Midland Square, Observation deck in Meieki district, Nagoya, Japan
Midland Square is a 247-meter office tower in Nagoya with a public observation deck accessible to visitors. The deck in the upper levels provides 360-degree views spanning the entire metropolitan region below.
The site was inside Nagoya Station's rail yard until the tracks were elevated in 1937. The Toyota and Mainichi buildings, erected in the 1950s, were found vulnerable to a Kobe-magnitude earthquake, prompting a Toyota-led redevelopment. Nikken Sekkei held repeated off-site workshops to reconcile the owners' differing visions, and the 247 m tower opened in early 2007.
The name Midland refers to the Chubu region, of which Nagoya is the capital. The commercial floors hold about 60 shops and the Midland Square Cinema, successor to the theatres once run in the old Toyota and Mainichi buildings. On the 25th floor, a space lent free to the Japan Shogi Association since 2023 hosts the Nagoya shogi match venue.
The deck is easily accessible via elevators that lead directly to the upper levels. Comfortable shoes are recommended if you plan to explore the different viewing areas or move around during busy periods.
The four glass double-deck shuttle elevators, made by Mitsubishi, carry 66 people each (33 per deck) at 360 m/min and stop at only two floors, where escalators link the decks. Their see-through shafts on the facade are a feature visitors can spot from the street.
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