The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is divided into two main office buildings. The first building hosts the observation deck, while the second tower houses the Metropolitan Assembly Hall.

The observation deck is divided into the North and South sections. There is no ticket required for either, so, if you have time, we recommend you visit both.

Now let’s see how to get there from the famous Shinjuku Station.

You can walk to the Hall from the west exit in Shinjuku Station, but if you don’t want to walk, here you will also find shuttles that will take you there straight from the station.

If you do feel like enjoying a walk on the way to the observation deck, you will find the Keio Plaza Hotel to your left. From there proceed forward for about three minutes, and you will see the access to the first hall of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. From there, follow the signs to the “Observatory”.

It takes about 10 minutes to walk from the station to the hall. From there take the elevator to the 45th floor.

The opening hours of the observatory are as follows:
9:30am to 11:00pm (closed on the second and fourth Monday of each month)

Admission ends 30 minutes before closing

Head to the North Observatory where the security guard will check your luggage and then ride the elevator. In just 55 seconds you will reach the observatory at 202 meters.

The sunlight shined through the windows on the many tourists who visited in the early morning. Finally they all managed to peek through the windows and enjoy the view. The city streets and the clear skies intertwined. If you’re lucky, on a clear day, you can see Mount Fuji, but even on a cloudy day, you can still see the Tokyo skyline, as well as Yokohama, Izu, Kofu, Chichibu, and other areas.

As you move along the observatory, you will see many of Tokyo's landmarks, such as the Tokyo Skytree and the Tokyo Dome.

If you want to sit down and relax, we recommend you do so in the restaurant “Good View Tokyo”, in the North wing. The restaurant takes nearly half the windows of the wing, making for an impressive view.

The “Good View Tokyo” doesn’t impress only for the beauty of the surrounding landscape, but also with its food. The dishes are made with seasonal ingredients. When we visited, we enjoyed a limited “Afternoon Tea Set”, served after 1:30pm. You usually need to call ahead, but if you are on site and the tea has just been prepared, you can order it.

Ham plates (2800 yen, not including tax). You will get a glass of sparkling wine included in the price.

In the picture you can see a serving for two people. The deserts are not too sweet; they have a nice and delicate flavor of berries, chocolate, and more. The flavorful ham and cheese are served together, making for an excellent combination.

The manager of the café, Mr. Genshi, said that many people go the restaurant for special celebrations like birthdays and anniversaries. If you want to enjoy a quiet and romantic night, we recommend you visit on days with relatively few people visiting.

On the same floor there is the same toy sore you can find in Ginza, the “Toy Museum TOY PARK”.

The business hours are the same as the observatory, from 9:30am to 11:00pm, and the closing days are the second and fourth Monday of every month (if Monday is a national holiday, then the closing day will be Tuesday), and the 1st of January.

In addition to toys, the store also sells a wide variety of local products. The staff showed us some high-demand items.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government information center is on the first floor and has reopened after renovation in 2018. The information center offers information not only on Tokyo, but also about Japan and it is conveniently located by the observatory elevator.

This area of the building (staff canteen) was restructured in 2019. There are 776 seats in a bright space, 10 different food booths including a “Wild Tokyo Vegetable Lunch” for 690 yen, including tax.

After visiting the hall, you will get to the square in front of the hall. From there you can look up and marvel at the 243 meters high tower. The tower is quite spectacular.

The current TMG building is relatively new. It has been completed in 1990 (Heisei 2) by the architect Kenzo. The layout of the windows is inspired by the mixing of culture and technological advancement of Tokyo. The building was designed to have Japanese-style sliding door panels, as well as electronic microchips.

Opposite the first office building, you’ll find the conference hall where conferences and political meetings are held. The building is open to the public.

To enter the forum and the committee room, you need to go through the hall first. Register for the place you would like to visit by writing your name down, and then head to the counter to go in.

Take the elevator to the seventh floor and you will arrive at your destination. During meetings, many members of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government gather to discuss matters related to the public and the political landscape of Tokyo. During days when the government gathers you can apply to be part of the audience. If there is no gathering, you can visit the building freely.

Deliberations are conducted in the committee room. The 15th Committee Room is on the 6th floor and it’s usually open to visit. During deliberations many channel broadcast the meetings, so some people may have seen this place on TV.

Since the venue and the committee room are the places where major events and decisions regarding the Tokyo Metropolitan Area take place, the atmosphere is martial and serious. On the other hand, the restaurant on the first floor (Tokyo Hall of Commons) is a great place to sit back and relax.

The restaurant serves lunch at noon, while at night it turns into an izakaya perfect for locals and foreign visitors alike.

We recommend the Tokyo Metropolitan Government fry tower (1010 yen including tax) and the very cheap all you can drink (60 minutes, 600 yen/person). Although the restaurant is in a very serious setting, the place is very homely and interesting.

Free to visit
Please check the official website for details