Shibuya Sky tickets: price, the two-week release, and the rooftop closing in bad weather

In this guide

💡 The Short Version: Shibuya Sky releases 20-minute timed entry slots at midnight Japan Standard Time (00:00 JST) ahead of the visit date. Online adult tickets cost ¥2,700 for entry before 15:00 and ¥3,400 from 15:00 onwards; same-day tickets at the 14th-floor counter add ¥300 and sell out completely whenever online allocations vanish. Timeslots cannot be changed, and the outdoor Sky Stage closes during strong wind, rain, snow, or lightning, though the enclosed 46th-floor gallery stays accessible. Purchase advance e-tickets via Webket, Klookad{rel=“sponsored nofollow noopener”}, or KKdayad{rel=“sponsored nofollow noopener”}. Or book a tour: when peak sunset allocations are gone, a guided walking tour such as the Tokyo: Shibuya Sky Sunset or Night View & Walking Tourad includes guaranteed rooftop admission alongside a local neighbourhood guide. All prices are in Japanese yen (¥).

The official tickets

Shibuya Sky occupies the highest levels of Shibuya Scramble Square, a 229-metre skyscraper towering directly over Shibuya Station. The complex comprises an indoor observation corridor called the Sky Gallery on the 46th floor and an open-air rooftop platform named Sky Stage on the 47th level. The visitor journey begins on the 14th floor, where the main ticketing desks, automated redemption scanners, and high-speed transit elevators are located.

Official admission fees are established by the operator consortium led by Tokyu Corporation and Shibuya Scramble Square. Advance online purchase is cheaper than walk-up tickets, which are subject to availability.

• Opening hours: 10:00 to 22:30 daily, with final admission at 21:20. The complex closes entirely on 1 January for New Year holiday maintenance. Temporary revisions to operational hours and unscheduled closures are published on the official Shibuya Scramble Square noticeboard.
• Booking release schedule: Tickets go on sale at 00:00 JST, which is 15:00 GMT the previous day. The booking page shows which dates are open.
• Peak sunset demand: Slots between 16:00 and 18:00 (varying by season) are the most sought-after tickets in Tokyo. During clear autumn and winter months, these windows frequently sell out within five to ten minutes of going live online.
• Counter availability limitations: If online allocations for a particular timeslot show as sold out on Webket or Klook, the 14th-floor counter has no remaining tickets for that window. The physical box office only sells spare capacity from unsold online pools.
• Children’s tickets at the desk: Because child tickets (ages 3 to 11) cannot be reserved in advance through the online portals, families must purchase child passes at the 14th-floor box office upon arrival. Staff will issue child tickets to match the time printed on the accompanying adults’ advance vouchers, even when general adult tickets for that session are fully booked.

North from Shibuya Scramble Square over Yoyogi Park. Photo: Daniel Ramirez from Honolulu, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Timed entry and slot rules

Admission to Shibuya Sky operates on a strict timeslot reservation system designed to regulate crowd density throughout the indoor galleries and outdoor decks.

• 20-minute arrival window: Your ticket specifies an entry window (for example, 16:20–16:40). You may scan through the turnstiles on the 14th floor at any moment during those 20 minutes.
• Late arrivals: If you arrive after your designated 20-minute window has expired, admission is at the discretion of the floor supervisors. Staff may allow you to enter during a subsequent non-peak window if capacity permits, or they may turn you away without a refund. During sold-out weekend sunset sessions, late arrivals are rarely accommodated.
• No maximum stay limit: While entry is strictly scheduled, there is no limit on how long you remain inside the facility once admitted. Many visitors arrive in late afternoon to photograph the metropolitan skyline in daylight, watch the sun set behind Mount Fuji, and linger until nightfall to see the neon illumination of Shibuya.
• One-way circulation: Re-entry is not permitted under any circumstances. Once you take the descending elevators down from the 45th floor back to the 14th floor or shopping mall levels, your ticket is void.
• No ticket modifications: The official reservation system does not permit changing the date or timeslot on an existing ticket. If you wish to switch to a different time, you must purchase a new ticket for the desired slot and cancel your original ticket.
• Cancellation terms: Tickets bought via Webket, Klookad{rel=“sponsored nofollow noopener”}, and KKdayad{rel=“sponsored nofollow noopener”} can be cancelled for a 100% refund up until 23:59 JST on the day prior to the visit. On the day of your booking, tickets are strictly non-refundable unless the outdoor rooftop is closed by the operator due to severe weather.

Rooftop safety regulations and locker procedures

Safety regulations on the outdoor Sky Stage (229 metres above ground level) are enforced rigorously by floor marshals to prevent objects from falling into the dense pedestrian streets and train platforms below.

Before you can take the outdoor escalators from the 46th floor up to the open roof, you must pass through a mandatory baggage screening and locker area.

• Mandatory locker deposit: All rucksacks, handbags, tote bags, umbrellas, sunshades, hats, caps, loose scarves, selfie sticks, tripods, monopods, binoculars, and outside food or drinks must be stored in the coin lockers on the 46th floor. Lockers require a ¥100 coin to operate, which is automatically returned when you unlock the door upon exit. Currency exchange machines are positioned nearby.
• Permitted items on the roof: You may bring a mobile phone or smartphone, and one handheld camera. However, cameras must be worn around your neck or wrist using an approved strap, or be compact enough to fit entirely inside a zipped pocket. Free straps are not provided by staff; ensure your equipment is tethered before arriving.
• Footwear restrictions: High-heeled shoes with narrow metal tips, loose sandals without heel straps, and roller shoes are discouraged or restricted on certain glass-floored sections of the roof deck.
• Prams and pushchairs: Prams, baby strollers, and large wheeled luggage are prohibited on the outdoor Sky Stage. A dedicated stroller parking area is available beside the 46th-floor locker room.

Weather closures and refund policies

Because the Sky Stage is completely open to the elements with no overhead canopy, the operator monitors local meteorological conditions via the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The rooftop platform shuts immediately under any of the following conditions:

1. Wind gusts exceeding 10 to 12 metres per second.
2. Moderate or heavy rainfall, sleet, or snowfall.
3. Approaching thunderstorms or lightning detection within the Kanto metropolitan area.
4. Dense fog or severe smog causing zero visibility.
5. Extreme summer heat index warnings when outdoor surface temperatures become hazardous.

When the outdoor roof closes, the indoor Sky Gallery on the 46th floor remains open. This floor features floor-to-ceiling glass windows offering panoramic views, digital interactive art installations, and the Paradise Lounge cafe.

⚠️ Important weather policy: If the outdoor Sky Stage is closed at the time of your ticket and you choose to scan through the 14th-floor entrance turnstiles, you accept entry to the indoor Sky Gallery only. No partial refunds or compensation are issued once you enter. However, if the rooftop is shut and you decide not to enter, you can present your unused voucher at the 14th-floor counter or submit a refund request through your booking platform to receive a full refund.

Comparing ticket and tour options

Choosing between an independent advance ticket and an organized guided tour depends primarily on ticket availability, your preferred arrival time, and whether you want context on Shibuya’s history.

Guided tours that include admission

When prime afternoon and sunset tickets sell out on official booking portals, guided small-group tours that bundle guaranteed Shibuya Sky entrance vouchers are an effective alternative. They also provide valuable historical background on Shibuya’s development from an Edo-period village into a global transport and entertainment hub.

Shibuya Sky Sunset or Night View & Walking Tour

From ¥14,563 · 4.9 stars from 169 reviews · 2 hours

The Tokyo: Shibuya Sky Sunset or Night View & Walking Tourad combines a guided walking exploration of Shibuya’s backstreets with timed admission to Shibuya Sky. The local guide leads your group through the Hachiko memorial plaza, the historic Nonbei Yokocho lantern alley, and the Shibuya scramble crossing before escorting you to the 14th-floor priority entrance of Shibuya Scramble Square. The tour provides commentary on Tokyo’s modern urban design before leaving you on the observation decks to take in the twilight panorama at your own pace.

Shibuya Sky Night View, Crossing & Local Vibe Tour

From ¥14,630 · 4.7 stars from 177 reviews · 2 hours

The Tokyo: Shibuya Sky Night View, Crossing & Local Vibe Tourad focuses on Shibuya’s evening atmosphere. Beginning at the scramble intersection, the guide explains how the intersection manages up to 3,000 pedestrians per green light, takes the group to elevated vantage points overlooking the crowds, and concludes with guaranteed evening entry to Shibuya Sky. The ticket included in the tour covers full access to the Sky Stage rooftop and 46th-floor Sky Gallery.

Tokyo by Night: Shibuya Sky Views & Shinjuku Neon

From ¥13,600 · 4.9 stars from 22 reviews · 3 hours

The Tokyo by Night: Shibuya Sky Views & Shinjuku Neonad is an evening photography and neighbourhood walk that spans two major entertainment districts. After visiting Shibuya Sky for sunset and dusk skyline photography, the group travels two stops north on the JR Yamanote Line to Shinjuku to explore Omoide Yokocho’s izakaya lanes and the neon corridors of Kabukicho. Entry tickets to Shibuya Sky are included in the tour price.

The scramble crossing from Shibuya Sky at night. Photo: Sei F, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0.

Best time to visit and photography tips

The visual character of Shibuya Sky changes dramatically depending on the time of day and the season:

• Sunset and the Golden Hour: Arriving approximately 45 minutes prior to official sunset gives you the optimal experience. You will witness the city in clear afternoon daylight, see the sunset over western Tokyo (with Mount Fuji visible on clear, dry days between October and March), and watch the street lights and neon billboards flicker on across Shibuya below.
• Approximate sunset times in Tokyo:
  • January: 16:45–17:15
  • April: 18:05–18:25
  • July: 18:50–19:00
  • October: 16:50–17:30
• Photographing the Sky Edge: The most famous photography spot is the Sky Edge, a glass corner where the perimeter barrier dips, providing an uninterrupted view across Tokyo. Queues form at this corner throughout the day, often taking 15 to 25 minutes during sunset. Staff enforce a strict one-photo-sequence policy per group to keep the line moving.
• Glass reflection at night: In the indoor 46th-floor Sky Gallery, interior lighting produces strong glass reflections after dark. To take clear night photographs through the indoor glass, hold your camera or phone lens flush against the glass surface, or drape a dark garment around the lens to eliminate glare.

How to get there

Shibuya Sky is located in the Shibuya Scramble Square East Tower, directly connected to Shibuya Station. Shibuya is one of Tokyo’s primary transit hubs, served by nine distinct railway and subway lines:

• JR East Lines: JR Yamanote Line, JR Saikyo Line, and JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line. From the JR Central or South Gates, follow the overhead signposting directly into Shibuya Scramble Square.
• Tokyo Metro Subway: Ginza Line (terminates on the 3rd floor of Shibuya Scramble Square), Hanzomon Line, and Fukutoshin Line. From the underground subway concourses, follow exit B6, which leads directly into the tower’s basement atrium.
• Private Railways: Tokyu Toyoko Line (running south towards Yokohama), Tokyu Den-en-toshi Line, and the Keio Inokashira Line (connecting to Shimokitazawa and Kichijoji).
• Ascending to the 14th Floor: From the ground level or underground entrances of Shibuya Scramble Square, take the dedicated high-speed shuttle elevators marked “Sky Gate” directly up to the 14th-floor ticketing lobby. Do not use the general shopping mall escalators, which only serve the lower retail levels.

Where to go next

From the observation deck, you look directly down onto the famous intersection below; read our Shibuya Crossing guide for street-level viewing spots and the Hachiko statue. For a complete walking itinerary through the area, the Meiji Jingu, Harajuku and Shibuya walk finishes at Shibuya Station, while the 3-day Tokyo itinerary schedules the Shibuya Sky sunset window at the close of day two.

If you are deciding where to base yourself in the capital, compare neighbourhoods in our guide to Shinjuku or Shibuya and our complete where to stay in Tokyo overview. Transit options and IC card details are covered in Tokyo public transport. To see how Shibuya Sky compares with Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Tower, and the free Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building observatories, consult Tokyo’s observation decks compared, and explore all our ticket guides on the Tokyo hub.

Common questions

How much are Shibuya Sky tickets?

An adult ticket (aged 12 and over) bought online costs ¥2,700 for entry slots up to 14:59, and ¥3,400 for slots from 15:00 onwards. At the 14th-floor ticket counter on the day, prices rise to ¥3,000 and ¥3,700 respectively. Primary school children pay ¥1,200 (counter only), children aged 3 to 5 pay ¥600, and under 3s enter free.

When do Shibuya Sky tickets go on sale?

Online tickets are released at midnight Japan Standard Time (00:00 JST) ahead of the visit date. Sunset slots regularly sell out within minutes of release.

Can you change or cancel a Shibuya Sky ticket?

Timeslots cannot be modified once reserved. Tickets purchased through the official Webket platform, Klook, or KKday can be cancelled for a full refund until 23:59 on the day before your visit. On the day of your visit, refunds are issued only if the open-air rooftop is closed due to severe weather and you have not yet passed through the 14th-floor entry gate.

What happens if it rains or is windy at Shibuya Sky?

The outdoor Sky Stage rooftop closes during rain, high winds (gusts over 10 to 12 metres per second), lightning warnings, or extreme weather. The enclosed Sky Gallery on the 46th floor remains open. If the rooftop is closed before your entry window and you choose not to enter, you can cancel your unused ticket for a refund.

What items are prohibited on the Shibuya Sky rooftop?

All bags, backpacks, umbrellas, tripods, selfie sticks, loose hats, caps, scarves, and beverages are strictly banned on the outdoor Sky Stage. Visitors must deposit these in ¥100 refundable coin lockers on the 46th floor before taking the escalators to the roof. Only smartphones and cameras fitted with a secure neck or wrist strap are permitted outside.