Tokyo Nightlife Tour - Enjoy The Great Nighttime Views Of Tokyo!

At night, Tokyo is illuminated by the bright neon signs. Some people may feel like going out to dine or shop, but realize that the shops are already closed.

To enjoy the Tokyo night, MATCHA staff planned a two day route titled Tokyo Nightlife, one that is sure to exceed your expectations.

First Day Route: From Shibuya to Ginza

Viewing the Starry Sky at Cosmo Planetarium Shibuya

Cosmo Planetarium Shibuya, inside Shibuya Cultural Center Owada, is located a five minute walk from Shibuya Station. Visitors can enjoy a sky full of stars, right in the middle of Shibuya.

The projection on the dome ceiling will make the audience feel as if they are in a natural environment, being completely surrounded by the stars.

Cosmo Planetarium Shibuya regularly changes their program, so visitors are able to enjoy a different view of the sky.

On the day of our visit, a program titled Starry Music (*1) was on display. With a calm music in the background, the planetarium staff talked about the seasonal changes in the constellations, and what it will be like, a hundred thousand years from now. The program has a soothing effect and will relax your body and mind.

Official Site: Cosmo Planetarium Shibuya (Japanese)
Admission Fee: Adults 600 yen, junior high and elementary school students 300 yen. Children under elementary school age can enter the center for free.
*1: The showing of the "Starry Music" program has ended. A new program, Starry Music 2, will be on display until January 14th, 2018.

Cosmo Planetarium Shibuya

23 Sakuragaoka-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0031

VR Park Tokyo at Shibuya: An Ambience Filled Experience

VR Park Tokyo, the largest virtual reality amusement park in Japan, is located a ten minute walk from Cosmo Planetarium Shibuya. This facility limits the number of its visitors, so those in attendance can fully enjoy the high quality attractions.

So put on the VR goggles, and jump into a strange world. There are various props to enhance the experience, so each attraction will surely surpass your imagination.

For instance, "Salomon's Carpet" is an attraction where the participants ride a flying carpet to fight the monsters in a VR world. A huge fan is set in front to make them feel as is they are really flying across a desert.

VR Park Tokyo offers a wide variety of attractions, and some of them are time-limited. If you want to experience VR, visit this facility.

Official Site: VR Park Tokyo
The park opens nine times a day, in ninety minute intervals.
Admission Fee: Weekdays 3300 yen, Holidays 3500 yen

VR PARK TOKYO SHIBUYA

Moving on to Daruma Kiwami Ginza Restaurant at Ginza Six

Some people may have heard about kushi-age (kushi katsu), a local dish of Osaka in which various ingredients are skewered, dipped in batter and deep-fried.

Daruma Kiwami Ginza Restaurant at Ginza Six offers unique kushi-age created by the chef.

All the ingredients are fresh from the market, and a wide variety of sauces are available.

We tried the Ayami Course. It includes appetizers, tsukemono (pickles), ochazuke (rice soaked in Japanese tea) and nine types of kushi-age such as matsutake (mushroom), saury and Kobe beef. The juicy matsutake has a crisp taste, and the saury comes with fresh, shining salmon roe. Kobe beef is served with a fragrant mushroom sauce.

All the dishes will change your image of an ordinary kushi-age, so enjoy them with your eyes and mouth.

Official Site: Daruma Kiwami Ginza Restaurant (Japanese)

Daruma Kiwami Ginza store

GINZA SIX 6F, 6-10-1, Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061

Second Day Route: From Tokyo Station to Tokyo Bay Cruise, and to Tokyo Tower

A Walk Around Tokyo Station to View the Beautiful Sunset

The area around the main gate of Tokyo Station is called Marunouchi. In the Meiji Period, after the Western-styled Mitsubishi Ichigokan Building was built, this area was modeled after Lombard Street in London, with a number of British-style, brick-clad buildings. In those days, some people referred to Marunouchi as Iccho London (Small London).

Ginkgo trees are lined up on both sides of Gyoko Dori, a street that starts from Tokyo Station. Visitors can enjoy the autumn leaves in fall, and this street will be beautifully illuminated at Christmastime, making it a perfect spot to take a walk.

In the evening, sunset shines on the surrounding buildings. The Imperial Palace, reminiscent of the Edo Period, can be seen in the distance between the buildings.

This is an area where both the modern and traditional aspects of Japan are mixed.

Official Site: Tokyo Station Guide (Japanese)

Tokyo Station

100-0005 1-chome Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Tokyo Station is a landmark with a beautiful historical station building. It is a key point for the Shinkansen and conventional lines, and t...

A Romantic Tokyo Bay Cruise on Symphony Classica

From Tokyo Station, take the JR line to Hamamatsucho Station. It is a ten minute walk to Hinode Passenger Terminal from Hamamatsucho. Board the Symphony Classica, and a romantic cruise of the Tokyo Bay, along with a dinner worthy of a high-class restaurant, begins.

There are four routes: lunch, afternoon, sunset and dinner. Each route and cruise time differs according to the departure time, so please check this page.

The dinner menu offers your choice of French, Italian or Japanese courses, and all the dishes are prepared from seasonal materials. The staff will answer any questions you may have about the cruise.

Nighttime views of Odaiba, Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Disneyland can be seen during the cruise. Get out onto the decks, and you can enjoy the breeze.

The dinner route traces a large heart-shaped pattern in Tokyo Bay. Some passengers take this cruise not only on a date or to celebrate an anniversary but even when they want to propose.
Official Site: Symphony Tokyo Bay Cruise

Symphony Cruise

2-7-104 Kaigan, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0022

The Nighttime View from Tokyo Tower

Tokyo Tower was built in 1958, and has become a symbol of the city to those moving in from other areas.

Even after Tokyo Skytree ®︎, the new radio tower was built, Tokyo Tower remains as the one and only symbol of Tokyo to the Japanese people.

From autumn to winter, the tower is illuminated in orange at night. From a distance, it looks like a glowing flame, and the sight also warms the hearts of the viewers.

Tokyo Tower has two observatories: the Main Observatory at the height of 150 meters, and the Special Observatory (*2 ) at 250 meters. The high-rise buildings in Shinjuku, Rainbow Bridge and the Ferris Wheel in Odaiba can be seen from the Special Observatory. The window glass has a low reflectance, so it is easier to take photographs at nighttime.

MATCHA made a visit in the Halloween season, so the observatory was decorated in that fashion.

A trip here refreshes your mind, and also offers a chance to experience new things. Tokyo Tower glows at night, radiating with the heartbeat of the Tokyo citizens, and the people viewing the tower will feel that beat.

*2: The Special Observatory is currently closed due to renovations.

Official Site: Tokyo Tower

Tokyo Tower

4-2-8 Shibakoen, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0011

Come See Tokyo at Night

We hope that this article offers a new insight about Tokyo.

Nighttime in Tokyo is filled with a lively atmosphere, different from that of the day. So go out, and experience it on your own.

Written by chacha
Sponsored by Tokyo Metropolitan Government