The Meiji Centennial Observatory stands at the tip of Cape Futtsu in Futtsu City, Chiba Prefecture, overlooking Tokyo Bay. Completed in 1971, this observation tower was constructed to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Meiji era, marking a century since Japan's modernization began. The site holds historical significance as Cape Futtsu served as a military gun battery and shooting range from 1881 until the end of World War II in the 1940s, with remnants of these fortifications still visible today.
The tower's architecture is its most distinctive feature, designed in the shape of a goyomatsu (Japanese white pine or five-needle pine) with 36 reinforced concrete platforms connected by staircases. This pyramid-like structure with ten entrances creates an intricate maze of interlinked platforms that resemble complex weighing scales when viewed from a distance. The tower rises 21.8 meters above ground, and its position jutting into Tokyo Bay with only woodlands and beaches behind provides unobstructed panoramic views in all directions.
From the observation deck, visitors can see across Tokyo Bay to central Tokyo, the cities of Yokohama, and Kannonzaki on the Miura Peninsula. On clear days, Mount Fuji is visible almost 100 kilometers in the distance, earning the tower recognition as one of the "100 Best Views of Mount Fuji" in the Kanto region. The phenomenon known as Diamond Fuji, where the sun sets near the summit of Mount Fuji, can be witnessed during clear spring or fall days.
The tower also offers views of historical sea fortifications built over a century ago to defend the capital, along with numerous ships navigating through Tokyo Bay. The surrounding area within Chiba Prefectural Futtsu Park features quiet beaches and a seven-kilometer windbreak forest of black pine trees.
Access to the platforms is by stairs only, requiring visitors to climb through the interconnected levels to reach the highest viewing point. By car, the tower is approximately 20 minutes from the Kyonan-Minami Interchange of the Tateyama Expressway via National Route 16 and County Road 255 toward the cape's tip. Public transportation requires taking the JR Uchibō Line to Aobori Station, followed by a bus to Futtsu Park and approximately 20 minutes on foot.
