Keeping the Time of Tokyo: 5 Iconic Clocks in Japan's Capital

• Table of Contents
• Tokyo's Time and Clock Landmarks
• 1. Wako's Clock Tower in Ginza
• 2. Yukku-Rhythm Pendulum Clock in Shinjuku NS Building
• 3. The Giant Ghibli Clock: Nippon Television's Big Clock in Shiodome
• 4. The Mechanical Puppet Clocks in Ningyocho
• 5. The Daimyo Clock in Sendagi

Tokyo's Time and Clock Landmarks

The clock on the Kitte Marunouchi Building in front of Tokyo Station.

Clocks essentially serve a practical purpose: to show the time.

Many European cities and towns have clock towers that announce the time every hour. In the past, when people did not own clocks or watches, clock towers were used to mark the time for work or prayer. Even today, public clocks all around the globe mark the rhythm of life in a community—it is not an exaggeration to say that they keep the world in motion.

Clocks make it possible for us to meet, gather together, and synchronize our efforts for a common purpose. Synchronized movement is also a prerequisite for technology. In fact, the more developed a country is, the more sophisticated its clocks are. This theory still needs to be verified, but so far, it proves true for Japan, home to some of the leading clock manufacturers in the world.

Clock on Aoyama Avenue

Tokyo, in particular, is a place where one can truly feel the relationship between clocks and technology. From the clocks above the entrances to Tokyo Station and the clock on the NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building in Shinjuku—visible from afar even at night—to the large horoscope clock over Aoyama Avenue, the city is full of public timepieces that are impossible to miss.

They prompt us to reflect on the decades that have passed with these clocks watching over the city and setting the rhythm of people's lives.

Below, we introduce five beautiful clock monuments in Tokyo whose meaning goes well beyond simply telling the time. They are symbols of the metropolis, speaking to its history and technological advancement. It is well worth taking a walk just to see them and ponder the stories they hold.

1. Wako's Clock Tower, Ginza

The clock located above the Wako department store in Ginza is not only a symbol of Tokyo but also a landmark in the history of Japanese clockmaking.

The Wako building is owned by Seiko, the leading Japanese clock and watch manufacturer. The history of Seiko dates back to 1881, when Kintaro Hattori (1860–1934), a young entrepreneur, opened a clock shop in Kyobashi, near Ginza. This was during the early years of the Meiji era (1868–1912), a time when Japan was rapidly embracing industrialization. Hattori sensed an increasing public need for accurate timepieces and dedicated his life to developing high-quality clocks and watches.

Soon after the Kintaro Hattori Watch & Clock Shop opened the Seikosha Factory and a second store in Ginza, the first Hattori Clock Tower was installed atop the building in 1894. This became the first-generation Wako clock.

After the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, which caused extensive damage to Tokyo, the Seiko headquarters had to be rebuilt from scratch. The present-day Wako clock tower was completed in 1932; it has been marking the city's time ever since, becoming an iconic symbol of Ginza.

Seiko has continued to be an innovator in clock technology and electronics, producing globally impactful inventions. For example, Seiko introduced the world's first quartz wall clocks in 1968 and the first quartz watches in 1969. Following these, they released the first six-digit LCD watch in 1973 and introduced the first solar GPS watch, the Seiko Astron, in 2011.

The story behind the Seiko brand is truly inspiring. If you wish to learn more, visit the Seiko Museum Ginza, located very close to the Wako building. This five-story museum features exciting exhibits of ancient and historical clocks from around the world, as well as the latest timepieces developed by Seiko.

2. Yukku-Rhythm Pendulum Clock, Shinjuku NS Building

One of the most impressive clock monuments in Tokyo is the Yukku-Rhythm Pendulum Clock, located in the Shinjuku NS Building. Built in 1982 by Seikosha, it was the world's largest mechanical pendulum clock at the time. With a total height of 29 meters, a pendulum length of 22.5 meters, and a dial diameter of 7.2 meters, this clock was even featured in Guinness World Records.

A waterwheel powers the clock, and the pendulum completes a swing every 30 seconds. This mechanism gives the clock a distinctive, slow-paced rhythm that is the origin of its name: a combination of the Japanese word yukkuri (slowly) and the English word rhythm.

Another unique feature of this clock is that, instead of showing standard hours, the dial is split into twelve sections corresponding to the traditional Japanese zodiac (junishi). Since each section represents two hours (for example, 1:00 AM – 3:00 AM is the Hour of the Ox), the clock hand completes a full rotation once every 24 hours—unlike a standard 12-hour clock.

In other words, this impressive timepiece bridges two different philosophies of timekeeping: the modern-day method and the traditional Japanese system.

The Shinjuku NS Building is an office complex featuring several cafes and restaurants on its premises. It is a perfect place to stop for coffee and enjoy a break accompanied by the relaxing sound of the waterwheel and pendulum. Thanks to the Yukku-Rhythm Pendulum Clock, time really does seem to slow down here.

Shinjuku NS Building

2-4-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0023

3. The Giant Ghibli Clock: Nippon Television's Big Clock in Shiodome

Nippon Television's Big Clock, also known as the Giant Ghibli Clock or the Nittele Big Clock, is displayed on the facade of the Nippon Television Building near Shiodome Station. Designed by Studio Ghibli director Hayao Miyazaki, the clock was revealed in 2007 and took six years to make.

At the sight of this magnificent clock, Ghibli fans will be reminded of Howl's Moving Castle (2004). Indeed, the clock looks like it's about to stand on two feet any time and head for a new horizon.

The Ghibli Clock has many fascinating details that can be observed up close, such as a small clock inside, several puppets that seem to be at work, many small doors, windows, and lanterns.

The clock comes to life at 12:00, 13:00, 15:00, 18:00, and 20:00 on weekdays, and at 10:00, 12:00, 13:00, 15:00, 18:00, and 20:00 on weekends.

During the 3-minute shows, the mechanical puppets move and announce the time. It is a heartwarming spectacle of movement, sound, and lights.

The Nittele Big Clock was created to be a landmark beloved by the public. To this day, its hourly performances draw crowds of spectators who delight in the intricate playfulness and beauty of this unique timepiece.

Hayao Miyazaki's Ghibli Clock

Tokyo, Minato, Higashi-Shimbashi 1-6-1

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4. The Mechanical Puppet Clocks in Ningyocho

Japan boasts remarkable contributions to the development of robotics and advanced technology. The roots of this technological ingenuity can be traced back to the Edo period (1603–1868), when Japanese craftsmen developed sophisticated automatons (karakuri ningyo), as well as other intricate devices, including clocks.

A monument that serves as a modern reminder of these cherished Edo-period puppets is the mechanical clock near Ningyocho Station, unveiled in 2009.

Historically, Ningyocho was the heart of Tokyo's Kabuki and puppet theater scene; many puppet artisans and puppeteers once lived in the area. This clock, mounted on a traditional yagura (watchtower) frame, stands as a tribute to that vibrant history.

Every hour, on the hour, a mechanical puppet show begins. Puppets representing a colorful cast of Edo-period figures—from merchants and samurai to geisha—emerge to give a short performance. There is even a rakugo storyteller who appears to share a brief tale about the city’s history.

This clock has a twin across the intersection—a monument dedicated to the firefighters of Edo.

These fascinating structures, known as Karakuri Yagura (automaton towers), serve as a reminder of the Edo-period mechanical puppets that were the precursors to modern Japanese robotics—a facet of Japanese culture that is often overlooked.

5. The Daimyo Clock in Sendagi

Japanese clock (wadokei). Photo by Pixta

Any story about clocks in Japan would be incomplete without mentioning wadokei—the traditional Japanese clocks developed during the Edo period (1603–1868).

The first mechanical clocks were brought to Japan by Spanish missionaries during the second half of the 16th century. Japanese craftsmen learned the principles of clockmaking from these missionaries in cities like Nagasaki and Kyoto. However, because Japan utilized a traditional timekeeping system that divided the day into twelve "hours" based on the sun, efforts were made to adapt these foreign mechanisms to a very different rhythm.

Under this traditional system, daytime and nighttime were each divided into six segments. Because the length of daylight changes throughout the year—longer in the summer and shorter in the winter—the length of each "hour" changed with the seasons. Edo-period clockmakers developed ingenious solutions to reflect this "seasonal time," creating clocks that could display not only the hour, but also the day of the week and the month.

The shogun and powerful daimyo (feudal lords) sponsored clockmakers to create these accurate and incredibly sophisticated mechanical timepieces. For this reason, wadokei are also famously known as daimyo clocks.

Traditional Japanese clocks achieved the remarkable feat of synchronizing mechanical time with the rhythm of nature—aligning with the seasons and the natural transition between day and night. In contrast, Western mechanical clocks standardized time by dividing it into perfectly equal, fixed increments, independent of the natural world.

Following the Meiji Restoration (1868), Japan embraced many Western standards, adopting the Gregorian calendar and the fixed-hour system. Consequently, the unique tradition of wadokei clockmaking largely faded away.

Only a few master clockmakers managed to stay in business by pivoting their engineering skills toward modern industry. The most famous of these was Tanaka Hisashige (1799–1881), an exceptionally skilled inventor and clockmaker. His pioneering work laid the foundation for what would eventually become the global technology brand Toshiba.

In addition to the Seiko Museum, the Daimyo Clock Museum in Yanaka houses an impressive collection of traditional timepieces. It is well worth a visit to marvel at these intricate mechanisms while exploring the historic Yanesen area.

The clock pictured above is located near Sendagi Station, directly in front of Yanaka Elementary School. Although it functions as a standard modern clock, its design was inspired by the traditional wadokei mounted on yagura (watchtower) structures.

This clock stands as a quiet reminder of an age when ambitious inventors pushed the boundaries of technology, striving to harmonize mechanical precision with the natural rhythm of time.

Discover the Clocks of Tokyo

"Bright Time" clock in Shibuya Station

We hope this article has sparked your curiosity about Tokyo’s clock monuments. During your future walks through the city, we invite you to pause for a moment to observe them and listen to their rhythm; it is a unique way to experience the pulse of the Tokyo metropolis.

This article was written by a clock enthusiast who frequently travels to discover beautiful and historic timepieces.

Clocks tend to reveal more about space than about time, as they speak volumes about the communities that cherish them. The author likes to call them ”the beating heart of the city,” and keeps pictures of the clocks encountered during her travels on an Instagram account dedicated to timepieces. She dreams of turning the account into a collection of clocks from Japan and, why not, from all around the world!