Godzilla King of the Monsters! No one is tougher or bigger than him. He is the boss and rules the kaiju world. Did you know Tokyo even has several statues of him? I visited the one in Hibiya some years ago. The sky was dull that day, so I photographed him in black and white. This time, I had some good weather. I captured him in color.
The Hibiya Square statue was unveiled in late March 2018. He is easily recognizable if you’ve seen “Shin Godzilla.” It is very cool, but it has a shortcoming. While the real monster is over 100 meters tall, this statue is small. It is only 2.5 meters in height on a 0.5 meter base for a total of 3 meters! Yes, he is vertically disadvantaged!
A bigger statue would be good. If you use a short lens, it will be small in photos. In that case, he will be the dwarf of monsters, not the king.
Still, you can get close to him. So taking his picture isn’t a problem. Smartphones, point-and-shoot, or DSLRs will work. There are stairs up to him. That will only be from the back, though. They have a problem. I’ll tell you about that later.
I recommend using a longer lens if possible. They’ll give you more options. You could focus on details and blow out backgrounds with bokeh.
An alternative is to take more lenses. This time, I used a wide-angle, short zoom, and a longer one! That allowed me to cover all my bases. I got the best of everything.
See it on this Google Map:
Hibiya Station. The following subway lines serve it:
The official store is in the Shinjuku Marui Annex on the first floor. Its address is 3-1-26 Shinjuku, Shinjuku City, Tokyo. While you’re there, you could pop into Kabukicho to see another Godzilla at Hotel Gracery on its 8th-floor terrace. Read my article about it here.
The Hibiya Square Godzilla is a must-see for movie buffs. He is a little small, but he is a Japanese cinematic giant. He is worth photographing. Just remember to take a long lens with you. It is another great Tokyo photo spot.
By the way, his latest movie was from America in 2024, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. And don’t forget the recent, critically acclaimed Japanese film, Godzilla Minus One, which won an Oscar! Have you seen either of them? If you have, let me know your thoughts.
Rohan has photographed Tokyo since 2011. He shoots it with his Canon EOS R5. There are no plans to stop.
Do you want to see Tokyo? Join our mailing list to get photos and articles delivered to your inbox.
You have successfully joined our subscriber list.
In March 2024, I visited Tokyo Night and Light, the world’s biggest projection mapping at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office Building. It looked impressive, but is it worth going? Read this review to find out.
Manually Added Excerpt: If you can’t get tickets to Tokyo’s Ghibli Museum, all is not lost. You can visit the Hayao Miyazaki-designed clock in Shinbashi, which is reminiscent of the 2004 film Howl’s Moving Castle. It even comes to life four times a day. See the photos here.
Planning to meet the King of Monsters in Tokyo? This guide to the Hibiya Godzilla statue has you covered. Discover its exact location and get my personal photography tips to make this cinematic giant look its best. Plus, find out where to visit the life-size Godzilla head and official store.
This article was originally written in 2022 to cover Masayuki Kojo’s stunning “Preparation” exhibit at the Kanda Myojin shrine. While the exhibit has concluded, the art of Bujin-ga (samurai portraits) and the incredible work of this artist continue to captivate audiences. This updated post serves as an introduction to Masayuki
External related websites