Tokyo is a gigantic concrete jungle built on layers of tradition and culture. It's difficult to grasp the enormity of Japan's capital in just a few days.
One way to gain some perspective on the complex city is to get above it — way above it.
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Tokyo is a gigantic concrete jungle built on layers of tradition and culture. It's difficult to grasp the enormity of Japan's capital in just a few days.
Greeted with a bow by the elevator operator, take a ride up to the top of some structures for as much as $30 a trip. But the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building's observation deck is free. The 48-story office is surrounded by Shinjuku district's skyscrapers. The view is more intimate than from most other observatories.
An usher bows to visitors in an elevator going up to Tokyo Tower's observation deck Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
A tall apartment building is seen through the window of the Seaside Top observatory located on the 40th floor of the World Trade Center, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
A group of tourists pose for photos while visiting an observation deck located on the top floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
Tourists watch the cityscape of Tokyo from the observation deck of Tokyo Skytree, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019, in Tokyo. The Skytree is the tallest tower in the world. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
A cutout of a Japanese manga character is displayed on the large window of the Sky Circus Sunshine 60 observatory Monday, Oct. 7, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
Two women wear VR headsets while playing a video game at the Sky Circus Sunshine 60 observatory Monday, Oct. 7, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
Visitors pray in front of a Shinto shrine located on the main observation deck of Tokyo Tower, Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, in Tokyo. The tower is the second tallest structure in Japan. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
A group of Japanese salarymen pose for photos on an open-air observation deck located on the rooftop of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
People view Tokyo's skyline from the Seaside Top observatory located on the 40th floor of the World Trade Center, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
With a view of Tokyo's cityscape, a man wearing a VR headset plays a video game at the Sky Circus Sunshine 60 observatory Monday, Oct. 7, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
A tourist uses her smartphone to photograph Tokyo's skyline from the Seaside Top observatory located on the 40th floor of the World Trade Center Building, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
Chandre Groenewald, visiting from South Africa, uses a selfie stick to photograph himself with a view of the cityscape of Tokyo at Tokyo Skytree's observation deck Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019, in Tokyo. The Skytree is the tallest tower in the world. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
People take pictures of Tokyo's skyline during sunset from the Seaside Top observatory located on the 40th floor of the World Trade Center, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
A young boy sits on a glass floor at Tokyo Tower's main observation deck Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, in Tokyo. The tower is the second tallest structure in Japan. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
A visitor takes pictures of Tokyo's skyline from Tokyo Tower's observation deck Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, in Tokyo. Standing at 1092 feet, the tower is the second tallest structure in Japan. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
Skip the sidewalks and subways and take an elevator to any one of the observation decks that dot the cityscape for a stunning vista. No two perches offer the same view, but they are all spectacular.
A man watches the cityscape of Tokyo from an observation deck located on the top floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
Greeted with a bow by the elevator operator, take a ride up to the top of some structures for as much as $30 a trip. But the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building's observation deck is free. The 48-story office is surrounded by Shinjuku district's skyscrapers. The view is more intimate than from most other observatories.
Try the panoramic views from Tokyo Tower — an homage to the Eifel Tower that was built in 1958 to signify Japan's economic revival — where you can take a selfie with Mt. Fuji in the background on a clear day. Lean in and look down on the traffic patterns of the famed Shibuya crossing from the 46th floor of the East Tower of slick new Shibuya Scramble Square.
Or just pick a spot and watch one of Japan's spectacular sunsets beyond the glass, steel and concrete horizon.
Visitors are silhouetted against a floor-to-ceiling window as they view Tokyo's skyline from an observation deck located on the top floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
An usher bows to visitors in an elevator going up to Tokyo Tower's observation deck Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
A tall apartment building is seen through the window of the Seaside Top observatory located on the 40th floor of the World Trade Center, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
A group of tourists pose for photos while visiting an observation deck located on the top floor of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
Tourists watch the cityscape of Tokyo from the observation deck of Tokyo Skytree, Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019, in Tokyo. The Skytree is the tallest tower in the world. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
A cutout of a Japanese manga character is displayed on the large window of the Sky Circus Sunshine 60 observatory Monday, Oct. 7, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
Two women wear VR headsets while playing a video game at the Sky Circus Sunshine 60 observatory Monday, Oct. 7, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
Visitors pray in front of a Shinto shrine located on the main observation deck of Tokyo Tower, Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, in Tokyo. The tower is the second tallest structure in Japan. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
A group of Japanese salarymen pose for photos on an open-air observation deck located on the rooftop of Roppongi Hills Mori Tower, Thursday, Sept. 19, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
People view Tokyo's skyline from the Seaside Top observatory located on the 40th floor of the World Trade Center, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
With a view of Tokyo's cityscape, a man wearing a VR headset plays a video game at the Sky Circus Sunshine 60 observatory Monday, Oct. 7, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
A tourist uses her smartphone to photograph Tokyo's skyline from the Seaside Top observatory located on the 40th floor of the World Trade Center Building, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
Chandre Groenewald, visiting from South Africa, uses a selfie stick to photograph himself with a view of the cityscape of Tokyo at Tokyo Skytree's observation deck Thursday, Sept. 26, 2019, in Tokyo. The Skytree is the tallest tower in the world. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
People take pictures of Tokyo's skyline during sunset from the Seaside Top observatory located on the 40th floor of the World Trade Center, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019, in Tokyo. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
A young boy sits on a glass floor at Tokyo Tower's main observation deck Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, in Tokyo. The tower is the second tallest structure in Japan. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)
A visitor takes pictures of Tokyo's skyline from Tokyo Tower's observation deck Friday, Sept. 27, 2019, in Tokyo. Standing at 1092 feet, the tower is the second tallest structure in Japan. (AP PhotoJae C. Hong)