10 Local Nightlife Experiences in Chiba

Umihotaru Parking Area on Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line is great for a drive with a night view. You can enjoy the atmosphere of a future city when you drive on the underwater motorway. You can get here from Kisarazu or Kawasaki, and a one-way toll is charged if you turn back at this point. 

Once you arrive, go to the observation deck on the 5th floor. There’s nothing to interrupt the view over Tokyo Gate Bridge, Sky Tree, and Tokyo Tower on a clear day. You can also see the fireworks of Disneyland at certain times. Umihotaru and Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line are also beautifully illuminated, and you can enjoy the fantastic view where the rear lights of the cars on the road form a path of light.

I-link Town Ichikawa, near the South Exit of JR Ichikawa Station, is a landmark of Ichikawa. There’s an observation deck on the 45th floor of the West Tower. Take the transparent glass elevator from the 3rd floor. You can enjoy night views of the city from the elevator. The observation deck is a corridor and offers a 360° panoramic night view from 150 metres above the ground, which is one of the highest vantage points in the city. 

Events such as jazz concerts and folk music concerts are held at the lounge occasionally, and it has a nice atmosphere. Admission is free. On the 3rd Friday and following Saturday every month, the lighting in the building is turned off so that you can enjoy the evening and night views even more. You can take photos using a tripod on these days.

Daikeien Amusement Park is one of the biggest game arcades in Kanto. This amusement park is open 24 hours and has more than 1,000 games on a vast site of 33,000 hectares. There are claw machines, darts, basketball courts, a skateboard park, table tennis, car races, karaoke, and batting cages. 

Admission is free, and fees are charged depending on the facility you use, but the prices are reasonable. There’s also a space for children that is free of charge. It’s located 2 km from Omachi Station on the Hokuso Line, and it's better to go by car.

Chiba Port Tower is 137 metres high and overlooks Chiba Port. It’s designated as one of Japan’s Night View Heritage Sites and a Lovers’ Sanctuary. The tower is open from the morning, but it’s good to enter 30 minutes before sunset if you want to enjoy the night view. As you watch the sun setting, you’ll see the sky change moment by moment while enjoying 360° views. You can see the industrial area of Chiba Port on the south side, Sagami Bay and Mount Fuji on the west side, and the night view of Makuhari on the north. 

This tower is famous for its Christmas lights and has been featured in the Guinness Book of Records for having the largest illuminated Christmas tree in Japan. It’s a 12-minute walk from Chibaminato Station on the JR Keiyo Line, or you can take Chiba Port Loop Bus on the Kominato Bus Line from JR Chiba Station.

Kimisarazu Tower in Kisarazu is an observatory tower named after the legend of the tragic love of Yamato Takeru and Oto Tachibana Hime. At night, the statue of them reaching out is lit up. The tower stands in Odayama Park in the centre of the city, where you can enjoy a beautiful night view that’s been selected as one of Japan’s 100 best night views despite being in the middle of a bright city. 

You can enjoy night views of Chiba, Kanagawa and Tokyo across Tokyo Bay. This park is managed by the city of Kisarazu, so admission is free. It could also be a good idea to plan a drive on the Aqua-Line and visit other night view spots nearby at the same time.

Cape Gyobu is a cliff located at the southern end of Byobugaura, bordering Kujukuri Beach. This is one of the best view spots in Chiba, having been selected as one of Japan's 100 most beautiful sunsets, Japan's 100 most beautiful sunrises, Japan’s 100 best night views, and a Night View Heritage Site of Japan. 

Iioka Gyobu Cape Prospects Hall Light and Wind at the cape is a free observatory, and from here (if the weather’s good) you can see the 'Diamond Fuji' where the setting sun aligns with the peak of Mount Fuji. If you’re using public transportation, take a bus bound for Choshi-Futabacho from JR Asahi Station, get off at Todai Iriguchi Stop, and walk for 10 minutes. You can stop by to see the sunset and the night view after sightseeing at Kujukuri Beach.

Battle Spot is a facility supervised by Hyper Doraku, an information website on airguns and survival games. It’s an indoor facility, so you can enjoy survival games in comfort regardless of the weather or temperature. It’s fully equipped with rental guns, rental wear, and men’s and women’s changing rooms, so you don’t need to bring anything. 

A shooting range of 15 metres is also available, and you can come only for shooting if you prefer. You need to be a member to use the facility. Battle Spot is located in CRO SPO Chiba-Hamano Store, which is open 24 hours, and there are other activities such as bowling and climbing walls too. It’s a 13-minute walk from JR Hamano Station and is easily accessible by car.

Narita Airport Viewing Deck is a great spot from which to watch planes taking off and landing, and the views of the runway lit up at night are pretty too. The viewing decks are located in Terminals 1 and 2. From the 5th floor of the viewing deck in Terminal 1, you can enjoy an extensive view of the entire 4,000 metre-long runway. 

Point your camera lens through the holes in the fence to snap some great photos. The deck also has telescopes to let you observe the moment of take-off or landing close-up. Admission is free. To get here, head to Narita Airport Terminal 1 Station on the Narita Sky Access Line, Kesei Main Line, and JR Line.

Tokyo Disney Resort is the biggest amusement theme park in Chiba Prefecture, and it has gorgeous night views to boot. The World Bazaar and Cinderella Castle in Disneyland, and Palazzo Canale in DisneySea, are all beautifully illuminated, with Instagrammable sights at every turn. 

The 'After 6 Passport' is a good option for visiting after 6pm on weekdays at a reasonable price. You can also buy tickets online to avoid the long queues before entering the park and make sure you don’t miss any of the night events. The best way of getting here is by train, with Disney Resort located right in front of JR Maihama Station.

At Ryugujo Spa Hotel Mikazuki, just 35 minutes by car from the centre of Tokyo, you can enjoy a hot spring without having to stay overnight. A Twilight Plan is available from 6pm, reasonably priced at 1,300 yen per adult and 800 yen per child. The car park is free for 5 hours, so you can forget about time and just soak as you admire the superb views of Tokyo Bay. 

The night views are spectacular, on top of which there are performances like the Dancing Water music fountain show, a laser show, and illuminations with 125 million bulbs every evening. To get here by car, drive 5 minutes from Kisarazukaneda Exit. By public transport, take a free shuttle bus from JR Kisarazu Station or Kisarazukaneda Bus Terminal.