Twenty-third night tower, Stone tower in Sarugakucho district of Shibuya, Japan
The Twenty-third Night Tower is a small stone structure located in the Sarugakucho neighborhood of Shibuya, measuring about 110 centimeters tall and 45 centimeters wide. It stands in place as a compact monument among the busy streets and modern buildings that surround it today.
This tower was built in November 1675 during the early Edo period and reflects the architectural style of that time. Moon-viewing ceremonies were an essential part of community life and cultural practice during that era.
This stone tower served as a gathering place where people came together to watch the moon on the twenty-third night of the lunar month. The practice reflected how the community valued celestial observations and marked time through shared seasonal customs.
This stone tower can be reached on foot from Shibuya's main transportation hubs without difficulty. The best time to visit is during the day when you can see the surrounding area clearly and observe how the monument fits into the modern neighborhood.
This is one of the few original moon-viewing towers that still stands in its original location in Tokyo and has survived unchanged for centuries. Its presence offers a rare connection to pre-modern Shibuya in the midst of today's busy commercial streets.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
