Ebisu Garden Place Tower Sky Lounge

Ebisu Garden Place Tower is a 167-metre, 39-storey skyscraper at the heart of Ebisu Garden Place, an elegant redevelopment of the former Yebisu brewery site in south Tokyo. Near the top of the tower, on the 38th and 39th floors, is a free public sky lobby: a set of windows and a restaurant floor that offer one of the city's most effortless and least-known elevated views, with no admission charge at all.

The outlook sweeps over south-western and central Tokyo. Tokyo Tower glows to the north-east, the towers of Shibuya rise close to the north-west, and the wide low sprawl of Meguro and Shinagawa rolls toward Tokyo Bay in the south. It is not the highest deck in the city, but the mid-level height keeps streets and rooftops legible, and after dark the whole scene resolves into a calm carpet of lights — a quietly romantic spot that Tokyoites have long used for an inexpensive date with a view.

The upper floors are occupied mainly by restaurants, several with coveted window tables, so the classic way to enjoy the panorama is over dinner or a drink. But the lift lobby and viewing corridor themselves are open to anyone free of charge, so you can simply ride up, take in the view and photographs, and come back down without spending a yen. Hours run late, making it an appealing after-dinner stop.

Ebisu Garden Place around and below the tower is a destination in its own right: a spacious European-styled plaza with seasonal illuminations (its winter Baccarat chandelier display is famous), the Museum of Yebisu Beer telling the story of the brewery that gave the district its name, upscale shops and a cinema. The whole complex has a relaxed, refined air quite different from the neon intensity of nearby Shibuya, and makes for a pleasant evening's wander.

Getting there is simple and, unusually for a Tokyo viewpoint, fully covered by a Japan Rail Pass. From JR Ebisu Station on the Yamanote Line, follow the 'Ebisu Skywalk', a covered moving-walkway corridor, for about seven minutes straight into Garden Place; the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line also serves Ebisu. Take the lifts to the 38th or 39th floor. The route and lobby are step-free and accessible. For the best effect, come at dusk, watch the city lights switch on, and consider booking a window table at one of the upper-floor restaurants if you want to linger over the view.