Tokyo Skytree is the third tallest structure in the world at 634 meters, and Tokyo’s tallest building.
Rogue fact: The height was chosen to be easily remembered. 6 (mu), 3 (sa), and 4 (shi) stand for Mushashi, the old name for the region of Tokyo where it stands.
Every single blog or “top 10” list of things to do in Tokyo includes riding the elevator up it to get views of the city.
But is Tokyo Skytree really worth a visit?
In short, no.
This post covers why not, plus what to do instead.
Disclaimer: All opinions are my own. If you love city viewpoints and/or are ticking off the world’s tallest buildings from your list, then this post probs isn’t for you.
Tokyo Skytree is expensive
How much does Tokyo Skytree cost?
A regular ticket costs 3000 yen (around $30) to get all the way to the top.
It’s $10 to the top observation deck, but that’s only after you purchase a ticket to the lower observation deck for about $20. 3000 yen later, you’ll have a view of the city, through glass, with loads of other tourists surrounding you.
Or you could skip the line and buy the “tourist fast pass” ticket for about $42 and only wait 20 minutes to get to the top.
The wait alone isn’t worth it
When we arrived around 1 p.m., just the line to buy tickets would be an 80-minute wait, and then another 20-minute wait to get to the top.
It’s important to note that the views from the tower are highly dependent on the weather that day. On clear days, you can see as far as Mount Fuji. On foggy or cloudy ones, expect a much more limited view.
Waiting in line for an hour and a half could be the difference between the clear weather you arrived during, and late afternoon clouds rolling in. So if you decide to go ahead and wait, watch the weather!
With so many other things to see and do in Tokyo, wasting nearly an hour and a half waiting in line didn’t feel worth it.
But is the view worth it?
Having not gone up Tokyo Skytree, I can’t definitively say yes or no. Personally, cityscapes aren’t my thing unless they’re free.
So for me, Tokyo Skytree is not worth the price (especially considering you can get the same view for free… just keep reading!).
Where to get a view of Tokyo’s skyline for free
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building.
Though not as tall as Tokyo Skytree, an article I found listed that the view from here is just as comparable (you can see for miles and even see Mt Fuji on a clear day).
The Metro Government Building actually has two towers – a North and a South – offering slightly different views of Tokyo.
During our visit in January 2020, the North tower was closed for maintenance, so we waited 35 minutes to get the elevator up the South tower.
The roomy observation deck has almost 360° views of Tokyo. We went on a clear day, so we could actually see the peak of Mt Fuji in the distance (just like you can from Tokyo Skytree), plus the city sprawling to the west and south.
And this incredible view was completely free.
That’s my kind of viewpoint, peeps. If it’s yours, too, definitely check this out while you’re in Tokyo.
So is Tokyo Skytree worth a visit? I’ll leave it up to you to decide, but my advice would be to get the same view for free, and spend the $30 you save on some cheap and delicious sushi or an authentic Japanese souvenir.