Sunshine 60

A 60-story building rising over Ikebukuro; long the tallest in Japan and a symbol of the subcenter.

Use

Office tower

Area

Toshima City

Completed

1978

Floors

60 above ground, 4 below

Height

239.7 m

Developer

Sunshine City

Architect

Mitsubishi Estate

A 60-story building rising over Ikebukuro

Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima City, Tokyo. In 1978, a building of 60 floors and a height of about 240 meters was completed. This is Sunshine 60. As the core of the mixed-use complex Sunshine City, this skyscraper was for a long time the tallest building in Japan and has remained a symbol of the Ikebukuro district.

The fact that the floor count “60” became the building’s very name suggests how exceptional its height was at the time. Walking east from Ikebukuro Station, this massive box-shaped tower appears beyond the streetscape — a presence that conveys the scale of the Ikebukuro subcenter.

A district born from a former site

The area where Sunshine 60 stands was created by redeveloping land once occupied by a large facility. A defining feature of the development is that, rather than standing as a self-contained office building, it is planned as part of the Sunshine City complex, which includes retail, cultural and observation functions.

An observation facility at the top has long been enjoyed as a place to take in Ikebukuro and the Kanto plain. A place to work and, at the same time, a place to visit and survey the city — that dual nature is what makes this building the core of Ikebukuro.

Summary

Sunshine 60 is an office building completed in 1978, with 60 floors above ground, 4 below, and a height of about 240 meters. As the heart of the Sunshine City complex born from redevelopment, it long held the title of Japan’s tallest and has stood as the symbol of Ikebukuro.

When you visit Ikebukuro, try walking with this tower — visible from almost anywhere in the district — as your landmark. Its very height has become part of the town’s memory.