Tokyo’s 3D Animals: When and Where to See Them

Tokyo is home to some of the world's most dazzling art installations and projection mapping. In recent years, the trend has focused on creating naked-eye 3D LED displays that allow viewers to see 3D images without using glasses or headsets.

Taking it a step further, Japan has begun implementing this technology into billboards and LED screens. From a gigantic golden mechanical owl to a calico cat, here are some of Tokyo’s best 3D animal displays that you can see.

Tokyo's 3D Animals

1. Giant 3D Cat in Shinjuku
2. Shibuya's 3D Dog
3. The 3D Panda in Shibuya Center Gai
4. 3D Owl and Akita Dog in Ikebukuro
5. The Axolotl at Shinjuku Southern Terrace Vision
6. Ueno Hirokoji Exit Vision Panda
7. The Bremen Town Musicians 3D Billboard in Harajuku
8. Animal Apparitions on the HIT Vision Billboard in Omotesando

1. Giant 3D Cat at Cross Shinjuku Vision

Welcoming visitors to the bustling Shinjuku district, the adorable Giant 3D Cat perched atop Cross Shinjuku awaits new arrivals outside the Shinjuku East Exit Station.

Appearing in a new animation every quarter of an hour—at 00, 15, 30, and 45 minutes—visitors can watch this cheeky, rare calico cat explore, sleep, and play in a series of short films broadcast by the Cat Channel on the Cross Shinjuku Space building.

In addition to the regular broadcasts every 15 minutes, visitors can see cat animations randomly interspersed between advertisements in the DAILY LIFE series, as well as during a special broadcast that lasts for 8 minutes each morning at 6:52 AM. At night, from 12:52 to 1:00 AM, the cat can be seen falling asleep.

Waking up the city and putting it to sleep, this popular cat has captured the hearts of people around the world, earning multiple awards and being revered as one of the 8 million gods that reside in Japan.

Different short movies may appear on the screen throughout the year depending on the season, upcoming holidays, and events happening in the area. In the past, we have seen the Shinjuku East Cat celebrate Halloween and collaborate with other artists and companies.

From wearing a station cap and giving safety advice to travelers, to snoozing peacefully and playfully knocking over desk items, you can see an array of different animations of this adorable cat on the Shinjuku Cross Space Official YouTube channel: CROSS SPACE Channel, as well as watch the cat live in the video above.

Giant 3D Cat Location: Cross Shinjuku Map

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2. Shibuya's 3D Akita Dog

Announcing the time every hour, this adorable Akita puppy pops up across eight different digital billboards surrounding Shibuya Station. As the clock strikes 00 minutes past each hour, the Akita delightfully appears on the Shibuya Synchro 7 HIT Vision billboards and Shibuhachi HIT Vision screens.

Created by the company HIT, the Akita dog has gained much attention, undoubtedly due to its adorable nature and its residence in Hachiko’s home, Shibuya. Depending on the screen, the pup interacts in various ways, from riding an elevator up a building and popping its head through the clock face to grabbing the HIT company's logo like a frisbee and shaking it playfully.

Visitors can view the screens from a variety of locations around Shibuya Station. Some of the best spots include in front of Shibuya Station, where travelers can see the Akita puppy on the Shibuhachi HIT Vision when facing Shibuya Crossing, as well as on multiple screens when turning around to face the station.

Additionally, the puppy can be seen on several screens from the higher floors of Shibuya Hikarie and the Miyamasuzaka intersection.

To capture the best videos and photos possible, make sure to practice with the lighting using nearby billboards and advertisements before the animation begins. Usually, increasing the brightness on your phone or camera can help prevent lines from appearing in the footage.

Shibuya's 3D Dog Location: Shibuhachi HIT Vision Billboard Map

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3. The 3D Panda in Shibuya Center Gai

Located in Shibuya Center Gai, a bustling district brimming with fun shops and delicious food, sits a gentle yet clumsy giant panda displayed on the BIG BOSS Vision Billboard.

Perched atop the Yamashita Honki Udon shop, the panda pops up every few minutes after the Garden Casino animation. Travelers can gaze up and watch a short clip of the Panda mucking around, such as chewing on bamboo, napping on top of a branch, breaking a joystick, and rocking back and forth on a rocking horse.

To capture the full 3D effect of the panda appearing to pop out of the billboard, we recommend viewing it either near the vending machines on the opposite side of the street or by one of the first lampposts before the building.

If you stand here for a few minutes, you should be able to see one or more 3D animations.

3D Panda in Shibuya Center Gai Location: BIG BOSS Vision Map

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4. The 3D Owl and Akita Dog in Ikebukuro

Known for its association with owls, so much so that it even has an Owl Police Box, Ikebukuro features a gigantic 3D owl!

Located in front of the Ikebukuro Station East Exit area, two large billboard screens have been installed by HIT. Famous for their Akita Dog 3D creation in Shinjuku, the company has now created a mechanical golden and black owl that hoots at the strike of each hour.

Swooping across the two screens, the steampunk-esque owl appears alongside a mischievous Akita puppy pulling levers and pressing buttons that cause the owl to fall.

For the best view of the Ikebukuro HIT Vision 3D Owl and Akita Dog, we recommend standing on the crosswalk between Ikebukuro PARCO and Sun Drug, where it says ISP. Here, you should be able to see both screens and avoid traffic blocking your view.

Make sure to arrive a few minutes early so you don't miss the show, as they only appear once at the beginning of each hour.

Ikebukuro HIT Vision 3D Owl and Akita Dog: Ikebukuro Ito Building Map

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5. The 3D Axolotl at Shinjuku Southern Terrace Vision

Swimming inside a large tank full of vibrant coral and seaweed, Shinjuku’s 3D adorable axolotl is a must-visit when in the city!

Unmissable, the 3D axolotl is installed in Shinjuku Souther Terrance, the TV Billboard just above Luke’s Lobster building, and faces JR Shinjuku Station and Lumine 2, greeting shoppers and visitors alike.

The axolotl can be seen swimming happily in the water. As the hiragana spelling "Shinjuku Southern Terrace" sinks to the bottom of the tank, the little creature is tempted and ends up biting one of the letters, causing it to float to the top of the tank, as seen in the video above—how cute!

The animation appears frequently after a short bout of advertisements, so if you wait for a few minutes, you should be able to see it.

The best places to view the axolotl are just outside of Lumine 2, facing towards the Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal, as well as in front of Eggslut near the Shinjuku city area map.

3D Axolotl Location: Shinjuku Southern Terrace Map

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6. The 3D Panda at Ueno Hirokoji Vision

Joining the trend, there is now a 3D billboard at the Hirokoji Exit of JR Ueno Station. The Ueno Hirokoji Vision was installed by JR-EAST in 2024 and features work by the creative unit WOW.

Befitting the area known for its beautiful pandas residing in Ueno Zoo, a gigantic 3D panda now announces the time to travelers at the strike of each hour. Located in the newly renovated area around atré Ueno, the installation is hard to miss.

Along the Hirokoji Exit, visitors can spot the gigantic waving panda wearing a pocket watch around its neck. Appearing to look for someone, the panda searches back and forth before disappearing and then reappearing, adorned in Kabuki makeup and holding a gigantic bamboo stalk as a weapon.

The best place to view this panda is just outside the Starbucks in front of JR Ueno Station along the Hirokoji Exit.

3D Panda Location: Ueno Hirokoji Vision Map
Official website: https://www.w0w.co.jp/works/uenohirokoji (Japanese)

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7. CHANGE ViSiON Harajuku: The Bremen Town Musicians 3D Billboard

Located on the CHANGE ViSiON Harajuku billboard at the Meiji Dori intersection in Harajuku, BEAMS has created its own 3D animal advertisement showcasing a cat, a dog, and a donkey!

Co-created with CHANGE ViSiON and inspired by BEAMS’ philosophy of being a Happy Life Solution Company, the animals from the fairy tale "The Bremen Town Musicians" cheerfully play with brilliant orange BEAM balloons.

The broadcast can be seen from 10:00 - 21:00 on top of the T's One Building. To get a good view of the whole billboard, we recommend crossing the street to Universal Music.

Location: T's One Building Map

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8. Animal Apparitions on the HIT Vision Billboard in Omotesando

Another marvelous creation by the advertising company HIT, the HIT Vision Billboard in Omotesando showcased an incredible 3D Dragon flying across its screen, celebrating the arrival of the Year of the Dragon in 2024!

Although not officially announced yet, we suspect this billboard will come to life again in the new year, possibly featuring a 3D snake next. This billboard has also displayed Red XIII from Final Fantasy VII in the past, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on this board in the future!

The billboard can be viewed from Aoyama-dori in Omotesando. For a good view of the screen, we recommend standing across the street outside Mizuho Bank.

Location: Map