Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

There is really an abundance of beautiful places to go to in Tokyo! There is so much to discover, including remarkable restaurants, lovely parks, and extraordinary buildings.

And I should mention that there are also so many good photo op spots like this one!

And speaking of extraordinary buildings, one such building is the Tokyo Metropolitan Building, which is where Mike and I went to after having lunch at Torigen Shinjuku Restaurant.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (also known as Tochō) is a 243-meter tall building that houses 202-meter observation decks where tourists can enjoy a panoramic view of Tokyo.

Main Building 1 of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

There are other popular observation decks in Tokyo, such as the Tokyo Sky Tree and Roponggi Hills, but there is an entrance fee to pay to go up these viewing decks. The best thing about the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum, aside from the fact that it is a stunning edifice in itself, is that visitors can delight in the spectacular view of all of Tokyo FOR FREE! (Yay for ‘free’!)

If you are planning a visit to Tochō, check the weather first. As you can see from my photos below, it was very foggy when we went so the view, especially that of the faraway areas, was quite bleary. As a result, the photos didn’t turn out as nicely as they should have.

A view of Tokyo from the observation deck

Do you recognize any of these buildings?

The tower at the center is the NTT DoCoMo Yoyogi Building

As you can see, this is a very touristy place.

Don’t know what you’re looking at exactly? Don’t worry, there’s a visual guide that will help you identify the places you are seeing.

“Perspective” (Trying to sound profound but really, it’s just a bug that looks as big as the structures)

A view of the Kofu, Okutama, and Chichibu districts

Oh, Tokyo, even when you are foggy, you are beautiful!

Those trees are so cute! They look like giant broccoli florets!

The Nakano Sun Plaza (white building at the back of the silver building, which I don’t know the name of) and the Hikarigaoka district

Shinjuku Mitsui Building, SOMPO Japan Headquarters Building, Shinjuku Center Building, Mode Educational Institution Cocoon Tower , and Keio Plaza Hotel

A view of Yoyogi Park, Shinjuku Park Tower, the Izu district, Tokyo Opera City Tower, and the New National Theater

On a clear day, you can see Mt. Fuji from here. Unfortunately, we couldn’t really see it in this weather.

In case you get hungry or thirsty, there is a cafe inside the observation deck

There are also souvenir shops inside the observation deck where you can buy gifts for your loved ones, such as these cute stuffed pandas!

Surely, you can never get tired of the view of Tokyo from the top but if you want a little break, go down the lobby, get some fresh air, and stroll around the courtyard, which looks like a nice little park.

The courtyard of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building

I didn’t know what those two things are on the ground, but to me, they looked like red and silver faces of Baymax!

Not sure what this is either, but if it’s a seat, it doesn’t look very comfortable!

One last shot before leaving the building!

Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
Address: 2-8-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo 163-8001, Japan
Phone Number: +81 3-5321-1111
Opening Hours:
Hours North Observatory: 9:30 to 23:00
South Observatory: 9:30 to 17:30 (until 23:00 when North Observatory is closed)
Admission end 30 minutes before closing time
Closed on:
North Observatory: 2nd and 4th Monday of each month (next day if national holiday)
South Observatory: 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month (next day if national holiday)
Both observatories: December 29 to January 3 (except January 1)
Admission: Free