10 Tours and Spots to Enjoy Tokyo's Night Scenery
Here are ten ways to easily enjoy the Tokyo night skyline. Some of them also offer delicious food and fun entertainment.
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Since there is little nature in Tokyo, there may be people who might find it hard to breathe in the jumble of skyscrapers. However, at night those buildings become beautiful lit-up scenery. If you have some time on your trip, maybe you might want to take some of these tours or visit some of these areas to take in the night scenery.
１．The night scenery from the Skybus
The Skybus is a tourist bus with no roof. You can see the scenery much better than from sitting on a regular bus and just looking out the window. On this 2 hour bus tour that you take from Tokyo Station, you see Odaiba, Tsukiji, Ginza, Tokyo Tower, and the scenery of the center of Tokyo. You can walk around Odaiba for around an hour and see the Gundam in front of Diver City.
skybus English site
２．The evening scenery from the Hello Kitty bus
Tokyo's famous Hatobus sightseeing tour takes about three hours. This bus is a particular popular bus because of the Hello Kitty design. You board at Tokyo Station, then after checking out Skytree, you go to Odaiba and spend 50 minutes there. Finally, you see Tokyo Tower and pass through Ginza before returning to Tokyo Station.
Hatobus - A short drive to see Tokyo scenery - Hello Kitty bus (Japanese only)
３．The scenery from an Edo Japanese-style boat
This night cruise takes place on an Edo period Japanese-style boat called Gozabune. It departs from Hinode Pier near Hamamatsucho Station, enters Tokyo Bay, and passes by Tokyo Gate Bridge and Rainbow Bridge as you watch Odaiba's night scenery as you pass by. The course takes about an hour and a half. Inside the boat there are various entertainments that you can enjoy while eating a seasonal meal.
Reaching Hinode Pier
About 2 minutes from Yurikamome Hinode Station / about 10 minutes from Daimon Station / about 8 minutes from Hamamatsucho Station's south exit
Gozabune night course (Japanese only)
４．The evening scenery of factories and the airport from a cruiser
Zeal Cruise offers a 3 and a half hour long course that includes dinner that's called the Tennoushuu Yamatsu Pia. It's a course where you can see the scenery of the Kawasaki factories and the runways at Haneda airport. Since both of these areas look completely different from when they're in use during the day, it's a popular course among Japanese people. Since it's a slow course, it's also popular with couples. While you can join the cruise solo, since it's a long night cruise, children under 12 are not admitted.
Reaching Tenoushuu Yamatsu Pia:
5 minutes from Tokyo monorail's Tennoushuu Aisle south exit
5 minutes from Tennoushuu Aisle's exit B on the Rinkai line
8 minutes from Shinbanba station's north exit on the Keihin Keikyu line
Zeal Cruise (Japanese only)
５．The night scenery from a short cruise on the Sumida River
For people who want to experience Tokyo's night view for a short time on the water, think about taking Tokyo Mizube Line's Night Cruise. It departs from Ryogoku Port on the Sumida River, and goes around Odaiba after passing through Asakusa before returning to Ryogoku after about an hour and a half. You can see the night scenery of Asakusa and the high-rise buildings of Odaiba. Since it's a short cruise that doesn't offer meals, it's an easy cruise to participate in. They have a sunset course that departs in the early evening, so if you find yourself free, it might be a wonderful way to pass the time.
Reaching Sumida River Ryogoku Port:
3 minutes from the west exit of Ryogoku Station on the Musashino Line
6 minutes from exit A3 of Ryogoku Station on the Oedo Line
Tokyo Mizube Line English site
６．The night scenery from the pleasure boat Funasei
During the hot summer, some Japanese people like to enjoy the night scenery while having a party inside a pleasure boat riding along the cool river. Inside the boat is a tatami room where you can eat Japanese meals consisting of food like tempura and soba while riding through Tokyo Bay. Funasei is a pleasure boat that leaves from a pier next to Tennoushuubashi, then passes by the Rainbow Bridge towards Odaiba before returning back. It takes about 2 and a half hours.
Funasei Pier:
about 13 minutes from Shinagawa Station
funasei English site
７．The night scenery from the pleasure boat Harumiya
This is another pleasure boat, but on this one you can enjoy geisha dancing and performing traditional Japanese arts. It starts from the Harumi pier near Tsukiji and goes around Odaiba and Rainbow Bridge. Depending on the schedule, in the summer you can watch fireworks above Tokyo Bay as you enjoy your party.
Reaching Harumi pier:
12 minutes from Tsukishima Station's exit 7 on the Yurakucho Line
5 minutes from Kachidoki Station's exit A3 on the Oedo Line
harumiya English site
８．The night scenery from the World Trade Center (Sekai Boueki Center)
You can see a 356 degree view of the Tokyo night skyline from the World Trade Center building near Hamamatsucho Station. It's a popular observation deck since you can see everything including Tokyo Tower, Skytree, Odaiba, and Rainbow Bridge. Since the deck is warm, you can enjoy the view even during the cold winter without risking catching a cold.
Direct access from both Hamamatsucho Station and Daimon Station
Business hours: 10:00AM-8:30PM (last call 8PM)
Admission fee: ￥620
World Trade Center observation deck (English information available for download)
９．The night scenery from Tokyo City Hall
You can enter the observation deck on Tokyo City Hall's 45th floor for free. If you have a little free time in the evenings, it's very easy to go up and observe the beautiful scenery. On days with good weather, you can watch Tokyo light up like a jewel as the sun goes down and the day fades into night. If you look towards the west, you can see the silhouette of Mt. Fuji.
10 minutes from Shinjuku Station's west exit
Right next to Tochomae Station on the Oedo Line
City Hall's observation deck
１０．The evening scenery from Tokyo Tower
Seeing Tokyo Tower as part of the night scenery is beautiful, but actually looking at Tokyo from Tokyo Tower's observation deck is also beautiful. The lights inside the observation deck change seasonally, such as for holidays like Tanabata or Christmas. If you look towards Mitaka, the shape of the roadways and the lights makes another Tokyo Tower. It's definitely something you shouldn't miss.
15 minutes from Hamamatsucho's north exit
5 minutes from Akabanebashi Station on the Oedo Line
1 minute from Kamiyacho Station on the Hibiya Line
6 minutes from Onamarimon Station's exit A1 on the Mitaka Line
10 minutes from Daimon Station's exit A6 on the Asakusa Line
Business hours: 9AM-10PM
Entrance fee: ￥900
Tokyo tower English site
There are lots of places where one can go to continue sightseeing at night in Tokyo and these were just some of them. Please enjoy this side of Tokyo as well as Tokyo in the daytime.
The information in this article is accurate at the time of publication.
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