Before You Book Tokyo Skytree: Every Cost, and What's Worth It
By the BeatTheCrowd team · Prices last checked 2 November · 4 min read
Tokyo Skytree has two decks, the Tembo Deck at 350 m and the Tembo Galleria at 450 m, and its prices now change by date. There's a set ticket, a Galleria add-on, a fee for buying at the counter and the question of whether the higher level is worth it. Most of them sound worth paying for. You don't need the most expensive one to have a great visit. In this guide we walk through what each option costs, what you really get, and how to choose the right one, whether that's a quiet Thursday or a busy Saturday.
At a glance
Tembo Deck, 350 m (adult)
From ¥1,800, up to about ¥3,600 by date
Deck + Galleria set, to 450 m
From ¥3,000, up to about ¥4,800
Galleria add-on, bought inside
¥1,400 adult, ¥700 child
Child (6-14)
From ¥900 (Deck), ¥1,500 (set). Under 6 free
Buying at the counter
¥500 extra per ticket
Quietest
Thursday
Free alternative
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Shinjuku
🎟️ Book skip-the-line tickets
Check the crowds, find the best time slot, and book through our authorised partner.
The real total: cheapest ticket vs what most visitors pay
Skytree's prices now depend on your date. The cheapest way up is a Tembo Deck ticket online from ¥1,800. On a busy day, the same ticket can cost about ¥3,600, and buying it at the 4th-floor counter adds ¥500. Visitors who also want the higher Galleria, bought on the day, pay the most.
Visitor
What they buy
One adult
The planner
Tembo Deck online, on a quiet date
From ¥1,800
The walk-up visitor
Tembo Deck at the counter, on a busy date
Up to about ¥4,100
The full experience
Deck + Galleria set online, on a busy date
Up to about ¥4,800
🎟️ Book skip-the-line tickets
Check the crowds, find the best time slot, and book through our authorised partner.
Prices last checked: 2 November. Prices vary with the season, peak and off-peak dates and promotions, and we recheck them every month. Visitor-reported costs are marked as estimates, and US$ figures are rough conversions.
Ticket options: what each one gets you
Ticket
Adult (15+)
Child (6-14)
Verdict
Tembo Deck (350 m)
From ¥1,800, up to about ¥3,600
From ¥900
The right choice for most visitors
Deck + Galleria set (to 450 m)
From ¥3,000, up to about ¥4,800
From ¥1,500
Worth it on a clear day
Galleria add-on, bought on the Deck
¥1,400
¥700
Decide on the day, once you see the weather
Any Deck or set ticket at the counter
Plus ¥500
Plus ¥500
Avoid: book online
Under-6s are free, and high school students pay the adult price. The Galleria can't be visited on its own: you need a Deck ticket first.
The crowd tax: why weekends and afternoons cost more
Our crowd data shows Skytree moderate all day on Thursday, and moderate most of Wednesday. Saturday and Sunday are busy from about 11 am to 8 pm, and Tuesday and Friday get busy from about 1-2 pm until about 7 pm. Evenings after about 8 pm are moderate every day. With date-based pricing, busy days also tend to cost more.
When
Crowds (our data)
What to book
Thursday, or Wednesday
Moderate
The cheapest, calmest visit
Weekday mornings
Moderate
Deck online, add the Galleria if it's clear
Weekends, about 11 am-8 pm
Busy
Book ahead, or come after 8 pm
Any evening after 8 pm
Moderate
Night views, last entry an hour before closing
Crowds by day and time
From the typical weekly visitor pattern for Tokyo Skytree, based on Google’s popular-times data.
Which ticket is worth it?
Most visitors: Tembo Deck, online, on a weekday.
Clear day: add the Galleria inside for ¥1,400.
Cloudy or hazy day: stay on the Deck, or go to the free Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building instead.
Never: buy at the counter if you can book online.
Short on time? What you'd regret missing
The Tembo Deck panorama, with the Sumida River and central Tokyo.
The glass floor on the Deck.
Mount Fuji, on clear days, usually in the morning and in winter.
Sunset and the city lights from the Deck.
Tokyo Solamachi, the shopping complex at the base.
Getting there
Skytree is directly connected to Tokyo Skytree Station (Tobu Skytree Line) and Oshiage Station (several lines). It's easy to combine with Asakusa, one stop away. A regular metro fare covers it.
Weather and visibility
Haze and cloud can hide the view, especially in summer. Mount Fuji is most often visible on clear winter mornings. Check the live camera or forecast before buying a Galleria add-on.
What can go wrong
You buy at the counter: ¥500 extra per ticket.
You buy the set on a cloudy day: buy the Deck only and decide inside.
Galleria sales pause: when the upper level is full.
You arrive late: last entry is an hour before closing.
The Tembo Deck costs from ¥1,800 online for adults, up to about ¥3,600 on busy dates. The Deck + Galleria set costs from ¥3,000, up to about ¥4,800. Buying at the counter adds ¥500.
Is the Tembo Galleria worth it?
+
On a clear day, yes. Add it inside the Deck for ¥1,400, once you can see the weather.
Is there a free alternative to Skytree?
+
Yes, the observation decks at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Shinjuku are free.
Can you see Mount Fuji from Skytree?
+
On clear days, usually in the morning and in winter.
When is Tokyo Skytree least crowded?
+
In our data, Thursday is moderate all day, and evenings after 8 pm are moderate every day. See our crowd forecast.
Heading to Tokyo Skytree?
See how busy it is right now and the quietest hours for your date, then walk in when the line is short.
How we research: every guide is written by the BeatTheCrowd team from official sources and recent traveller reports, cross-checked against each other. Crowd figures come from our own crowd data. Prices last checked 2 November. Prices and rules change, so always confirm on the official site before you book.
Is the Galleria worth it?
The Tembo Deck at 350 m already gives you the full Tokyo panorama. The Tembo Galleria at 450 m is a glass spiral walkway higher up, with views that feel more dramatic. At starting prices, the set (¥3,000) saves only ¥200 over adding the Galleria later (¥1,800 + ¥1,400). Our verdict: buy the Deck online, and add the Galleria inside only if the sky is clear. Galleria sales can pause when it's full.
What visitors say
Visitors say the views from Skytree are spectacular, especially at sunset and on clear days when Mount Fuji appears. The most common criticisms are the price compared with free decks in Tokyo, and haze hiding the view, so the advice is to check the weather and skip the Galleria on cloudy days.
