Aside from the Tokyo Metropolitan Building, I discovered another establishment that has a free observation deck. It is at the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center. This tourist center is only a minute walk from Asakusa Station (Ginza Line).
The last time I was in Tokyo, I did not get a chance to go to Asakusa. So, I suggested to my friend that we go to one of the top tourist spots in that area--the colorful Sensoji Temple. As we were walking towards the temple, looking for the Kaminari Gate (entrance of Sensoji Temple), I spotted this very unique building which looked like vertical wood designs and that each floor seemed layers of unevenly-built roofs. It may not be striking for some people since it is located along a pretty crowded road, but definitely, this building will catch the attention of architecture enthusiasts like me.
My friend and I decided to go inside this strange building to check if there was something interesting to see. We figured that the place might be important because of its eye-catching architectural design. At first, we thought it was a museum. We later learned that it was actually the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center. This is the place to be for tourists who want to get some travel information about Tokyo. The staff were so polite and helpful. I admire and commend their excellent customer service.
Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center offers so many free awesome services such as connecting to WiFi, the use of computers, clean toilets, English maps, brochures of must-see places in Tokyo, and of course, the fantastic view of the Asakusa area. Yes, all these are absolutely free. The view deck of the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center is on the top floor and from there, you can see all the distinct landmarks of Northern Tokyo such as Sensoji Temple, Nakamise Shopping Street, Sumida River, Sumida Park, Tokyo Skytree and Asahi Beer Tower.
There is no need to pay for a great view of the city from the observation deck of Tokyo Tower or Tokyo Skytree if you are traveling on a tight budget. Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center is quite a hidden gem for a free panoramic view. This is definitely one of the best tourist information centers I have been to in Tokyo. I highly suggest foreigners go check out this place for a snapshot of a great city view.
