Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building
東京都庁舎
Two towers near Shinjuku Station with free observation rooms high in the building and wide views over western Tokyo, including Fuji on a clear day.
Why visit
The view is free, and on clear days you can see Mount Fuji to the west.
How to get there
The twin towers of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building are on the west side of Shinjuku, in the civic center rather than the east-side entertainment streets. Tochomae Station on the Toei Oedo Line is the stop named for the complex. Shinjuku Station's west exit is the walk from the JR lines, across the skyscraper district.
Observatory entrances are inside the north and south towers, not at a plaza kiosk. The metropolitan visitor information page is the map to use. A pin on the building is not the elevator door.
Hours & tickets
Both observation rooms are free. The north and south towers do not keep identical hours, and one of them is often open later than the other. The metropolitan government publishes the current observatory schedule. Checked Oct 2026: read that page the week you visit, because a private event can close one tower without closing the building.
Free does not mean unlimited. Last entry is before the posted closing time, and security screening sits in front of the elevator. There is no official ticket price to compare, which is why this stop is not on our paid-deck ticket guides.
Best time to visit
Late afternoon on a clear day gives you the city in daylight and, if you stay, the start of the lights. Winter mornings after a dry, windy night are the conditions people cite for a Mount Fuji view to the west. The building does not guarantee Fuji; cloud on the mountain is common.
Sunset is popular and still free, so the elevator line grows. If you only need a daytime orientation view, morning is the empty visit.
How long to spend
Forty-five to sixty minutes covers security, the ride up, and a loop of one observatory. Add time if you intend to visit both towers or wait for the light to change. It is a poor five-minute stop, because the screening and elevator are the whole first part of the visit.
Tips
- •The South Observatory often stays open later than the North one — check hours.
- •Fuji is clearest on winter mornings after a windy day.
- •Check which tower is open before you queue. The south observatory is the one that more often keeps later hours, but the day's notice wins.
- •Fuji sits west of the deck. If the west windows are in cloud, the rest of the view is still the Shinjuku skyline, not a failed visit.
Nearby
Shinjuku Gyoen is the paid garden on the other side of the station, a separate plan rather than a step next door. Golden Gai is east of Shinjuku Station, in the entertainment alleys, and it only makes sense after dark. The west-side towers and the east-side bars are one district with a station between them.
Play it in an itinerary
Tokyo HighlightsPlayFrequently asked questions
Is the Tokyo Metropolitan Government observatory free?
Yes. The north and south observation rooms do not charge admission. You still go through security, and hours differ by tower.
Which station is closest to the observatory?
Tochomae Station on the Toei Oedo Line serves the civic center. From JR Shinjuku Station, use the west exit and walk through the skyscraper district. Confirm the tower entrance on the metropolitan visitor page.
Can you see Mount Fuji from the building?
On a clear day, yes, to the west. The building does not promise visibility. Winter mornings after dry wind are the conditions to try, and cloud still wins often.