Shibuya

if you follow me on instagram, you would’ve probably seen a similar picture like the one above with a lot of likes — not for me but for the view. and that’s Shibuya’s latest attraction: Shibuya SKY @ Shibuya Scramble Square; a new shopping mall in the heart of Shibuya.

I’ve never really understood why you should pay so much for a view; Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Skytree… etc. they all costs so much, yet you can go to some free buildings in Ebisu or Shinjuku. but this place, it’s so good that I’d pay to go there again if I were to stop by Tokyo. this was probably the most spectacular observatory deck I’ve ever been to, not to mention it’s also has a lot of picture spots which are so scenic, sofas for resting and even floor hammocks for you to chill at. shame that I forgot to take pictures of it but you just got to go there to experience it. 

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Shibuya SKY is probably most beautiful and most crowded during sunset. hence it’s really important to time your visit. there isn’t really a time limit of how long you can be at the outdoor skydeck, but it’s so cold in the winter and so hot in the summer, you probably can’t tolerate it for too long out there. not to mention when I went, it was a one-way process so if you were to exit the outdoor deck, you’ll need a new ticket to get back in there.

I was at Shibuya Scramble Square 30 minutes before sundown, thinking that we’ve timed it perfectly for the sunset but unfortunately because of the long queue and waiting to get in, we barely got there for the sunset.. hence I really recommend buying an earlier timeslot and perhaps stay at the indoor viewing area until sunset’s approaching. the picture above is the perfect time and unfortunately I only got to take a picture of it while getting up to the deck.

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when I reached the deck, the nice sunlight is gone, but the view remains phenomenal. because of how central Shibuya is, you get to see views of Tokyo tower, Shinjuku and even Mt Fuji! I’ve said it, MOUNT FUJI! it’s crazy.

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There are 3 – 4 corners for you to snap a wide angle picture at, but I only got two because.. the queues are ridiculous. I went during a very cold day (I was actually freezing) hence couldn’t be bothered to queue for the popular ones. nevertheless, the less ‘popular’ corner is already this beautiful!

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the view of Shibuya.tokyo6

I thought it’s quite cool how both the sun and moon are present together. this is the moon fyi.

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the iconic Tokyo tower view. OKAY, for Tokyo tower, perhaps Roppongi Hills IS nicer, but because it’s indoors, the reflection of lights on the glass makes it very difficult to capture a nice shot, especially with someone in it.

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I’d like to call this the million dollar corner. when I was there, there were probably a hundred people queuing up for it. I wasn’t wearing enough and it was so cold so I really couldn’t be bothered, but because the glass on this corner goes only halfway and there’s light at the bottom to act as a reflector, you can definitely see why this corner has such a long queue. also if you’re wondering why did they choose this view? try looking at the end point of the view. it’s like the infinity view (pun intended).

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thank you Eno for bringing us here :3. perks of having a photographer friend is really not because they take nice pictures for you (they don’t, unless you ask, of if you’re a model haha) but they bring you to really nice spots!

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this is the other not so popular corner but because of how the lights are at the floor, it makes this corner look really cool at night.

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if you’re looking to take a great shot of Mt Fuji, I recommend coming either earlier in the morning, or bring a long lens with you because you got to fight amongst the crowd, and it’s usually blocked by clouds most of the afternoon.

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I managed to get quite an okay picture of Mt Fuji with my 50mm still like the above. but a zoom lens would be really nice.

if these pictures don’t make you feel like going to Shibuya SKY already, I don’t know what will. so go book your tickets!

PS: I really recommend that you buy your tickets before going there to avoid queueing and also not getting a timeslot of your choice. remember, the ticket when entering itself requires another queue already. so just buy it in advance to avoid wasting time.

Details

Entrance Fee: 2000 Yen over the counter, 1800 Yen online
Time: 9AM – 11PM (10PM last entrance)
Address: Shibuya Scramble Square
Website: https://www.shibuya-scramble-square.com/sky/ticket/en/

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Fiona
3 years ago

I’ve been so fond of conquering towers in my travels lately hehehe
Will definitely check this out when I get to visit Japan.

Thanks Jamie!