. "This is a museum with no history, no baggage," Elliot says. "It's able to rethink what a modern art museum should be." Elliot doesn't plan a permanent collection, so architect Richard Gluckman made the museum's lasting highlight its breathtaking ground-floor entrance. The 100-foot glass cone leads visitors to five high-speed elevators that whisk them straight to the opening exhibit, Happiness: A Survival Guide for Art and Life. The group show features visions of glee from 180 artists, including (a) political pop duo the Luo Brothers, (b) video artist Bill Viola, (c) Andy Warhol, and (d) Yoko Ono. Come on, get happy.
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