Our Visit at Toki Messe, the Tallest Building Facing the Sea of Japan at Niigata Prefecture

09/19/2019

We are currently here in Japan and staying just around Niigata and we decided to visit Toki Messe for a dinner experience and to witness the sunset overviewing the ocean of Japan.

Toki Messe is the tallest building in Japan facing the sea and a multi-purpose international convention center in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The tower opened on May 1, 2003, that consists of art museums, conference rooms, hotels, restaurants, and offices of several international organizations. The Toki Messe Tower has the 31st floor, and 31st floor being the highest serves as the viewing deck where one can see the areas around Niigata.

The name Toki was named after the official bird of Niigata Prefecture. The Toki bird or crested ibis (Nipponia Nippon) is known to make their nests at the top of trees on hills usually overlooking their habitat and resembling it to Toki Messe Tower overlooking the breathtaking view of the ocean on the top of the building.

View from Toki Messe Niigata Japan.
One of the view we took at the top of Toki Messe Tower.

We drove for 1 hour from our place going to Toki Messe and arrived at 5 in the afternoon. Access from Niigata Station on foot may take about 20 minutes via Bandai Exit. For visitors who want to ride a loop bus that stops at Toki Messe from Niigata station may take up to 15 minutes. For guests coming from Tokyo to Niigata Prefecture may choose to ride a bullet train which will take up to 2 hours or via domestic flight for 45 minutes.

We parked our car then straightly headed our way to the viewing deck which is on the 31st floor. The restaurant is on the 31st floor too. We feasted our eyes first on the beautiful window see-through glass of the tower facing the ocean right after we arrived. The color of the blue sky is reflecting on the clean seawater which looks so calming on the one watching at the top of the tower.

Restaurant at Toki Messe Tower Niigata Japan.
The restaurant of Toki Messe Niigata Japan.

It was a bit early when we arrived at the restaurant, so there are fewer people inside. The restaurant has its store section for Niigata specialty foods in big and small packages and some booklet which serve as tour information.

Toki Messe restaurant view.
The view in Toki Messe restaurant while enjoying the meal.

There are two kinds of restaurants in Toki Messe Tower. The first one is the buffet-style restaurant, which offers the fiesta beer package or bucket beers. The second is the a la cart menu style named the Panorama restaurant and has been serving the food from Nikko Hotel International. We decided to eat at the Panorama restaurant as nobody wants to drink a beer at that time. The following are the foods we ordered from Panorama restaurant;

Soba from Panorama restaurant at Toki Messe Japan.
Japanese Cold Soba topped with onion springs.
Udon from Panorama restaurant at Toki Messe Japan.
Hot Japanese Udon topped with onion springs.
Fried chicken from Panorama restaurant at Toki Messe Japan.
Rice bowl topped with karagi or deep fried chicken and onion springs, matched it with hot soup and vegetables sidings.
Pork Tonkatsu from Panorama restaurant at Toki Messe Japan.
Rice bowl and Japanese Pork Tonkatsu with cucumber and cabbage sidings. Match it with hot miso soup.
The total costs of the foods we ordered from Panorama Restaurant at Toki Messe, Niigata Japan.

We enjoyed the sumptuous food as well as the unique experience of watching the Japan ocean view. Kids are enthusiastic about what they saw from the ocean. Eating with your loved ones while having a conversation with them in a significant place like Toki Messe is undoubtedly a moment to cherish forever.

We wanted to see the sunset at the tower, but we finished our meal at 6 PM with the sun still not settling down. So what we did is we took for a short walk down the tower to satisfy our curiosity about the building and planned to just go back in the restaurant when the sunset kicks in. These are what we saw while walking around on the ground floor of the tower.

Vending Machine at Toki Messe Niigata Japan.
A Vending Machine Station at Toki Messe.
Hotel Nikko Niigata at Toke Messe Japan.
We passed by the front desk of Hotel Nikko Niigata.
Waiting area at Toki Messe Niigata Japan.
Spent our few minutes in front of this aquarium waiting area while waiting for the sunset.

After a few minutes of roaming at the ground of the Toki Messe, we went back to Panorama restaurant on the 31st floor to witness the sunset. We bought an ice cream for our two kids and a hot coffee for adults while enjoying the beautiful scenery offered at the Toki Messe Panorama restaurant.

Ice cream from Toki messe panorama restaurant Japan.
The Soft ice cream we bought from Panorama at Toki Messe Niigata Japan with the sunset at the background.
Hot coffee from Toki Messe Panorama Restaurant.
Hot coffee and cakes from Panorama restaurant.
Total costs of our desert at Panorama restaurant Toki Messe.
The total costs of our desert at Panorama Restaurant.
Night view of Toki Messe Niigata Japan.
The night view at the top of Toki Messe.

Toki Messe has an international hotel, so we spotted foreigners lounging in at the restaurant. The entrance is free for walk-in guests but has a small cost of parking fees. We left at 7:45 in the evening and we paid an amount of 200yen for almost 2 hours for the parking fee.

If you want to see this exceptional scenes and experience what we have experienced, why not come to this hotel then tour the Niigata Prefecture and see the beauty by yourself, enjoy!

Asia, Japan Travel

Posted by pink-sampaguita