There are a lot of view points in Tokyo to see the beautiful views of the city, you can go to an observation deck, a rooftop bar or restaurant, or a hotel in a skyscraper. Going to the observation decks is the best choice, for most observation decks offer 360 degree views, and are cheaper or even free to access. Below is the introduction to the top 8 observation decks in Tokyo.
1. Tokyo Skytree
Opening hours: 9:00 to 21:00
The world’s tallest tower Tokyo Skytree houses the two highest observation decks in Japan, respectively inside the tower’s two sky pods.
The lower deck of Tokyo Skytree (named First Observatory) is more spacious than the higher deck (Second Observatory), with a capacity of approximately 2,000 people, and contains three levels, respectively at 340m, 345m, and 350m high above the ground. The first level has a section of glass floor that offers visitors who stand on it a direct downward view of the streets below. There are also cafes, shops, a restaurant, and some other entertainment facilities.
The higher deck (Second Observatory) is about 100 meters higher, it contains two floors, respectively at 445m and 450m high, and two floors are connected by a tube-shaped glass corridor (called the Tenbo Corridor) that spirals around the exterior of the sky pod, with a slope of about 110 meters. Visitors need to purchase another ticket at the ticket counter on the First Observatory to get access to Second Observatory by taking a dedicated elevator.
Both lower deck and higher deck are high enough to offer the spectacular panoramic view of Tokyo and the nearby cities and towns.
2. Tokyo City View (The observation deck on Roppongi Hills Mori Tower)
Opening hours: 10:00 to 23:00 (opening until 1:00 of next day for Friday and Saturday), 11:00 to 20:00 (Sky Deck), last entry is at 22:30
Tokyo City View is the observation deck on the top of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, which is the largest building in Tokyo by floor area and also one of the city’s tallest buildings. The observation deck is comprised of the indoor deck and the outdoor deck.
The indoor deck is at the 52nd floor of the building at a height of 218 meters above the ground, the deck also contains the entrance to Mori Art Museum, which is on the 53rd floor, the top floor 54th floor is for mechanical use.
The outdoor deck is on the rooftop of the building at 238 meters high above the ground, called Tokyo Sky Deck, it offers 360 degree unobstructed view of Tokyo, from there visitors can get a breathtaking view of skyscrapers in Shinjuku and Shibuya on one side, and the Tokyo Bay behind Tokyo Tower on the other side.
The Sky Deck is notably featured in the animated film Weathering with You, it’s where Hina Amano prays to clear the sky for the Jingu Fireworks Festival.
3. Bunkyo Civic Center (Free access)
Opening hours: 9:00 to 20:30
Bunkyo Civic Center is a government building near the Tokyo Dome, it has an iconic appearance as there’s a section looks like a flying saucer near the top, that’s also where an observation deck is located.
Like the observation decks of the famous Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the Bunkyo Civic Center observation deck is also free to access, so you can get there as many times as you want for free, to see the beautiful views of the city on different weather conditions.
Although this observation deck is not as high as many other observation decks in Tokyo, at only 105 meters (344 ft) high on the 25th floor of the building, it actually offers one of the best views, you can see the impressive view of the skyscraper cluster in Shinjuku with Mount Fuji in the background.
You can also see Tokyo Dome and Koishikawa Korakuen below the building, and the clock tower of the University of Tokyo, which is not far from the building. The landmark structure Tokyo Skytree can be seen on the east side in the distance. The view is 330 degree, as a restaurant occupies the south corner of the floor, some views like that of skyscrapers in Minato ward and Tokyo Tower can be seen from that restaurant.
4. Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (Free access)
Opening hours: 9:30 to 23:00, last entry is 22:30
The 243-meter Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is the tallest building in Shinjuku ward, the building is designed like a Gothic cathedral with two towers connected by a lower structure. Each of its two towers houses an observation deck on the 45th floor at 202 meters high above the ground, and they are open to public for free. Each observation deck has a souvenir store and a cafe or bar.
Both towers offer 360 degree views of Tokyo, especially a closeup view of skyscrapers of Shinjuku, and the South Tower exclusively offers a close aerial view of Yoyogi Park and Meiji Shrine within the park. You’ll see Tokyo Tower in adjacent with Midtown Tower, and other skyscrapers in Minato and Chiyoda can also be seen from there.
The two observation decks are not always both open, they have different closed days, which are also subjected to change for many reasons, so it’s better to check the opening days on their website before your visit.
5. Shibuya Sky
Opening hours: 9:00 to 23:00, last entry is 22:00
Shibuya Sky is the observation deck on the top of a 47-floor skyscraper in Shibuya called Shibuya Scramble Square. The skyscraper is connected to the Shibuya Station, with a height of 228 meters, it’s the tallest building in Shibuya ward by roof height.
Opened in November 2019, Shibuya Sky is the newest observation deck in Tokyo, and like that of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, Shibuya Sky also consists of an indoor observation floor, and an outdoor deck on the rooftop, which is currently the largest open-air observatory in Tokyo.
At a height of approximately 230 meters, the rooftop deck offers 360 degree aerial view of Tokyo, and the famous Shibuya Crossing can be seen clearly from the right above.
Like most of the open-air observation decks, the edges of the rooftop deck are fenced off with glass, most parts are higher than human height, but there’s an area called Sky Edge that has lower glass and offers unobstructed views of the cityscape.
The open-air deck even has sofas offered for visitors to relax watching the views, and there are also hammocks for resting and cloud watching.
6. Sky Circus (The observation deck on Sunshine 60)
Opening hours: 10:00 to 22:00, last entry is 21:00
Sunshine 60 is a 60-story skyscraper in Ikebukuro, Toshima ward. Its top floor has an enclosed observation deck called Sky Circus, with a height of 226 meters above the ground. The building is a little far from the central area of the city, but has a very nice perspective to capture the view of the skyscrapers in Shinjuku, you can take a telescope to enjoy one of the best views of Shinjuku.
And you will also get a close aerial view of the streets of Ikebukuro, one of the busiest entertainment districts in Tokyo. The observation deck also has some entertainment facilities like virtual reality rides.
The rooftop of the building was initially opened as the outdoor area of the observation deck, but was eventually closed in 2012 after a high school student committed suicide by jumping out from the edge of the roof.
7. Tokyo Tower
Opening hours: 9:00 to 23:00, last entry is 22:30
Tokyo Tower has two observation decks, one is called Main Deck and is larger and lower, the other one is known as Top Deck, it’s smaller but significantly higher. The two observation decks were initially called Large Observatory and Special Observatory respectively, they were only renamed to the current names after a large scale repair in 2018.
The Main Deck contains two levels, the first level is located 120 meters above the ground, and the second level is 5 meters higher at 125 meters, visitors are whisked to the second level first, then they can walk to the first level through a stairway. The first level has a small area of glass floor, on which visitors can look down through it at the streets below.
The Top Deck is located about 100 meters higher, at 223.5 meters above the ground, visitors need to pay an additional admission fee to get there, and it may be closed due to the bad weather conditions.
There’s a staircase connecting the Main Deck and the tower’s Foot Town at the ground, it’s open to the public on Saturdays and holidays. The staircase has a total of 590 steps, visitors wish to take the stairs to the Main Deck must go through all those steps, as they cannot transfer to an elevator on the halfway.
8. “HACHITAMA” Spherical Observation Room (the observation deck on Fuji TV Building)
Opening hours: 11:00 to 17:00, last entry is at 16:30
Fuji TV Building is the headquarters of the Fuji Television Network, the building features a distinctive form, comprising of many steel columns, skybridges, and a titanium silver ball on the middle top, which houses an observation deck called “HACHITAMA” Spherical Observation Room.
The observation deck is on the 25th floor of the building at 100 meters high, offering a stunning 270 degree view, including the waterfront area of Tokyo and a part of Tokyo Bay.
Many iconic structures are within the view, like Rainbow Bridge in the forefront, Tokyo Tower, Midtown Tower, Mori Tower, and other skyscrapers around them, it’s one of the best places to capture the panoramic view of Tokyo all in one direction.
Seaside Top (The observation deck on World Trade Center Building/Closed)
Opening hours: 10:00 to 20:30, last entry is at 20:00
This observation deck has been closed recently on January 31, 2021
Built in 1970, the 163-meter tall World Trade Center Building is one of the oldest skyscrapers in Tokyo. The building has 40 floors, and the 40th floor is occupied by an observation deck called Seaside Top, with a height of 152 meters. The east and south sides of the deck offer a close aerial view of Tokyo Bay.
The west side of the building has a building with almost the same height built, it blocks a part of the city view, but fortunately it doesn’t block the major tourist spots and landmarks.
You can see Tokyo Tower from the northwest corner of the deck, and that’s one of the best views of Tokyo Tower, since it’s only about 950 meters away, no other observation decks in Tokyo is located so close to it.
The north side of the deck provides the view of other skyscrapers in Minato and Chiyoda, Tokyo Skytree can be seen near the northeast corner of the deck, and the distance is also shorter compared with most other observation decks in this list.
The owner of World Trade Center Building plans to demolish the building to build a more modern 200-meter-tall office building on the same site in 2021, so don’t miss the remaining time to visit the observation deck before the building is demolished.
Location of each observation deck:
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