In Tokyo, there are many famous observatories such as Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Skytree. For the budget conscious, you will be glad to know that there is another observatory which is totally free of charge!
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, located in Shinjuku, is 243 meters tall and has two towers. The observatory is located on the 45 floor and it provides you a panoramic view of Tokyo city!
With good weather, you should be able to spot popular attractions such as Mount Fuji, Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Skytree, Roppongi Hills, Yoyogi Park and Meiji Shrine, just to name a few.
I began my walk from Shinjuku Station and it was a good 15 minute walk before I saw this majestic and tall building.
The elevator up to the 45 floor was swift and I was soon able to enjoy the magnificent view of the city from different angles and corners.
Although there are 2 observatory towers (North and South), only the North Tower remains open till 11pm.
Here’s the night view. If you want to take photos, it will be easier to have them taken in the day.
You can also purchase some souvenirs before you leave the building.
Here are the opening hours of the observation tower.
South Observatory: 9:30am to 5:30pm
South Observation Deck: First and third Tuesday of every month
North Observation Deck: Second and fourth Monday of every month
*When one of the days listed above falls on a holiday, the observation decks will be open on the holiday but closed the following day.
