Tokyo observation decks: tickets, prices and timing for 2026

Tokyo's observation decks run from free to ¥3,000 (~$19). The Metropolitan Government Building is free at 202 m, Shibuya Sky is ¥2,500 (~$16) booked online or ¥3,000 at the door, and Tokyo Tower's Main Deck is ¥1,500 (~$10) at 150 m.

Key facts

• Cost: Free at Tocho; Shibuya Sky ¥2,500 online; Skytree combo from ¥3,000; Tokyo Tower Main Deck ¥1,500.
• Time needed: One deck per evening. Sunset is the slot worth booking.
• Best season: December to February, when clear air brings Mount Fuji into view.
• Book ahead: Shibuya Sky releases tickets about two weeks ahead and sunset slots sell in minutes.
• Watch out for: Foreign cards. The official Shibuya Sky site rejects many, so a reseller may be needed.

Tokyo's observation decks range from free public buildings to the 634-metre TOKYO SKYTREE (GO TOKYO), and what you pay depends on the date, the time and how far ahead you book. Shibuya Sky is the deck most likely to sell out, with sunset slots released roughly two weeks ahead at midnight Japan time (Japan Travel Kit, updated October 2026). Below is what each major deck costs, how to secure the slot you want, and what to check before you go.

Shibuya Sky: book online and aim for sunset

Shibuya Sky sits about 229 metres above the Scramble Crossing, with an open-air rooftop and indoor areas giving a 360-degree view that can reach Mt. Fuji on a clear day. Adult tickets cost ¥2,500 (2026) in advance online or ¥3,000 (2026) at the door, and children under five enter free; booking online is cheaper than paying at the door and is the reliable way to secure a sunset slot (Japan Travel Kit, updated October 2026). Check the live price on the official Shibuya Sky site before you book.

Sunset is the most popular window because you get daylight, golden hour and the lit-up cityscape in one visit, so enter 30 to 60 minutes before sunset. Daytime slots are easier to get and often available closer to your visit; night slots are usually the easiest to book on short notice and are a solid backup if sunset has gone.

Two booking quirks matter. Tickets are typically released about two weeks ahead, with new dates opening around 00:00 Japan time, and sunset slots can sell out within minutes in busy seasons. Since July 2024, the official Shibuya Sky site has rejected many foreign-issued cards, so a reseller that accepts foreign cards is a practical alternative. Check the official Shibuya Sky site for the current release schedule before you commit to a date.

Shibuya Sky also sells an annual passport: ¥10,000 for a new one-year pass or ¥8,000 to renew, with entry without a reservation, 50% off admission for one companion per day, and 10% off at the 46th-floor Paradise Lounge and souvenir shop (SHIBUYA SKY). New sales of the passport are temporarily suspended, although renewals are still accepted, so check the official page for the current status.

Tokyo Skytree: the highest deck, with date-based pricing

TOKYO SKYTREE's Tembo Deck sits at 350 metres and the Tembo Galleria at 450 metres. A combo ticket covering both costs from ¥3,000 for adults (15 and over) and from ¥1,500 for children (6–14), with under-fives free; the Tembo Deck alone starts at ¥1,800 for adults and ¥900 for children. The Galleria on its own is ¥1,400 for adults and ¥700 for children, can only be bought by visitors who already hold a Tembo Deck ticket, and is sold from machines inside the Tembo Deck. A ¥500 service fee per ticket is added for purchases at the 4th-floor ticket counter or the ticket vending machines (TOKYO SKYTREE).

Prices are set daily under a variable pricing system introduced for admissions from 1 April 2026, which replaced the old weekday/holiday and advance/same-day categories (TOKYO SKYTREE press release). The figure that applies is the one shown for your chosen date on the official site, so check it before booking.

On a sample date in October 2026 the observation decks were listed as open 10:00–22:00 with last admission at 21:00, and the operator notes that opening hours are subject to change without notice (TOKYO SKYTREE opening hours).

If you are also using the subway, Tokyo Metro sells a set combining a dated Tembo Deck and Tembo Galleria admission ticket with a 24-hour Tokyo Subway Ticket: ¥3,050 for adults (18 and over) on weekdays and ¥3,300 on holidays, with the operator advising you to check the purchase page for the latest price (Tokyo Metro).

Tokyo Tower: the classic landmark

Tokyo Tower's Main Deck sits at 150 metres and is open 9:00–23:00 with last admission at 22:30; the Top Deck Tour adds the 250-metre level and runs 9:00–22:45 with the last tour at 22:15. Main Deck admission is ¥1,500 for adults, ¥1,200 for high school students, ¥900 for elementary and junior high school students and ¥600 for children aged four and over. The Top Deck Tour costs ¥3,300 for adults booked online or ¥3,500 at the ticket counter, and the TOKYO DIAMOND TOUR, which adds the lounge, is ¥7,000 for adults with departures from 12:00 to 18:00 (TOKYO TOWER).

The Top Deck may close in poor weather, and last admission to the Main Deck can be brought forward when it is busy. Tickets are sold online and at the Ticket Counter on the first floor of Foot Town; there is no re-entry after you leave, and the tower does not take reservations by phone (TOKYO TOWER FAQ). Check the current fare before you book.

The 333-metre tower, built in 1958, remains one of the city's best-known landmarks (GO TOKYO).

Tokyo City View at Roppongi Hills: watch the operator's notices

Tokyo City View occupies the 52nd floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, and its operator publishes disruption notices. The deck was closed all day on Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 January 2026, and from Thursday 15 to Friday 23 January 2026 the area facing Mt. Fuji — the middle section around Sky Gallery 2 — could not be accessed. During that period admission was discounted to ¥2,000 on-site or ¥1,800 online for adults, ¥1,400 or ¥1,300 for university and high school students, ¥800 or ¥700 for children aged four through junior high, and ¥1,700 or ¥1,500 for seniors aged 65 and over (Tokyo City View, updated 22 December 2025).

Those dates are past now, but the notice shows how the operator handles partial closures and discounts. Check the Tokyo City View news page for current hours and any upcoming restrictions before you plan a visit.

Free and lower-cost alternatives

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government No. 1 Building in Shinjuku, usually called Tocho, has an observatory on the 45th floor of each of its twin towers, 202 metres up, and admission is free. Opening hours are listed as 9:30–22:00 with last entry 30 minutes before closing, and it is a short walk from Tochomae Station on the Toei Oedo Line (Exit A4, about one minute on foot). From the observatories you can see TOKYO SKYTREE, Tokyo Bay and, on a clear day, Mt. Fuji (GO TOKYO).

The south observatory is generally open 9:30–22:00 and the north observatory 9:30–17:30, extending to 22:00 on days when the south observatory is closed. The north observatory closes on the second and fourth Monday of each month and the south observatory on the first and third Tuesday, with both closed on maintenance days; when a public holiday falls on one of those days, the observatory opens and closes the following day. Repairs have reduced the number of lifts serving the observatories, and entry may be limited on crowded days (Shinjuku area map).

Other free options listed by GO TOKYO include the 38th-floor observation area at Yebisu Garden Place Tower, Sky View at Caretta Shiodome, the 25th-floor observation deck at Bunkyo Civic Center, and the Sky Carrot observation lobby in Carrot Tower in Sangenjaya (GO TOKYO).

If you are comparing decks on height alone, the order is straightforward: TOKYO SKYTREE's 350-metre and 450-metre decks sit highest, Shibuya Sky's rooftop is around 229 metres, Tocho is around 202 metres, and Tokyo Tower's decks are at 150 metres and 250 metres (Japan Travel Kit, updated October 2026). Height and price do not move together, so decide whether you are paying for altitude, the open-air rooftop or the free option.

Eating at TOKYO SKYTREE

TOKYO SKYTREE has its own dining. Sky Restaurant 634 sits 345 metres above ground on the Tembo Deck floor and requires a Tembo Deck admission ticket to enter (TOKYO SKYTREE). On a sample October 2026 day it was listed as serving lunch from 12:00 to 16:00 on weekdays and 11:30 to 16:00 at weekends and on public holidays, and dinner from 17:30 to 22:00 on weekdays and 17:00 to 22:00 at weekends and on public holidays; the SKYTREE CAFÉ on floors 340 and 350 was listed as 10:00–21:45 with last orders at 21:15 (TOKYO SKYTREE opening hours). Hours change, so reconfirm before you build a deck slot around a meal.

What is not yet confirmed

Several details are worth checking yourself rather than relying on any single guide. Shibuya Sky's release window and its policy on foreign-issued cards can change, so confirm both on the official Shibuya Sky site. TOKYO SKYTREE's variable pricing means the only figure that matters is the one shown for your chosen date on the official site. Tokyo Tower's fees and any Top Deck closures are listed on its own pages. For Tokyo City View, watch the operator's news page for new notices rather than assuming the January 2026 pattern repeats.

Sources

• Japan Travel Kit: Shibuya Sky tickets
• SHIBUYA SKY annual passport
• TOKYO SKYTREE: tickets and prices
• TOKYO SKYTREE: variable pricing press release
• TOKYO SKYTREE: opening hours
• TOKYO TOWER: fees and business hours
• TOKYO TOWER: FAQ
• Tokyo City View: January 2026 operations notice
• GO TOKYO: Tokyo Metropolitan Government No. 1 Building
• GO TOKYO: Shinjuku area map (PDF)
• GO TOKYO: best places for Tokyo city views
• Tokyo Metro: Tokyo Subway Ticket sets