A fair number of towers and skyscrapers have been built across Japan, mostly in the large cities. Erected as symbols of modernity, many of the towers function as television and radio broadcast towers. Furthermore, many feature observation decks with panoramic views from high up above the city, making them prime sightseeing spots. The following is a selection of some of the best towers and observatories found around the country:
The Sapporo TV Tower lies at the east end of Odori Park and provides a beautiful view out over the surrounding city from its 90 meter high observation deck. The view is especially attractive during the Sapporo Snow Festival when you can look out over the giant snow sculptures that line the park. The orange, lattice style tower is illuminated in the evenings, making for a memorable landmark.
Standing 173 meters tall, Sapporo JR Tower is the tallest building in Hokkaido. The skyscraper is located above the south entrance of Sapporo Station and contains a shopping mall, department store, hotel and office space. On the top floor is the nicely designed T38 Observation Deck which offers visitors views of the city from 160 meters above ground.
Located just outside the southern entrance to Fort Goryokaku is the 107 meter tall Goryokaku Tower, which offers visitors a bird's eye view of the massive, star shaped fortress below. The views are best around early May when the hundreds of cherry trees usually bloom all around the fortress's moats.
At the time of its completion, Sendai's AER building was the tallest skyscraper in the Tohoku Region. The building contains mostly office space, but also has several floors dedicated to shops and restaurants including a Uniqlo and a Pokemon Center. The top floor features a small, but free observation deck offering views out over the city.
Rising 634 meters above the city, the Tokyo Skytree is Japan's tallest tower and the second tallest structure in the world at the time of its completion. The Skytree is home to the two highest observation decks in Japan. The lower deck starts off at an impressive 350 meters above ground, while the upper deck is a staggering 450 meter high. At the base of the tower is a shopping mall, restaurants and an aquarium.
Modeled after the Eiffel Tower, the 333 meter high Tokyo Tower is actually 13 meters taller than its inspiration and an important symbol of Japan's postwar recovery into an economic power. The tower has two observation decks, a main observatory at 150 meters and a special observatory at 250 meters, both of which offer views as far away as the Tokyo Skytree and Mount Fuji on a good day. The lower floors house a wax museum, aquarium, arcade and souvenir shops.
Opened in 2019, Shibuya Scramble Square is the tallest skyscraper in the Shibuya district, rising 229 meters over Shibuya Station. The observation deck occupies the building's two top floors and includes a spectacular open-air deck which divides visitors from the unobstructed views over the city with nothing but a layer of glass at the very edge of the building.
Yokohama's Landmark Tower was Japan's tallest building until it was surpassed by Abeno Harukas. The tower houses one of the highest observatories in the country behind the Tokyo Skytree and features some of the fastest elevators in the world which make the trip from the base to the top in about 40 seconds. The observatory also has a bar where you can see impressive views of the surrounding city.
The Yokohama Marine Tower is located along the Yokohama waterfront in Yamashita Park just next to the Hikawa Maru museum ship. The seaside tower has a 100 meter high observation deck from where you can see 360 degree views of the bay and the city below.
Art Tower Mito is a 100 meter tall, uniquely shaped tower in central Mito that visitors can ascend by elevator. The observation deck is as unique as the tower itself with only small round windows of different sizes to look out. The tower is part of a larger art complex that also includes an art gallery, concert hall and theater stage.
There are several more towers and observation decks build around Tokyo, and too many to list on this page. For more detailed information check out our Tokyo Observation Deck Guide.
Midland Square is the tallest building in Nagoya. Located just opposite Nagoya Station, the 247 meter high building houses numerous shops, chic boutiques, a cinema, and restaurants and cafes. The top three floors of the building house the Sky Promenade, an open-air observation deck with panoramic views over the city.
Completed in 1954, the Nagoya TV Tower is one of the older landmarks of Nagoya's downtown Sakae District. The 180 meter high tower was the first TV tower of its kind in Japan and houses an observation deck 100 meters above ground. A unique hotel was added to the tower in 2020.
At a height of 131 meters, Kyoto Tower is the highest building and a rare modern icon in a city otherwise famous for its traditional wooden buildings and ancient temples and shrines. The tower features an observation deck 100 meters above ground offering a 360 degree view of Kyoto and as far as Osaka on good days. The building below the tower contains shops, restaurants and a hotel.
The 300 meter high Abeno Harukas used to be Japan's tallest building until 2023. It houses a department store, an art museum, a hotel and an impressive observation deck, which occupies the highest three floors of the tower. The enclosed viewing areas feature floor-to-ceiling windows and offer 360 degree views of Osaka. A cafe and an attractive open air deck are located on the observatory's lowest floor.
Located on a man-made island in the Osaka Bay Area, Cosmo Tower is one of the tallest buildings in Osaka as well as in Japan. The tower is home to some prefectural government offices and offers beautiful views over Osaka Bay from an observation deck shaped like an inverted pyramid on the building's roof. Restaurants and shops are found on the uppermost and lowermost floors.
The Umeda Sky Building is a unique high rise near Osaka and Umeda Stations in Osaka's bustling Kita District. The building consists of two towers connected by the "Floating Garden Observatory", an open-air observation deck that offers great views out over the city. A shopping mall and restaurants are found on the lower floors.
Loosely modeled after the Eiffel Tower, Tsutenkaku Tower was originally built in 1912 in Osaka's lively Shinsekai district. The original tower was scrapped for its metal during WWII, but was reconstructed soon afterwards in 1956. The current tower features an observation deck 91 meters above ground. Atmospheric shops and izakaya surround the base of the tower.
To the west of the Maritime Museum stands the Kobe Port Tower, a unique, red painted, steel structure that has become a symbol of the port and Kobe City. Built in 1963, the tower stands 108 meters tall and offers five upper floors, including an open-air roof deck and a revolving cafe and bar.
The Seto Ohashi Tower stands along the west end of the Seto Ohashi Memorial Park on Shamijima at the southern end of the Seto Ohashi Bridge that connects Shikoku to the Japanese main island of Honshu. The tower features a rotating observation chamber which climbs 108 meters up the tower, and offers visitors 360 degree views of the Seto Ohashi Bridge and the Seto Inland Sea.
Built along Fukuoka City's Seaside Momochi waterfront district in 1989 to commemorate the city's 100th anniversary, Fukuoka Tower rises to a height of 234 meters and is far and away the city's highest building and Japan's tallest seaside tower. The tower is adorned in over 8000 one-way mirrors and sports a three-story observation deck 123 meters above ground, which offers good views of the surrounding city and bay.
The Nagominoto is a 4.5 meter concrete tower located roughly in the center of the village on Taketomijima Island. Built on a small hill, the tower offers views from a combined height of around 10 meters above ground from where you can see out over the traditionally styled houses around the village to most of the rest of the island. However, it is currently not possible to climb the tower.
