Tokyo’s autumn foliage is a beautiful sight, but it’s even better from higher up. The double-decker Sky Bus is offering a special tour that takes you through the city’s best autumn leaves on Icho Namiki Avenue at Meiji Jingu Gaien. The bright yellow ginkgo trees that lining the 300m-long boulevard are gorgeous from the ground, and now you can admire them at eye level.
Autumn leaves tour
The roughly one-hour tour starts at the Marunouchi Sankei building near Tokyo Station, goes through Gyoko-dori Street towards the Imperial Palace, passes the National Diet Building, and arrives at Icho Namiki Avenue.
The open-top bus goes down the street, giving you plenty of time to take the perfect autumn scenery shot. Then you’ll make your way to Japan National Stadium, Akasaka Palace and Daikancho-dori, where you’ll also find plenty of trees lined up with yellow, orange and red leaves, before ending back outside the Marunouchi Sankei building.
Autumn foliage tours cost ¥2,000 (children ¥1,000) and run four times a day at 10.15am, 11.45am, 1.45pm and 3.45pm every day except Sunday. The autumn tours are on for a limited time from November 12 to December 3.
Christmas illumination tour
If evening’s more your thing, then you’re in luck – you can enjoy some of Tokyo’s most stunning illuminations from the Sky Bus instead.
You’ll hop on the bus at the same spot (the Marunouchi Sankei building), then head through Midtown Christmas at Roppongi with its colourfully lit Christmas trees and giant snow globe. Next up is the nearby Keyakizaka Illumination, which sees the street beside Roppongi Hills adorned with white and blue lights. Don’t miss the clear view of Tokyo Tower at the end of the street – you’ll be heading right up to it on the way back.
The hour-long illumination tour is offered from November 23 to December 25. Tours run at 6pm on November 24, 25, 28-30, December 1 and 2. Other dates will have two tours at 6pm and 6.30pm. Tours cost ¥2,300 for adults and ¥1,100 for children. Reservations open a month prior.
Visit the Sky Bus website for more information about the autumn foliage tour and Christmas illumination tour.
This article was originally published on November 9 2021 and updated on October 24 2022.
More from Time Out
Guide to Japan’s reopening for tourism: visa-free travel, valid vaccines, PCR tests and more
See the sights of Tokyo and Kyoto from this open-air double-decker bus
Shibuya has banned drinking in public over the Halloween weekend
Ride Japan's first three-storey merry-go-round at Huis Ten Bosch this Christmas
See frozen waterfalls with colourful illuminations in Aomori prefecture this winter
Want to be the first to know what’s cool in Tokyo? Sign up to our newsletter for the latest updates from Tokyo and Japan.