Photo Spot · Shiba Park

Tokyo Tower from Zojoji's Sangedatsumon 増上寺 三解脱門と東京タワー

Stand at Zojoji's 1622 vermilion gate and the 333 m Tokyo Tower rises directly behind the temple's main hall, the defining old-and-new shot of Tokyo, with rows of pinwheel-holding jizo statues nearby.

About

Zojoji, the Tokugawa family temple, sits at the foot of Tokyo Tower, and the two line up beautifully from the east. The Sangedatsumon, built in 1622 and the oldest wooden structure in Minato, is the classic starting point: from the forecourt you frame the gate's dark timbers, then walk through to the stone-paved courtyard where the great roof of the Daiden (main hall) sits in front of the tower's red-and-white lattice. To the right of the main hall, rows of small jizo statues in red knitted caps hold colourful pinwheels that spin in the wind, with the tower looming above: one of the most photographed compositions in the city. Cherry trees in spring and ginkgo in autumn add colour, and the tower is lit from sunset to midnight.

Highlights

• 1622 Sangedatsumon gate as a heavy timber foreground frame
• Daiden main hall roofline with Tokyo Tower directly behind
• Rows of jizo statues in red caps with spinning pinwheels
• Cherry blossom in early April and ginkgo gold in late November
• Tower illumination from dusk to midnight against the temple silhouette

Tips

• Golden hour from the east puts warm light on the tower; blue hour gives the lit tower over a dark temple roof.
• Temple grounds are open at night, but halls close in the late afternoon; be quiet and respectful around services.
• Shoot the jizo with a 35-50 mm at f/2.8 so the pinwheels blur and the tower stays recognisable.
• Tripods should be compact and kept off the main path; never shoot during funerals or memorial rites.

Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09

Nearby

• Zojoji TempleTemple · 200 m away
• Shiba DaijinguShrine · 230 m away
• Chuka Soba Shurai (Daimon)Ramen & Noodles · 310 m away
• Shiba Maruyama KofunLocal Secret · 360 m away
• The Prince Park Tower TokyoStay · 410 m away
• Shiba ParkPark · 450 m away
• Tokyo TowerLandmark & Tower · 490 m away
• Minato City Tourist Information Center (Tokyo Tower Foot Town)Tourist Info · 500 m away