I honestly had no plans on going to Shibuya Sky during my quick trip to Tokyo. Over the years, I’ve already been to the observation decks at the Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Skytree so I literally thought why would Shibuya Sky be any different? Well, I was extremely surprised by how much I enjoyed it and I honestly think it’s my new favorite rooftop top view of all of Tokyo. 

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What is Shibuya Sky?

Shibuya Sky is an open-air rooftop observation deck in the new Shibuya Scramble Square commercial district. It is 229 meters (751 feet) high and provides a 360-degree view of Tokyo. You can find more info here.

 

Difference Between Shibuya Sky vs. Tokyo Tower vs. Tokyo Skytree

It’s been years since I’ve been to Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Skytree, but the main difference is that these two are enclosed observation decks, while Shibuya Sky is completely outside. Shibuya Sky also has a lot more restrictions than the other two towers since there’s no roof over your head. You cannot bring your belongings outside like purses or backpacks. You also cannot bring your tripod or external camera equipment. Essentially, the only thing that you can really bring is your phone and your camera with the neck strap. You can read more about the restrictions here.

 

How Much are Shibuya Sky Tickets?

I bought my ticket online and paid ¥1800 which at that time was around $13 USD which is crazy cheap for an observation deck!

Photo Courtesy of: https://www.shibuya-scramble-square.com/sky/ticket/en/ (Screenshot by Author)

 

Can I Pre-Purchase Shibuya Sky Tickets?

Yes! I totally made bought a ticket that morning. Granted, it was a Monday so maybe it wasn’t as busy as a weekend but I got the time slot that I wanted. If you pre-purchase online, there are a lot of benefits. First, it’s a little bit cheaper. Online is ¥1800 (~$13.60 USD) and at the counter, it’s ¥2000 (~$15 USD). The second benefit is that there’s a separate expedited line for people that have pre-purchased a ticket. Lastly, you are guaranteed your time slot. Certain times of the day do sell out so if that time slot is gone for the day, you will not be able to purchase it over the counter. For more information and where to buy your online tickets, you can follow the link here!

 

What Time Should I Go To Shibuya Sky?

I personally wanted to go during sunset to catch golden hour for pictures. I checked the weather and it was supposed to be a clear day so I thought there would be a lot of good picture opportunities. Sunset was scheduled to be at 4:48 pm that day so I bought my ticket for the 4:00-4:20 time slot. Even though the sunset was amazing, I think the real treat was definitely during blue hour. Watching the sun disappear behind Mt. Fuji while the city started to light up was seriously the best photo opportunity that a photographer can ask for. I was only planning to stay for 30 minutes but I probably stayed over an hour. 

 

Taking Pictures on That Famous Corner?

If you want to take a picture on this corner, especially during sunset, you might want to get there even earlier. When I went, there was a line of probably 40-50 people trying to get their picture on that spot. It will be hard to time when exactly you should get there, but going there earlier is always better. 

Photo Courtesy: https://www.shibuya-scramble-square.com/en/ (Screenshot by Author)

 

Can You See Mt. Fuji?

Yes, you can! You have to go on a super clear day, but it’s totally possible to see Mt. Fuji. Keep in mind, even if it’s clear in Tokyo, it might not be clear near Mt. Fuji. So if you have a flexible schedule, I would continuously just check the weather in Tokyo and near Mt. Fuji to get a clear picture. 

 

What Else is Up There?

There’s a bar if you want to grab a drink and a cool area where you can lay and lounge around. Other than that, there’s not much else since the primary purpose is really to come up and see the view. If it was a warmer day and I was with friends, then I for sure probably would of hung out longer and had a drink. 

 

Don’t Forget!!!

Sometimes I just really want to kick myself lol. I absolutely knew that you are required to have a neck strap for your camera if you want to bring it up to the roof. I was watching a vlogger’s video and he forgot his strap and warned everyone to bring it if you are going to go to Shibuya Sky. Well, I was in rush to get to my scheduled time and it completely slipped my mind! I, unfortunately, realized once I was already on the train.

So, at that moment, I was trying to get creative with whatever was in my purse that I could use as a strap. I found this strap that comes with my purse that I looped onto my camera and kind of used as a wrist strap praying that they will let me up with it. 

Well, once I got up there, they politely denied my creative alternative to my camera’s neck strap. Luckily, this must happen enough because they can loan you a temporary neck strap that’s pretty much a red rope that you tie onto your camera. I’m so grateful for that rope they loaned me because I would have been so upset if I couldn’t have brought my camera outside. The lesson of the day is to NOT forget your neck strap.

 

What Lenses Did I Bring Up There?

I’m not really sure if what I did was allowed or not, but I brought my Sony A6600 camera with my 11mm, 35mm, and 55-210mm lenses. Again, you are not allowed to bring purses or backpacks up there so I put a lens in each of my coat pockets. These lenses are relatively small so it was easy for me to put them in my coat but I know there are much bigger lenses out there that might not make this strategy possible. If you can’t decide and can only physically bring one, I would take the best zoom lens you have.

 

Shibuya Sky Pictures