Take a quick trip across the Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo and you arrive in Odaiba, a modern, artificially constructed island that boasts a plethora of activities for tourists and locals to entertain themselves with. One such place that draws many to Odaiba is the Fuji TV Building, an architecturally fascinating place in and of itself that offers unique views of Tokyo.
Furthermore, the building hosts Fuji Television, which is one of Japan’s prominent and highly respected television networks.
There is a lot to do within the building, making it a stop worth taking when making your way around the island.
About Odaiba
Odaiba is an island that was constructed, rather than being a naturally occurring island, situated in Tokyo Bay right beside the main part of Tokyo. Odaiba is known for its stunning waterfront, as well as a myriad of sights to see and things to do.
Not only can you find the Fuji TV Building in Odaiba, but there are also various indoor and outdoor sights to see.
Some well-known tourist attractions include Palette Town shopping and entertainment area with a large Ferris wheel, the Panasonic Center, and a replica of America’s Statue Of Liberty.
The Fuji TV Headquarters’ Unique Architecture
It might be no surprise to those familiar with the work of Kenzo Tange, but he was responsible for the design of the Fuji TV building. It took six whole years for the construction to be completed.
The building has a futuristic look, making it look like something out of a movie. You also get a stunning view of the waterfront that Odaiba is famous for, as the building is nestled right in the Minato district, which brings thousands of tourists to Odaiba every year.
Fuji Television
Fuji Television has existed in some capacity since 1957 and is owned by Fuji Media Holdings Incorporated. The media bigwig broadcasts so many different shows, from news programming to anime to Japanese sports programs and so much more. They broadcast their programming on a few different channels.
Fuji Media Holdings has quite a large presence outside of Odaiba, with many other offices throughout Japan, as well as offices in the United States.
A Tourist Destination
Above and beyond the practical use of the broadcasting building, there are numerous things to explore and do within the Fuji TV complex.
You can also visit one of the ten television studios within the building if you purchase a ticket. The building is open from 10 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. except for on Mondays.
Hachitama Spherical Observation Room
Taking a ride up to the 25th floor of the Fuji TV Building will bring you to the spherical observation room, where you get the unforgettable opportunity to see Odaiba and Tokyo from a unique vantage point.
There are clear windows all around the sphere to give you a 360 degree perspective of the surrounding area.
You can see several different landmarks from the observation room, including Tokyo Bay, Tokyo Tower, the Rainbow Bridge, and various buildings throughout Odaiba.
There is also a small store on this floor that sells memorabilia with the spherical theme, as well as different souvenirs to represent some of Fuji Television’s various programming.
There is a fee to visit the observation room, and it’s closed every Monday. Tickets can be purchased at the front desk on the first floor.
Become A Director
One fun activity you can participate in when still in the spherical part of the building is pretending to be a film director.
On the lower floor of the sphere, there is a mock studio setup with interactive cameras that let you pretend you’re making your own film.
Visit A Television Set
You can also get a glimpse into what it’s like to be on a television set where some of Fuji Television’s well-known programs are.
However, you should be sure to check whether or not you can visit on the day you’re interested in going, as it’s not open all the time depending on filming schedules.
Fuji TV Gallery
You can find the Fuji TV Gallery on the fifth floor of the building. This gallery can teach you about how Fuji TV has impacted Japanese entertainment and media through some displays from some of their various shows.
Fujisan Terrace
The Fujisan Terrace is a simple outdoor space where, when you look up, you can actually see the bottom of the spherical observation room. There are also some shops on the terrace to purchase many fun goodies inspired by different Fuji TV shows.
The space is also quite big, and there will be different events held on the terrace from time to time. Occasionally, there are also different segments of shows filmed on the terrace from time to time.
Mezama Sky
The Mezama Sky exhibit is located on the 24th floor and features a fantastically colorful television set along with a telescope that lets you look outside from the perspective of modern-day Japan, as well as from the perspective of Japan back in the Edo period.
The set is actually from an old, very popular infotainment show called Mezamashi TV. You can pretend you’re a guest on the program, as well as take a look at some of the guests who appeared on the show through their autographs displayed on the wall.
Fuji TV Mall
On the very first floor of the Fuji TV building, you’ll find a mall with a plethora of shops and eateries. It’s perfect for anyone who is either curious about what Fuji TV offers in terms of programming, or you are already a fan.
One of the shops features Chuggington, a popular children’s program. You can see some fun, interactive displays and shop for toys and other goodies inspired by the program.
Visit Fuji TV Official Website
Additionally, there is a Sasae-san shop with some of the same types of accouterments and Lawson’s convenience store that sometimes has one-of-a-kind, limited edition items inspired by other popular Fuji programming.
On the first floor, you can also find a foundation with a couple of Laugh statues, which is known as the adorable mascot of Fuji TV.
