Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

Landmark

Prefecture

Tokyo

Type

Landmark

N/A

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Train Access Cafe

About This Destination

Two free observation decks on the 45th floor of Tokyo's city hall in Nishi-Shinjuku, 202 meters above the ground. There are no reservations, so expect a 20- to 30-minute wait at busy times. On clear days between December and February, Mt. Fuji shows up to the west.

The No. 1 Government Building, the twin-towered city hall that opened in Nishi-Shinjuku in 1991, has a free observation deck in each of its two towers, on the 45th floor, 202 meters up. The view is the whole point. Tokyo Skytree sits to the northeast, Shinjuku Gyoen and the Meiji Jingu forest to the southeast, and Mt. Fuji to the west, most often visible from December to February. The south deck stays open until 22:00 and has a gift shop and the Tokyo Omoide Piano, which visitors may play at set times. The north deck has a cafe and usually shuts at 17:30. The two decks close on different days, so check which one is open before you go. Nothing can be booked, and the official page shows the wait in colors; 20 to 30 minutes is typical. On weekends and holidays the second-floor entrance is shut, so use the main entrance on the first floor and ride the dedicated observation elevator. After dark, the east face of the building turns into a screen for TOKYO Night & Light, a projection mapping show watched from the Citizens' Plaza below and run daily except in bad weather.

Location

Prefecture: Tokyo

Address: Tokyo, Japan

Nearest Station: Tochomae Station

Opening hours: Mon–Sun 09:30–22:00

Closed: The south deck closes on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays and the north deck on the 2nd and 4th Mondays; when that day is a public holiday, the deck opens and closes on the next weekday instead. Both decks close from December 29 to 31, on January 2 and 3, and on building inspection days, and can close at short notice in bad weather.

Hours note: Last entry is 30 minutes before closing. The south deck is open 9:30 to 22:00. The north deck normally closes at 17:30 (last entry 17:00) but stays open until 22:00 on days the south deck is closed. On Tokyo Marathon day, the first Sunday in March, the decks are planned to open at around 11:00.

Best time to visit: December to February, when Mt. Fuji is most often visible; evenings for the night view and the projection mapping on the facade

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Visitor Information

Credit Cards: Unknown

Official Website

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it cost anything to go up, and can I book?

Entry is free, and neither individual nor group reservations are accepted. Wait times are shown in color on the official page: blue for 0 to 5 minutes, yellow for 5 to 30 and red for over 30; 20 to 30 minutes is typical.

Which deck is open in the evening?

Usually the south deck, which is open until 22:00 with last entry at 21:30. The north deck closes at 17:30 unless the south deck has its day off (the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays), when the north deck stays open until 22:00 instead.

Where do I watch the projection mapping?

TOKYO Night & Light is projected onto the east wall of the No. 1 Government Building and watched from the Citizens' Plaza (都民広場) in front of it. It runs every evening except in bad weather; the start times change by month, so check the schedule on the project's official site.