Nagoya TV Tower is the first TV tower in Japan and one of Nagoya’s most recognisable landmark. Completed in 1954, the tower stands at 180 metres tall. This popular tourist attraction has an observation Sky Deck at 90 metres above ground and an open air Sky Balcony at 100 metres above ground. We visited Nagoya TV Tower on Day 4 of our Japan 2017 trip.
Tickets to the observation decks can be bought at the tower’s Sky Terminal on 3rd floor. Here they had a staff to guide us through the ticket purchase process via a ticketing machine. Then another staff accompanied us up the tower in a glass elevator. Service standard was impeccable.
As we went up, peering through the steel structure at the city’s nightscape gave us a rush of excitement.
The observation deck is not big so it did not take long for us to walk one round for a 360 degree view of the city.
According to their website, one may even be able to see the Suzuka Mountain Range and Mount Ontake in the distant horizon. Not at night though. We were not unable to get good pictures through the glass windows due to reflection. And I got to admit my night photography skill is not up to the mark.
The current light and art projection show, City Light Fantasia by Naked, runs from 1 December 2017 to 25 February 2018. Colourful lights with sound effects are used to create images of a New World. Here’s a snippet of the light show:
Braving the cold, we went up to the Sky Balcony for some photos, which was designated as a “Lover’s Sanctuary” in 2008.
Unless you decide to while your time away staring at the cityscape, otherwise you will need less than an hour at Nagoya TV Tower. We spent close to an hour here, just admiring the night view and trying to make our admission fee worthwhile. The admission fee is on the pricey side at JPY1,000 per adult (for entry after 6pm). In comparison, an adult ticket to Nagoya Castle and Toyota Commemorative Museum both cost JPY500.
Personally, I think the Sky Deck and Balcony of this iconic attraction is a nice-to-visit but not a must-visit. If you are big on enjoying panoramic views, this is a good place to do so. If your schedule is tight (like ours), consider visiting at night when the other attractions are closed to maximise your time. Otherwise, perhaps some photos of the tower from its surrounding Hisaya Ōdori Park will do nicely.
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Read about our trip itinerary and the places we visited in Japan Nagoya Itinerary 2017 .
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Useful Information
Address: 3-6-15 Nishiki, Naka-ku, Nagoya, Japan
Telephone: +81 52-971-8546
Official Website (in Japanese only): Nagoya TV Tower
Admission Charge: 10am to 5.30pm – Adults JPY700, Primary/Secondary School Students JPY300, High School and College Student JPY600; 6pm onwards – Adults JPY1,000, Primary/Secondary School Students JPY300, High School and College Student JPY1,000
Getting There: Nearest train station is Sakae Station. We walked around 10 minutes to get to the tower.