Sky Circus, the observatory of Ikebukuro

The Sunshine 60 building is located in the center of Ikebukuro district, it is the highest skyscraper of the district, it extends to 251m in height with its 60 floors. When it was built in 1978, it was the highest in Asia… Before being dethroned 7 years later by a skyscraper in Seoul.

This building is located in a vast complex called Sunshine city, a city under the city. There is a shopping center from the basement to the second floors, then there are offices. The 58 and 59 floors are restaurants and bars with great views. We lingered in one of them to enjoy the view of Tokyo by day. We reserve the last floor for tonight.

After our shopping, we get ready for the sky view by night, our last night in Tokyo.

The elevator which leads us directly to the last floors is so fast that we feel the gravity taking us in the entrails. The speed of ascent is 600m/min or 36km/h. 3rd fastest elevator in the world.

The top floor of the building is an entertainment complex dedicated also to virtual games with or without the glasses. And not only:

Couples can come and test their compatibility or pass their eyes through kaleidoscopic holes. We walk on Tokyo at 251 m of altitude where we admire ourselves through deformation mirrors. We discover a room of infinite mirrors, called Infinite escape room.

But most of the time, we spend it to admire Tokyo, its lights, this magnificent city, one last time.

This country is just wonderful, but it also proves to us that it is possible to live all together with the greatest respect. A certain fullness hangs in the air of this country.

It also proves to us that technology is not unhealthy in the right hands. This is possible to have a megapolis with road users abandoning their cars for public transport, with real transport that is well regulated and without delays. With a cleanliness that is without equal on Earth.

For an anecdote revealing the calmness of this city, in three weeks, we only heard one, super brief, honking of the horn. And even then, for a good reason.

It’s a great country to live in, and I understand why these people live so long. Between their excellent food, the respect, the calm, their non-aggressive culture. To me, it is possible that they are not human.

Clearly, they have reached a level that Western culture will never reach. Simply because education and mistakes are not a learning lesson but a reason to repeat them forever.

I am not saying that Japanese people are perfect or that westerners are the worst of humanity, far from me. But Japanese people are close to something real, authentic, and maybe that’s why many people dream to see this country.

Our return to reality, landing at Charles de Gaulle airport, our struggle to find the entrance to the train station and the departure signs for Brussels, as well as the stench/dirt of the place made us realize a lot about this part of Europe.

See you soon for new adventures,

Your dedicated Ninve