Shibuya Sky Review: Tokyo’s Best Observation Deck
Shibuya Sky is the highest open-air rooftop observation deck in Japan. Located on the 47th floor of the Shibuya Scramble Square building, the top deck is at about 230m or 751 feet high. This review offers info, tips & tricks, and recommendations for getting the most out of your experience at Shibuya Sky.
Review might be a bit of a misnomer, as the question: “is Shibuya Sky worth it?” is seemingly answered in the title itself. But there’s a bit more to it than that, as Shibuya Sky actually won’t be worth the time or money for every visitor to Tokyo–especially those reading this after arrival into Japan. We’ll explain that below, along with the alternatives to Shibuya Sky.
Let’s start with some basics. Shibuya Sky is a relatively new addition to Tokyo, opening under a decade ago. It has exploded in popularity since along drawing record crowds since. Shibuya Sky is a 360° open-air observation deck located on the roof of the Shibuya Scramble Square skyscraper.
As noted above, Shibuya Sky is the highest open-air observation deck in all of Japan and, by extension, the city of Tokyo. (At least, that’s what the people who run Shibuya Sky boast. I cannot independently verify the “all of Japan” part, but it’s definitely the tallest in Tokyo.) Shibuya Sky is not, however, the tallest observation deck in all of Tokyo. That distinction goes to the Tokyo SkyTree, which is a bit of a different beast.
This open-air quality is the primary reason why Shibuya Sky is the best observation deck in Tokyo. Whether you want a truly unobstructed view, photos without glass barriers, or just the feeling of being on an actual rooftop, Shibuya Sky has you covered with an unrivaled experience.
The second is its location and the views afforded by Shibuya Sky. From my perspective, this has the best location of the main observation decks in Tokyo. Not only is it directly above Shibuya Scramble Crossing, but it’s a fairly centralized location. By contrast, most of the other popular spots are on the periphery of the city.
There’s no other observation deck that offers perfect views of Shibuya Scramble Crossing, Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Skytree, Shinjuku Skyscraper District, Japan National Stadium, and Yoyogi Park & Meiji Jingu Shrine.
On a clear day, you might even have a view of Mount Fuji off in the distance. The Shibuya Scramble Square Building itself is nothing special, so you’re not missing a view of it while standing on it, which is one of the drawbacks of Tokyo Tower and Skytree.
The biggest tip is that it is essential to buy tickets for Shibuya Sky in advance. This is common advice that you’ll see everywhere.
Shibuya Sky is incredibly popular with international and domestic tourists, as well as locals, and popular time slots fill up almost immediately when tickets are released. That happens 4 weeks in advance. So you really, really want to be online when tickets drop four weeks ahead of time, Japan time.
We highly recommend booking through Klook for tickets to Shibuya Sky. These are sometimes discounted, but not always. The cost typically ranges from 2,200 yen to 2,500 yen per adult. Prices differ for children and students, although some of those tickets can only be purchased at the counter, which you absolutely should not do. Under 3 is free.
The biggest reason to buy Shibuya Sky tickets via Klook is because it streamlines the purchase process. We’ve run into issues with foreign credit cards on the Shibuya Sky website, which is hardly unique to just this one attraction–it’s actually pretty common.
Many sites require credit cards to have 3-D Secure Authentication, which includes Verified by Visa or American Express SafeKey. For whatever reason, this verification is required–but doesn’t always offer the option to do the verifying, so the transaction isn’t processed. It’s as if something gets “lost in translation” with the credit card process. I can’t offer a better explanation than that.
Another very pedestrian piece of advice is to book Shibuya Sky before sunset.
This way, you can experience the golden hour, sunset itself, dusk, and Tokyo come alive at night. It’s a truly magical experience, and one that I probably don’t need to sell you on since it’s fairly obvious. Tickets for this timeframe always sell out first.
My specific recommendation would be to pick a time at least 1 hour before sunset, with the expectation that you’ll spend about 2 hours up there. That might seem like a lot of time, but it flies by. If tickets for that optimal time are gone, I’d look for earlier arrival times rather tha later ones (up to a point–you obviously don’t want to arrive at noon for an 8 p.m. sunset time!).
The unique tip & trick that I’d offer is to consider purchasing Shibuya Sky tickets for multiple days.
This is precisely what we did for our first visit to Shibuya Sky, and the reason for this was that weather is unknowable ~4 weeks in advance. Weather obviously varies, but so too does air quality and visibility.
My perfect conditions probably are slightly different than the norm, but I favor some clouds, but not a thick blanket–just enough for stunning sunset photos. Obviously, a nice day is better than a rainy or overcast one. Winter is usually going to beat summer in terms of visibility.
If you have the opportunity, go on the day after a National Holiday. Factories are closed on National Holidays, and the day after is your best chance at seeing Mount Fuji (assuming weather conditions otherwise cooperate).
Anyway, our thinking was that we’d rather eat the $30 cost of tickets if conditions were poor than have only one crack at Shibuya Sky and miss out. That’s precisely what happened–the first day of our tickets, it was rainy and there was no sunset. At least, nothing worthwhile. So we didn’t even bother going up, and instead switched around our itinerary to do Shibuya the next day.
Our patience was rewarded with a fairly good sunset the following day–the best of our trip to Tokyo.
I’m still not even close to 100% satisfied with my photos, but this was a particularly bad trip photography-wise, so I’ll take what I can get at this point.
Next time we have an extended stay in Japan, I’m tempted to buy a Shibuya Sky Annual Pass. That pays for itself after only 3 visits, which is more than the average tourist will want or need–but it’s something to consider if you’re interested in potentially doing Shibuya Sky multiple times, get shut out of the ideal reservation times, and have money to burn.
Even though we view Shibuya Sky as the best observation deck experience in Tokyo, we do not think it’s so far superior to the alternatives to justify spending that much money to experience it. If you miss out and have to “settle” for a different option, it’s hardly the end of the world.
Speaking of which, let’s quickly discuss the primary alternatives to Shibuya Sky.
The most popular of these is Tokyo Skytree (in the above photo on the left). This is the other relatively-new observatory and bona-fide tourist attraction in Tokyo. The Skytree is striking, with a modern, neo-futuristic design that makes it quite photogenic. The problem is, the only place where you cannot see the Skytree is from within the Skytree. I think there are other issues with the Skytree, which are covered in our Tokyo Skytree Review.
Another alternative is the Tokyo Tower (pictured above, right), but we have the same issue here–seeing the Tokyo Tower is better than being in it. With both of these towers, we think the smart move is going to a high-rise with views of the towers–there are a ton of hotels and bars in the immediate vicinity that offer that. You can have a great view while paying less than the cost of admission for superior photos.
We’re also big fans of the free Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (pictured in the photo above). This offers a great view looking south in the midst of Tokyo’s most popular districts.
If we couldn’t get Shibuya Scramble tickets, we might instead just opt for Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building instead. It’s easier and free–but not as good. With that said, we wouldn’t opt for the Metro Building on the basis of cost-savings. Shibuya Scramble is sufficiently superior to more than justify the ticket cost.
With all of that said, we view the the Roppongi Hills Observation Deck “Tokyo City View” as the best alternative to Shibuya Sky. This is located on the 52nd floor of the Mori Tower, and offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the city skyline. I don’t think the view is quite as good here, but it’s different. And again, easier to book and cheaper!
Here are additional tips & tricks for visiting the Shibuya Sky:
- Getting There – The Shibuya Scramble Square Building is connected directly to the exit of Shibuya Station. Depending on which train or subway line you take, you might end up in the building from underground or aboveground. It can be confusing, so follow the signs–not whatever Google Maps is telling you (it can get “confused” in this area, especially with the labyrinthine layout).
- Dress for the weather – Not for the daytime weather on the ground, but what you can imagine the evening weather and wind being on the 47th floor.
- Lockers for everything – You’re required to place all loose belongings into locker (cost is 100 yen). Literally the only items allowed on the rooftop are camera with a neck strap or pocket-sized, binoculars with a neck strap or pocket-sized, or smartphones. Everything else goes in a locker–no food or drinks, pets, luggage, etc.
- No time limits – Tickets are time-based, but that’s for entry windows. There is no time limit as to how long you can stay on the rooftop deck. This is precisely why it’s so crowded at sunset–because many people who can’t get the optimal time slots simply arrives early and hangs around.
- Lines everywhere – The most popular photo spots are the corners of the rooftop, which allow you to take “clean” photos that look like you’re at the edge of the world. The first time we did Shibuya Sky, we waited almost an hour for the prime corner facing the sunset. It was not worth it, but live and learn.
- Crowds everywhere – The time leading up to sunset gets progressively crowded, so if you want ‘clean’ photos or a prime spot for sunset, be prepared to stake it out. The crowd quickly clears out as the sun goes down, probably due to the main event being over and the weather getting colder.
- Wait it out – Nighttime in Tokyo is gorgeous, so don’t leave immediately after sunset. Beyond that, you might as well wait out the mass exodus in a beautiful spot rather than being part of the lines for elevators, etc.
- Rescheduling is possible – You can reschedule your visit based on availability. This includes when Shibuya Sky cancels due to weather-induced closures (which do happen due to winds, storms, snow, etc.), which is another reason why we decided to hedge our bets and buy tickets for two days instead of one.
- Night > Day – If you cannot get tickets for sunset, the most common alternatives are going to be earlier in the day or later at night. The latter is vastly superior–not just for Shibuya Sky, but for Shibuya as a whole.
At the outset, we noted that even though Shibuya Sky is the best observation deck in Tokyo, it may not be worth it for everyone. Obviously, that’s true for those who cannot score tickets–or only find availability at inopportune times.
I’d also add that Shibuya Sky is not a great option for anyone is isn’t into observation decks. This may seem self-evident, like a review of steak for vegans. However, what we mean by this is that the lines and crowds can be off-putting to the point that if you’re only only marginally interested in an observation deck, and don’t need the best of the best, then you should just settle for something easier.
Shibuya Sky almost “requires” a higher time commitment than anywhere else. If you want to be in and out in 30-60 minutes, the Tokyo Metropolitan Building might be a better fit.
Similarly, if you want a more laid back experience or want to combine a view with a nice meal, look elsewhere. Shibuya Sky does have dining and drinking options, but they’re touristy–meant to capitalize on a captive audience. We mentioned it above, but there’s no shortage of good bars and restaurants (many inside hotels) with spectacular views.
Also, don’t sleep in the simpler rooftop parks around Tokyo–including this very area. One of our absolute favorite experiences in Tokyo is to go into one of the higher-end department stores, buy sushi and desserts from the lower levels, and eat that up in a rooftop park. Granted, we’ve been many times so there isn’t the same opportunity cost to this for us as there is for first-time tourists, but it’s a memorable experience that can surpass Shibuya Sky or other glitzier observation decks.
Ultimately, we view Shibuya Sky as well worth the time and money for the vast majority of first-timers to Tokyo. The experience isn’t without its downsides–buying tickets so far in advance, crowds, weather–but it’s also incredibly fun and memorable. Touristy as it might seem, there’s a reason Shibuya Sky is popular with visitors and locals alike (they sell an annual pass for a reason) and we recommend it.
Just keep in mind that, even though Shibuya Sky is the #1 observation deck in Tokyo—and by a fairly wide margin–it’s not the end-all, be-all of observatories. If tickets are sold out or will require committing to more time than you’d like, opt for something else. Shibuya Sky is fantastic, but the hype and popularity right now is a bit out of control. If you have the time to plan and purchase tickets in advance, great–go for it. If not, don’t lose too much sleep over “settling” for the Mori Building, Metro Building, or even the Tokyo Skytree (my current #2, #3, and #4 picks–in that order).
For all of your planning needs–from places to stay to things to do and much more–please consult our Ultimate Tokyo, Japan City Guide. If you’re planning a visit to other cities, please check out my other posts about Japan.
Your Thoughts
Have you visited the Shibuya Sky? Gone to any other observation decks–in Tokyo or elsewhere? Do you have one in Tokyo that you prefer? If you haven’t been, is Shibuya Sky a place you’d like to visit? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Great post and interesting endorsement — maybe I’ll check it out on my next trip. I had mostly dismissed this place as an overhyped tourist trap, but I guess I was wrong about that!
New Travelcaffeine content! I cannot tell you how happy this makes me. 🙂 I like your pictures from the Shibuya sky better than mine from the Skytree. Being a little closer to the ground might be better!