Rainbow Bridge is a must-see for any photographer visiting Tokyo. This pedestrian-friendly two-deck marvel, connecting the Shibaura and Odaiba districts, offers breathtaking, panoramic views of the city. From its walkways and observation platforms, you can capture iconic landmarks like Tokyo Tower and the Tokyo Skytree, frame sweeping cityscapes as ships glide below, and discover unique angles of the bridge itself. Be prepared for the rumble of its enormous traffic volume on the decks above and below—it’s a vivid reminder you’re in the heart of a megacity.
Aiming for a golden-hour skyline, a dramatic sunset, or a sparkling nighttime shot? This guide has everything you need to plan your perfect photo walk.
The north-facing walkway offers the quintessential Tokyo skyline view. It’s where you’ll capture stunning shots of Tokyo Tower, the Skytree, and the dense urban landscape of the city center.
The observation platforms here are perfectly positioned for wide, memorable panoramas, especially on a clear day. While the old Harumi Passenger Ship Terminal has been demolished, the waterway is still bustling with jet skis, ferries, and workboats that add dynamic interest to your shots.
The south side is far less photographically compelling. While it provides a direct view of the Odaiba beachfront and the iconic Fuji Television building, the scenery is dominated by Tokyo’s main port area. For most photographers, these industrial views lack the ‘wow’ factor of the north side.
Take the JR Yamanote Line to Shimbashi Station, then transfer to the Yurikamome and ride to Shibaura-Futou Station. The bridge entrance is a five-minute walk from there.
At the bridge, you’ll find a reception building with restrooms and vending machines. Take the elevator for either the north or south walkway up to the lower deck (the upper deck is for vehicle traffic and is inaccessible to pedestrians).
Here it is on a Google map:
For the best light, plan your walk for the late afternoon. You can catch the city in the soft golden hour light, capture a stunning sunset, and stay as the city lights begin to sparkle.
The bridge’s famous rainbow lights turn on at sundown and switch off at midnight. Special holiday illuminations also occur throughout the year.
A brisk walk across the 798-meter bridge takes about 25-30 minutes. For photographers, budget at least 90 minutes to two hours to allow for setting up shots and waiting for the best light.
Conclusion
Rainbow Bridge offers one of Tokyo’s most rewarding and accessible photo opportunities. From its stunning skyline views to its striking architecture, it’s a location that delivers time and time again.
For an even more dramatic shot, walk over to the Daiba Park after your crossing. From there, you can capture the entire bridge in all its glory against the city backdrop, a truly iconic photo, especially at sunset or at night.
Hopefully, Rainbow Bridge will become one of your favorite Tokyo photo spots. If you have questions, leave them in the comments below!
Shuto Expressway No. 11 Daiba Route – Port of Tokyo Connector Bridge
1987 – 1993
August 26, 1993
798 meters
126 meters from sea level
No, but monopods are permitted.
Every day from sundown until midnight, with special illuminations for events and holidays.
Rohan has lived in Tokyo for 30+ years. He loves photography and plans to capture the entire city.
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6 Responses
Yes, Z5 with a 24-200 lens. Not the best but handy. I can get down to f4 if zoom out but I might need to invest in a faster lens. Thanks very much for the advice, Rohan. Much appreciated!
I thought the Z5 kit lens was 24-50. 24-200 is huge! Sometimes I wish I had a Nikon or Canon (only sometimes though). Your choice of lenses is great. By the way, do you use Lightroom or any apps for processing your pics? That could help out somewhat with the exposure.
Hi Rohan! Beautiful pictures. I walked over the bridge yesterday and tried getting some night shots. As you wrote there are some good spots to take photos but the bridge ofetn shook as traffic passed which makes long exposures tricky. I recommend taking a towel or something to rest the camera on. I used on old eye pillow. I don’t know much about night photography so probably my exposure times were too short but the night view across the bay is amazing.
Hey Matt, thanks for dropping by and the kind comment 🙂 Yes, that view from the bridge is amazing and I wish I could go there more often. I need to update the article actually, especially in regards to long exposures. Some experimentation is needed I think. Like you said a towel or something can help, but the swaying is a major problem. Were you trying for light trails? Or just for a reasonable exposure?
I was trying for reasonable exposure but tbh was probably too short. The settings that I used were ss 1.0/f 6.3/iso 250 but in hindsight I should have used a slower ss and lower iso. My lens is a kit lens, so not that great. I’ve done some research but I’m still not sure what I’m doing and just try different things until I get a decent result, lol. I was just wondering what settings you use for night shots because your shots always look so good. Cheers.
You shoot a Nikon Z5 with the kit lens, is that right? If your subject is the skyline, you don’t need to worry about DoF, so I’d change the aperture to f4. That’ll get a little more light onto the sensor.
If you are shooting with the lens at 24mm, then my S/S would be around 1/30 sec. For 50 mm, use 1/50. That should prevent handheld blur, the bridge might sway in any case and ruin everything.
Put your ISO at the lowest level and then check each pic as you take them. If it looks too dark, raise the ISO. Then repeat as needed. I’m guessing you’ll end up with it at 1000 or 1600 if the sky is fairly dark.
Another idea would be to shoot in the 30 minutes after sunset, the sky should be relatively bright and hopefully, the city lights should be starting to come on.
Hopefully, this helps. Good luck with your next shoot there!