By RYO YAMAGISHI/ Staff Writer
April 22, 2025 at 17:44 JST
The Tokyo metropolitan government building has become a popular attraction for foreign tourists, drawing crowds day and night with projection mapping and spectacular free views of the city.
Every day, a long line of visitors, mainly from abroad, wait at the entrance of the iconic double-towered building in the capital’s Shinjuku Ward.
The main attractions are two 202-meter-high observation decks, one each in the north and south towers. Both decks are free to enter.
After dark, the exterior walls of the building are transformed by projection mapping light shows, which, controversially, cost more than 1.6 billion yen ($11.4 million) of taxpayers’ money.
On a typical weekday morning in early April, a crowd had gathered in front of the elevator on the first floor of the government building, waiting to ascend to the observation deck on the 45th floor.
Most were tourists from Europe or the United States.
The line extended outside the building, and a sign at its far end read “45-minute wait.” Some visitors took one look at the sign and left.
In fine weather, the panoramic view of Tokyo stretches all the way to Mount Fuji.
Since visiting the observation deck is free, many tours aimed at foreign tourists include this spot in their itineraries.
A woman from the United States noted that the government building is listed in her tourist guidebook.
Even so, “I was surprised at the length of the line,” she said, chuckling.
Still, she thought it was worth the wait. She said she could see “a great view” from the observation deck.
An 85-year-old woman from Hachioji, western Tokyo, expressed surprise with the line as well: “There were not so many foreign tourists when I came here before the COVID-19 pandemic.”
According to the metropolitan government, the two observation decks combined are visited by about 2 million people annually.
They are especially popular around cherry blossom season from March to April.
Although long lines have formed in the past, the south observation deck has been closed for renovation since February, making the line even longer than usual. The closed deck is scheduled to reopen on April 23, which may ease congestion.
Additionally, many foreign visitors gather on the lawn in front of the building in the evening to see the projection mapping shows.
According to the metropolitan government, 560,000 people attended the shows between February 2024, when they began, and March of this year.
In 2024, the metropolitan government established a plan to reorganize the space in the Nishi-Shinjuku area around the building to create a lively atmosphere.
As part of this plan, the lawn in front of the government building was developed last fall.
The plan calls for the construction of facilities to make the area a place of relaxation for tourists and Tokyo residents by 2030.
However, some criticize the projection mapping as a waste of taxpayer money, and question whether the economic and tourism benefits will be commensurate with the cost.
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Foreign tourists lie on the lawn of the Tokyo metropolitan government and enjoy the projection mapping on April 14 in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward. (Ryo Yamagishi)
