The top 10 best observation towers and decks in Tokyo have been listed below:
- Tokyo Tower
- Skytree
- Shibuya Sky
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
- Roppongi Hills Mori Tower
- Park Hyatt Hotel
- Sunshine 60
- Bunkyo Civic Center
- Carrot Tower
- Caretta Shiodome
Continue reading to discover more about these top 10 observation towers and decks in Tokyo and why they are considered must-see locations to add to your travel itinerary.
Why Should You Stop and Visit Observation Towers and Decks in Tokyo?
Tokyo is known worldwide for some of its incredible vistas and cityscape photography, but with Tokyo’s size, finding the proper spot to capture it all in can be tricky.
All observation decks and towers within Tokyo have their own distinct views, and one isn’t necessarily greater than the other.
Still, if you only have a limited amount of time in Tokyo, this guide may help you decide which ones are worth seeing.
Visiting Tokyo Tower
Tokyo Tower, which is 42 feet taller than the Eiffel Tower, and stands at 1092 feet tall. When it was finished in 1958, it signified Japan’s resurgence as a postwar economic power.
Tokyo Tower includes two viewing decks. The main deck is 492 feet high, and the top deck reaches a height of 820 feet.
Why Visit Tokyo Tower?
On a clear day, both give views as far as the Tokyo Skytree and Mount Fuji and down over Zojoji Temple. Souvenir stores and eateries are located on the tower’s lower floors.
With its proximity to Tokyo’s financial center, Tokyo Tower is one of the most fantastic places to photograph the city’s environment at night.
Countless office buildings and crossing streets provide a halo of fluorescent lighting around the city that can only be seen when the sun isn’t shining.
Viewing Tokyo from Skytree
With its inauguration in 2012, Tokyo’s Skytree became the world’s tallest communication tower and second highest building, behind only Dubai’s Burj Khalifa at 637 meters.
Skytree is relatively simple to get to, as it is only a 5-minute walk from Oshiage Station. However, the tower’s position may be a bit out of the way from other major tourist attractions in Tokyo.
Tokyo Skytree Official Website
Why Visit Skytree?
The Skytree comprises two of Japan’s tallest viewing decks. The bottom deck, which is 1148 feet high, has large windows, a restaurant, a cafe, and stores.
The 1476 feet-high top deck is famous for a glass-and-steel-enclosed spiraling ramp that circles the structure. Both provide breathtaking, unimpeded views of the Kanto Region.
At the foot of the tower, there is a stunning aquarium and a retail center.
Making the Skytree the final stop on a day of touring may be a lovely way to conclude, especially since sunset is the most incredible time to view the sun’s amber light peak across Tokyo’s city scene.
Viewing Tokyo from Shibuya Sky
Tokyo’s newest and most contemporary viewing experience, Shibuya Sky, blends multiple features from earlier constructed observation decks.
It was then built to add its own distinctive touch to create an absolutely remarkable view.
Shibuya Sky, which reaches a height of 751 feet, opened in November 2019.
Although it isn’t the highest view you can partake in within Tokyo, you won’t notice since the area is meant to keep you aware of how high you are above the earth.
Why Visit Shibuya Sky?
The observation deck takes up the top two floors of the structure. It contains a beautiful open-air deck that is separated from the uninterrupted views of the city by little more than a layer of glass at the skyscraper’s very edge.
Shibuya Sky, without a doubt, provides the finest view of the Shibuya neighborhood and is currently a contender for the best viewing experience in Tokyo.
Shibuya Sky is an excellent place to start if you are looking for the most incredible view of Tokyo, with entry prices of about 2000 Yen and a location close to the east exit of JR Shibuya Station.
Viewing Tokyo from Tokyo’s Metropolitan Government Building
The 797 feet-tall Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, opened in 1991 within Shinjuku’s skyscraper area, has two observation decks. Each deck is located within each of its perspective towers.
The free observation decks, positioned on the 45th floor of their respective towers, provide views from 662 feet above the ground.
Metropolitan Government Building Official Website
Meiji Jingu, Tokyo Tower, the Tokyo Skytree, and Mount Fuji can all be seen from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, located in Shinjuku and only a 10-minute walk from the nearest station, oversees the special wards, cities, towns, and villages that make up the metropolis of the Tokyo region.
Visitors will be subjected to a luggage check before being permitted to ride the elevator to the 45th level due to the building’s governmental role.
The twilight views from the towers are worth returning to throughout your visit as there is no admission cost.
Viewing Tokyo from Roppongi Hills Mori Tower
The 780 feet Mori Tower, which opened in 2003, is the showpiece of the Roppongi Hills complex in Tokyo’s Roppongi neighborhood.
The magnificent Tokyo City View observation deck and the outstanding Mori Art Museum entrance are located on the building’s 52nd floor.
Roppongi Hills Official Website
The Mori Tower also has a 780 feet-high open-air Sky Deck on the building’s roof, which offers breathtaking 360-degree views of the city. Due to high winds or inclement weather, the observation area may occasionally close.
With shopping at the Mori Art Museum, the Mori Tower has quite a few attractions to entertain you before or after visiting the sky deck.
Viewing Tokyo from the Park Hyatt Hotel
The Park Hyatt Hotel, which is famed for being the scene for the 2003 film “Lost in Translation,” is 771 feet tall and offers a private view of Tokyo from your bedroom or the famous restaurant and bar.
The hotel’s 52nd story panoramic view, located in the center of Shinjuku, never fails to wow.
The vista, which is framed by floor-to-ceiling glass windows in most of the hotel’s common areas, beckons like a siren’s song, and you’ll find yourself looking down at Tokyo’s glimmering lights without even realizing it.
If you’re fortunate enough to book ahead of time and stay at the Park Hyatt Hotel, your room will be equipped with windows that provide you with your own personal view of Tokyo from sunrise to sunset, without the lines or visitors associated with most observation points.
Park Hyatt Hotel Official Website
Viewing Tokyo from Sunshine 60
The 787 feet-tall Sunshine 60 opened in 1978 in the Ikebukuro District and was Japan’s tallest skyscraper for more than a decade. It has a top-floor observation deck with beautiful views of the city.
The viewing deck, dubbed the “Sky Circus,” also has virtual reality rides and a few other attractions.
Sunshine 60 Location Via Google Maps
Viewing Tokyo from Bunkyo Civic Center
Despite being one of Tokyo’s shortest observation decks, Bunkyo Civic Center’s central location provides spectacular views of Mount Fuji behind the Shinjuku District’s skyscrapers on one side of their viewing deck and the Tokyo Skytree on the other.
The building’s free observation deck is located on the 25th level, while the lower floors hold Bunkyo municipal ward offices. Tokyo Dome City and Koishikawa Korakuen are located just beneath the municipal center.
Why Visit the Bunkyo Civic Center?
The structure and its 270-degree viewing deck are free to access.
The Bunkyo Civic Center, which many tourists sometimes miss on their first visit to Tokyo, may easily be visited without concern about the commotion of the more frequented tourist destinations.
Bunkyo Civic Center Official Website
Viewing Tokyo from Carrot Tower
The commercial structure, affectionately known as “Carrot Tower” because of its vibrant orange hue, is located in Tokyo’s Setagaya neighborhood and rises at around 282 feet tall.
Carrot Tower provides a free, accessible, and tranquil perspective of the city, with no needless frills or fuss, just you and the scenery.
Carrot Tower is ideal for individuals who want to escape the crowds and commotion of some of the more popular observation decks on our list and instead enjoy a peaceful Tokyo sunset while reading a book or just taking in the scenery.
Viewing Tokyo from Caretta Shiodome
The Caretta Shiodome structure, which stands 698 feet tall on Tokyo Bay, is home to one of Japan’s most prestigious advertising firms.
Caretta Shiodome Official Website
The Rainbow Bridge and bay rivers that run across the panorama may be seen from the observation platform.
The glass elevator ride to the building’s 46th story distinguishes Caretta Shiodome from the others.
Observe as your body climbs from the earth to greet the Tokyo skyline. The experience alone, according to many, is worth the short trip.
