Tokyo City Tour Buses Compared: SkyHop Bus, SkyBus & Hato Bus
Tokyo Mate
Here's a comparison of three Tokyo city tour buses, based on 2026 information. From the SkyHop Bus, which lets you freely get on and off, to the SkyBus, which takes you around central Tokyo in a short time, to the Hato Bus, which even offers observation-deck night tours — this is a one-look summary of their prices, routes, and how to book.
Comparing the 3 Tokyo City Tour Buses
The most widely used city tour buses in Tokyo are three brands: SkyHop Bus (SKY HOP BUS), SkyBus (SKY BUS), and Hato Bus (ハトバス).
If you want to freely hop on and off, SkyHop Bus is a good fit; if you want a short loop around central Tokyo, SkyBus suits you; and if you also want an observation-deck night tour, Hato Bus is the right choice.
| SkyHop Bus | SkyBus | Hato Bus |
|---|---|---|
| Hop-on hop-off (free boarding) | Fixed course, one loop | Fixed course, one loop |
| Double-decker open-top bus | Double-decker open-top bus | Double-decker open-top bus |
| 60–100 min (3 lines) | 50 min (by course) | 1 hour – 2 hours 50 min |
| 1-day pass 4,800 yen / 2-day pass 7,000 yen | 2,000–2,600 yen | 2,200–4,200 yen |
| Departs from Marunouchi Mitsubishi Building | Departs from Marunouchi Mitsubishi Building | Departs from Tokyo Station Marunouchi South Exit |
| Multilingual audio guide (incl. English) | Audio guidance on some courses | GPS audio guidance on some courses |
Tokyo SkyHop Bus: Double-Decker Open-Top 1-Day and 2-Day Pass Routes
Tokyo SkyHop Bus (SKY HOP BUS) is a hop-on hop-off bus that lets you freely get on and off at major stops around central Tokyo with a 1-day or 2-day pass.
It suits anyone who wants to efficiently cover Asakusa, Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Tower, Odaiba, Shinjuku, and Shibuya within a single day’s schedule.
📌 SkyHop Bus departure point: In front of the Marunouchi Mitsubishi Building (📍 View location on Google Maps)
SkyHop Bus 3 Lines
| Line | Major stops |
|---|---|
| 🔴 Red Line (about 90 min) | Marunouchi → Ryogoku → Tokyo Skytree → Asakusa → Ueno → Akihabara → Nihonbashi |
| 🔵 Blue Line (about 60 min) | Marunouchi → Tokyo Tower → Rainbow Bridge → Odaiba → Tsukiji・Ginza |
| 🟢 Green Line (about 100 min) | Marunouchi → Shinjuku Gyoen → Shinjuku → Shibuya → Tokyo Tower |
SkyHop Bus Line Timetables
SkyHop Bus Fares
| Type | 1-day pass | 2-day pass |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | 4,800 yen | 7,000 yen |
| Child (ages 6–12) | 2,400 yen | 3,500 yen |
※ Free for under-6 (child fare applies if a seat is used)
⚠️ The validity is NOT 24 hours / 48 hours
- ✔️ 1-day pass: valid only on the day of boarding
- ✔️ 2-day pass: valid for 2 consecutive days from the first day of boarding
- ✔️ Non-consecutive use is not allowed
- ✔️ Buying late in the afternoon may shorten your usable time
The SkyHop Bus is more efficient the earlier in the day you use it. Rather than the afternoon of the day you arrive at Tokyo Station, we recommend putting it into the morning schedule of the next day, after you’ve left your luggage at the hotel.
How to Book the SkyHop Bus
You can buy the SkyHop Bus on the spot, but booking in advance before your trip is convenient because you can use it right away with a mobile voucher.
➡️ Book the Tokyo SkyHop Bus on KKday
📌 Things to check before boarding
- Multilingual earphone audio guide (7 languages, incl. English)
- Real-time bus location by stop can be checked on the official app
- Three bus types in operation: open-top, half open-top, and roofed (vehicle type cannot be specified)
- Free rain ponchos handed out on rainy days
- Operation may be suspended in strong winds, typhoons, or thunderstorms
Tokyo SkyBus: Fixed Courses, Booking, and Night-View Guide
Tokyo SkyBus (SKY BUS) is operated by the same company (Hinomaru Jidosha) as the SkyHop Bus, but the way you use it is completely different.
It’s a city tour that runs a fixed course in one loop, departing from Marunouchi and returning to Marunouchi. (Online booking is available from 30 days before departure.)
1️⃣ T1 Imperial Palace・Ginza・Marunouchi Course
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Landmarks | Imperial Palace · Ginza · Marunouchi |
| Departure time | Weekdays 11:30 / Saturdays 11:00 |
| Duration | 50 min |
| Departure point | Bus No. 1 in front of the Marunouchi Mitsubishi Building (📍 View location on Google Maps) |
| Price | [Weekday] Adult 2,000 yen / Child (ages 4–12) 1,000 yen [Weekend] Adult 2,200 yen / Child (ages 4–12) 1,100 yen |
| Online booking | ➡️ [Official] Book the Tokyo SkyBus T1 course |
2️⃣ T3 Tokyo Tower・Rainbow Bridge Course ⭐Popular
The roughly 800m stretch crossing the Rainbow Bridge from the double-decker open-top is the highlight of this course — it feels similar to crossing Busan’s Gwangan Bridge in an open-top.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Landmarks | Tokyo Tower · Rainbow Bridge · Odaiba · Tsukiji · Ginza |
| Departure time | First bus 10:30 / runs continuously every 1–2 hours |
| Duration | 50 min |
| Departure point | Bus No. 1 in front of the Marunouchi Mitsubishi Building (📍 View location on Google Maps) |
| Price | [Weekday] Adult 2,200 yen / Child (ages 4–12) 1,100 yen [Weekend] Adult 2,400 yen / Child (ages 4–12) 1,200 yen |
| Online booking | ➡️ [Official] Book the Tokyo SkyBus T3 course |
3️⃣ N102 Tokyo Twilight・Night Course
A night-view course where you can see the Tokyo Tower lighting (at sunset) and the Rainbow Bridge lighting (30 minutes after sunset) in one go. The audio guide is not supported.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Landmarks | Tsukiji · Ginza · Odaiba · Rainbow Bridge · Azabudai Hills · Tokyo Tower |
| Departure time | Adjusted monthly based on sunset time (May 18:30 / June 19:00, etc.) |
| Duration | 50 min |
| Departure point | Bus No. 1 in front of the Marunouchi Mitsubishi Building (📍 View location on Google Maps) |
| Price | Adult 2,600 yen / Child (ages 4–12) 1,300 yen |
| Online booking | ➡️ [Official] Book the Tokyo SkyBus N102 course |
4️⃣ Tokyo Grand View Course
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Landmarks | Tsukiji · Ginza · Odaiba · Rainbow Bridge · Azabudai Hills · Tokyo Tower |
| Departure time | Daytime only on Saturdays and Sundays |
| Duration | 50 min |
| Departure point | Bus No. 1 in front of the Marunouchi Mitsubishi Building (📍 View location on Google Maps) |
| Price | Adult 2,400 yen / Child (ages 4–12) 1,200 yen |
| Online booking | ➡️ [Official] Book the Tokyo SkyBus Grand View course |
Tokyo Hato Bus: Night Tours Including Observation Decks
Tokyo Hato Bus (HATO BUS, ハトバス) is a leading brand of scheduled sightseeing buses in Tokyo, founded in 1948. Besides open-top city tour buses, it has a wide range of night courses that include admission to the Tokyo Tower and Tokyo Skytree observation decks, making it the best fit for anyone who wants to handle both night views and observation decks in one trip.
1️⃣ TOKYO Panorama Drive (Rainbow Bridge・Ginza)
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Landmarks | National Diet Building - Tokyo Tower - Rainbow Bridge - Odaiba - Tsukiji - Ginza |
| Departure time | First bus 9:30 / departs every 30 min |
| Duration | 1 hour |
| Departure point | Tokyo Station Marunouchi South Exit boarding area (📍 View location on Google Maps) |
| Price | [Weekday] Adult 2,200 yen / Child (ages 6–12) 1,100 yen / Infant 700 yen [Weekend] Adult 2,400 yen / Child (ages 4–12) 1,200 yen / Infant 700 yen |
| Online booking | ➡️ [Official] Book the Tokyo Panorama Drive |
2️⃣ Discover Night Drive (Includes Skytree Observation Deck)
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Landmarks | Tokyo Tower - Rainbow Bridge - Odaiba - Asakusa - Skytree - Ueno - Ginza |
| Included | Admission to the Tokyo Skytree Tembo Deck (350m) observation deck (70 min stay) |
| Departure time | Departs 18:00 |
| Duration | 2 hours 50 min |
| Departure point | Tokyo Station Marunouchi South Exit boarding area (📍 View location on Google Maps) |
| Price | Adult 4,200 yen / Child (ages 6–12) 2,800 yen / Infant 700 yen |
| Online booking | ➡️ [Official] Book the Discover Night Drive |
3️⃣ Tokyo Premium Night Drive (Includes Tokyo Tower Observation Deck)
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Landmarks | National Diet Building - Roppongi - Tokyo Tower - Rainbow Bridge - Odaiba - Ginza |
| Included | Admission to the Tokyo Tower Main Deck (150m) observation deck (50 min stay) |
| Departure time | Departs 18:30 |
| Duration | 2 hours 20 min |
| Departure point | Tokyo Station Marunouchi South Exit boarding area (📍 View location on Google Maps) |
| Price | Adult 3,400 yen / Child (ages 6–12) 1,840 yen / Infant 700 yen |
| Online booking | ➡️ [Official] Book the Tokyo Premium Night Drive |
Tokyo City Tour Bus FAQ
Q1. Is seating open or assigned?
The SkyHop Bus has open seating, so you can freely pick an empty seat, while the SkyBus and Hato Bus are basically run with assigned seats. Note that open-top courses are mainly operated with upper-deck seating, and in many cases you won’t be moved to lower-deck seats even when it rains.
Q2. I have a lot of luggage — can I store it?
Both the SkyHop Bus and SkyBus allow large luggage and strollers to be stored in the vehicle’s trunk (but only during the ride; no storage in advance, and no liability for loss or damage). If you plan to board a city tour bus right after arriving at Tokyo Station, we recommend first using the Tokyo Station coin lockers or a luggage storage office.
Q3. What languages does the audio guidance support?
| Bus | Audio guidance |
|---|---|
| SkyHop Bus | ⭕️ 7-language earphone guide (incl. English) |
| SkyBus T1・T3 | ⭕️ Multilingual GPS audio |
| SkyBus N102 Night | ❌ Not supported |
| Hato Bus Panorama・Night | ⭕️ Multilingual GPS audio (earphones required) |
Q4. Can I use it on a rainy day?
In light rain it sometimes still runs, and open-top buses provide free rain ponchos in wet weather. However, for safety reasons umbrellas cannot be used, and operation may be suspended in strong winds, heavy rain, or thunderstorms. It’s a good idea to check the operation information on the official site or call center on the morning of the day.
➡️ Check SkyHop Bus operation info
➡️ Check SkyBus operation info
➡️ Check Hato Bus operation info
If this is your first trip to Tokyo, we recommend a Tokyo city tour bus as an easy way to take in the main landmarks.
The combination of a free daytime schedule with a SkyHop Bus 1-day pass plus the Hato Bus Tokyo Premium Night Drive to finish with the Tokyo Tower night view is the most satisfying course for a first Tokyo trip. It’s a combination that lets you cover both the efficiency of a free schedule and multilingual-guided night views and observation decks.
Choose the bus that fits your schedule and travel style, and take in central Tokyo a little more comfortably.
🧡 Tokyo Mate Travel Guides
👉 Tokyo Station Luggage Storage Guide: Coin Lockers & Suitcase Storage
👉 Tokyo Station Complete Guide: Character Street, Restaurants & Night Views
👉 Tokyo Station KITTE: Free Observation Deck & Train-Spotting Spot