Yes, King Kong is in Tokyo
King Kong, the King of Beasts, is above a Tokyo Family Mart convenience store. I’m not sure if Japan’s kaiju have seen him yet. There might be a monumental battle if they did. We’ll take just photos.
The real King Kong is over 100 meters tall. This one is much smaller, so it might be the son. He looks friendlier, too.
Is this King Kong full-size?
No, it’s not close to full size. Sangenjaya’s King Kong is only visible from the chest up. One of his arms reaches over the side holding a young girl in a green dress in its palm. Who is she? If you have any information about her, please share!
Kong doesn’t move or light up. He’s not like Godzilla in Kabukicho, who can. It would be nice if he did.
Photographing King Kong
There are two problems with this location:
- Many electric power cables are in front of him.
- His face looks down, so little light hits his eyes and face.
Nearby photo spots
- Carrot Tower (building with observation deck)
- Gotokuji (home of the beckoning cats)
- Meguro Sky Garden (a garden above a busy road junction)
Where is Tokyo’s King Kong?
Address: 3−15−2 Taishido, Setagya City, Tokyo
The chimp sits on the Gorilla Building near Sangenjaya Station. Two train lines go there:
- Tōkyū Den-en-Toshi Line.
- Setagaya Line.
There are two Sangenjaya stations. They aren’t the same. Check their locations on the map.
From either station, walk to Chazawa-Dori (Chazawa Road). The Sangengaya Gorilla is a five-minute walk away.
Here it is on a Google map:
Conclusion
I couldn’t find much information about this King Kong. However, he is completely harmless. It was obvious he’d been drinking a lot because he was legless. Sorry for the poor joke. Leave comments and questions below.
Photo gear for this shoot
- Camera body: Fujifilm X-T3
- Lens: Fujifilm XF 16-55mm F2.8 R LM WR
Rohan Gillett
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and plans to capture the entire city.
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2 thoughts on “Yes, King Kong is in Tokyo”
Gracias! I’ve been looking for this King Kong for more than a year and I finally found where he is!!
I actually like those electric power cables, since they give Mr. King Kong more urban vibes!
Hi Joe,
You’re very welcome. Believe it or not, once I started my own search, it took me about a year to find him. I hope you get some great pics!
Cheers,
Rohan