5 Photography Spots in Tokyo Station

KITTE Marunouchi stands as a seamless fusion of Tokyo’s past and present, located just across from Tokyo Station’s Marunouchi South Exit. Designed by Kengo Kuma on the site of the former Tokyo Central Post Office, it preserves elements from its 1931 origins while embracing sleek, minimalist architecture and thoughtful urban design.

The building’s centerpiece is its seven-story indoor atrium, a striking space flooded with natural light from a skylight above. With clean white surfaces and layered balconies, the atrium is a favorite among photographers for its vertical symmetry, soft shadows, and potential for architectural abstraction. Throughout the year, rotating exhibitions and seasonal art displays add visual contrast and creative texture.

On the 6th floor, the KITTE Garden offers a rooftop terrace with one of the most iconic views of Tokyo Station’s red-brick façade. From here, you can watch Shinkansen trains arriving and departing, framed by the glowing skyline at dusk. While tripods aren’t allowed, discreet handheld options make it possible to capture long exposures or sunset shots with ease.

The Tokyo Station Gallery, tucked inside the historic red-brick Marunouchi Building, offers a unique blend of early 20th-century architecture and contemporary art. Original features, century-old brick walls, steel beams, and timber accents, form the backdrop for rotating exhibitions that span modern art, design, and railway history.

A key highlight is the graceful spiral staircase, linking the gallery’s three levels and showcasing the building’s layered textures. Each floor offers a distinct atmosphere, with subtle lighting and thoughtful layouts that enhance both the artworks and the surrounding architecture.

Compact yet immersive, the gallery is a favorite among photographers for its rich visual contrasts and elegant structural details. Directly accessible from Tokyo Station’s Marunouchi North Exit, it’s an ideal cultural stop just steps away from the city’s busiest transit hub.

On the 5th floor of the Marunouchi Building, this open-air terrace offers one of the most intimate and quietly stunning views of Tokyo Station’s red-brick façade. Framed perfectly at mid-height, the station’s twin domes and Neo-Baroque details appear close enough to touch, especially as evening light begins to fall.

Free and usually uncrowded, the terrace feels like a hidden urban retreat. Wooden benches, open space, and soft city sounds create a calm atmosphere, ideal for a quiet break or contemplative photo session. As night sets in, the station glows warmly against the steel-and-glass skyline, a visual expression of Tokyo’s blend of old and new.

Photographers will find this spot ideal from late afternoon to 9 PM, just before the station lights are turned off. While tripods aren’t allowed, handheld or compact supports like Gorillapods work well. The terrace is also wheelchair accessible and easily reached by elevator near the Marunouchi Café.

The 7th-floor terrace of the Shin-Marunouchi Building, known as Marunouchi House, offers one of Tokyo’s most dynamic open-air city views. Facing directly across to Tokyo Station’s red-brick façade, the terrace creates a powerful contrast between the station’s historical elegance and the sleek glass towers of Marunouchi. Unlike the quieter Marunouchi Building 5th-floor deck across the street, Marunouchi House combines the view with vibrant dining and social spaces.

The terrace uses natural and recycled materials, evoking a lived-in, organic feel. It’s divided into three viewing zones, toward the Imperial Palace, Marunouchi Building, and Tokyo Station, each offering different moods and angles. The setup is ideal for photographers seeking wide-angle shots or golden-hour compositions, especially as the station begins to glow in the evening light.

Inside, 11 restaurants and bars offer everything from sushi to international fusion cuisine, all in a casual layout that encourages relaxed dining. Guests can enjoy meals and drinks outdoors, with mobile ordering and takeout available for terrace seating.

Tokyo Station offers more than just train connections, it’s a beautifully restored piece of history. Originally completed in 1914 and revived in 2012, the red-brick façade, twin domes, and Renaissance-inspired details reflect Japan’s early modern era with elegance and care.

Step inside the north and south domes to admire ornate ceilings and learn about the building’s wartime damage and restoration. Beneath the station, explore a vibrant underground world with GRANSTA, Tokyo Character Street, and countless shops and eateries. Blending history, culture, and convenience, Tokyo Station is both a transport hub and a quiet architectural landmark.

For photographers, the façade is especially captivating during early morning or nighttime, when soft light highlights the brick textures and copper domes. Wide-angle shots from the plaza capture the full grandeur of the station, while closer details like arched windows and decorative stonework reveal its craftsmanship. Interior domes also offer unique upward perspectives, best photographed with a low-light-capable lens.