Midland Square Sky Promenade

The Sky Promenade atop Midland Square is Nagoya's highest observation deck and one of the most exhilarating viewpoints in the city, a rare open-air rooftop experience more than 220 metres above the streets around Nagoya Station. Midland Square, completed in 2007 as the headquarters of Toyota and Mainichi Broadcasting, is one of the tallest buildings in the city, and its uppermost floors are given over to a spiralling outdoor observatory that wraps around the crown of the tower.

What makes the Sky Promenade special is that it is genuinely open to the air rather than enclosed behind glass. Visitors ascend by dedicated high-speed lifts to the 44th floor and then follow a gently spiralling ramp that climbs through the rooftop levels, the design cleverly shaped to shelter the deck from the strongest winds while preserving the thrill of standing in the open at great height. Mist jets and lighting effects add atmosphere in the evening, and the sense of exposure to the sky sets it apart from conventional indoor observation decks.

The views are superb in every direction. To one side the Nagoya skyline spreads out around the twin JR Central Towers and the cluster of skyscrapers surrounding the station; to another the city stretches toward the mountains and, on clear days, distant peaks. But the single most captivating sight lies directly below: the tracks of the Tokaido Shinkansen and the conventional lines feeding into Nagoya Station. From this height you look straight down on the bullet trains gliding in and out, a mesmerising spectacle for railway lovers and children alike, and a reminder that Nagoya is one of the great junctions of the Japanese network.

The visiting experience is at its best after dark. As the sun sets, the city lights ignite across the plain and the illuminated trains trace lines of movement through the glowing grid below. The combination of open-air height, sweeping night views and the constant motion of the Shinkansen makes for a memorable and slightly cinematic hour. Because the promenade stays open late into the evening, it is easy to fit in after dinner.

Midland Square itself adds to the appeal. The lower floors house an upscale shopping complex of luxury fashion boutiques, along with restaurants and a cinema, so the observatory can be combined with dining or shopping without leaving the building. Its position immediately outside Nagoya Station, amid the towers of the Meieki district, places it at the very centre of the city's modern commercial heart.

Getting there is exceptionally convenient. Midland Square stands directly across from the central exit of Nagoya Station, a hub served by the Tokaido Shinkansen, multiple JR lines, the Meitetsu and Kintetsu railways and the Higashiyama subway line, so wherever you are coming from the connection is easy. The building and observatory are fully accessible, with lifts throughout.

For travellers who want the best high view of Nagoya, an open-air thrill, or an unbeatable vantage over the arriving bullet trains, the Midland Square Sky Promenade is the top choice in the city, especially glorious once the lights come on.