On the east side of Ikebukuro is Sunshine 60 Observatory, a shopping center/office building/aquarium/you-name-it plus observatory. At 60 floors and 251m high, it’s hard to miss. When it opened back in 1978, it was (we are told) the tallest building in East Asia.
The observation deck on the top floor offers phenomenal views over Tokyo, stretching as far as Mount Fuji on very clear days. Other landmarks to keep an eye out for include Roppongi Hills, Shinjuku’s skyscraper district and Tokyo Tower. You can also sometimes catch a glimpse of Tokyo Disneyland, Mount Tsukuba and even the Izu Peninsula.
There are restaurants on the two floors below the observation deck, offering pretty impressive views themselves.
How much are tickets for Sunshine 60 Observatory?
Tickets for Sunshine 60 cost ¥700 for adults (high school aged and above) and ¥500 for children on weekdays. On weekends those prices go up to ¥900 and ¥600 respectively. This jumps even higher to ¥1,200 and ¥800 during “busy periods”, presumably school breaks and National Holidays.
Pro tip: Buy your tickets online and skip the queue.
Nearby places and attractions
Children: ¥500
Has wheelchair accessible toilets
- 0.5 km from Higashi-ikebukuro Station Yurakucho Line (Y10)
- 0.5 km from Higashi-Ikebukuro-yonchōme Station Tokyo Sakura Tram (Toden Arakawa Line) (SA25)
- 0.6 km from Toden-Zōshigaya Station Tokyo Sakura Tram (Toden Arakawa Line) (SA26)