April 13th:
I actually did not go inside the tower to visit. Only saw it from the outside and I can only imagine the 360 views of the city. We were just too pressed for time for hotel check-in time. Only saw it from the outside of Kyoto station.
Here are some photos.
Will look into going up the tower on a future trip.
If you plan to get a 360° panoramic view of Kyoto City, then this iconic tower is the place to be. This steel tower is the tallest structure in Kyoto with its observation deck at 100m - not that tall but good enough to view the city. Located just opposite Kyoto Station, it costs ¥900 per entry for adults. We didn't go in as there was quite a queue when we went. So, exterior views were just fine for us.
We came here on our last day of our 2 day trip in Kyoto. We stored our luggage’s at the station and walked across to the towers. Can purchase the tickets up at the tower entrance. Got a great views of the city. The binoculars were high end and crystal clear. My kids enjoyed spying on people. Probably can spend 45min here. Friendly staff and a good experience.
I imagine this place can get pretty crowded in a hurry. It is very small. If you have been to Tokyo Tower or the Sky Tree, this is completely different. The observation deck is very tiny. Even the area to buy tickets is very tiny, and you can almost miss it because there are so many other shops in the area. I visited here on a weeknight in November 2024. The city was quite overcrowded with tourists. However, when I got up to the top of the tower, I found that it wasn't crowded at all there. It has beautiful views of the city, especially at sunset. And I was delightfully surprised to find a KyoAni Collab that was promoting the new anime season of Sound Euphonium.
This probably isn't something that I would do again. But I also wouldn't do the skytree again. I would however do Tokyo Tower again, especially the top deck. I would also do Roppongi Hills Mori Tower and Shibuya Sky again.
The walkways in this Tower are very narrow, as are the elevators. I could see that if you had a wheelchair it would be really difficult to get around.
I think it's wonderful that they have free binoculars you can use. I also like that they label the windows with some of the iconic historic sites, so that you know what you're looking at. What's really awesome is that you can see Osaka in the distance. I honestly didn't think that I would be able to see Osaka from Kyoto, even though I knew that they weren't too far apart. Fushimi Inari is difficult to make out, but you can still see it. Because a lot of the shrines are nested in trees, their view is obscured as well. That being said, this is definitely on a don't miss it of Kyo sites. Honestly, it is a great spot to either start or end your trip because you can either look out and see where you're about to head, which is really exciting. Or, you can look out and see all of the places you've been and reflect on them. Which is equally exciting!
Just a heads up... If you have vertigo issues like I do, be careful. The tower does sway. If you are claustrophobic, you might have some issues in this tower, especially if it gets overcrowded with tourists. Later, if you're hungry there's lots of food in the basement level of the building. Also tons of snacks below the tower, and gifts that you can bring home. Things are a little pricey here. So, if you're looking for a deal you're not going to get it.
Overall, it was an okay experience. We got a bit lost around Kyoto Station and ended up stumbling upon this tower attraction. Decided to go for it, bought our tickets, and headed in. The staff were all polite and helpful, adding to the overall experience. The tower offers a nice view of Kyoto from above, which was a refreshing change of pace. We visited at night, so it was particularly enjoyable to take in the city’s nightscape. While it may not be a must-do, it was a pleasant way to spend the evening and take in Kyoto’s sights from a different perspective.
