Ride a Ferris wheel with see-through floors
A few Ferris wheels in Japan have see-through gondolas, cabins with clear floors and seats, so the city or the sea opens up right under your feet as you rise. Each wheel has only a handful of these cabins, so pick the see-through line at the boarding area and expect a short wait.
This Ferris wheel turns on top of a department store right above Matsuyama-shi Station, in the heart of the city. Its see-through gondolas have clear glass floors and seats, so the streets and Matsuyama Castle on its green hilltop slide by beneath your feet. Matsuyama is on the island of Shikoku, and the wheel is easy to fit into a day in the city along with the castle and Dogo Onsen.
This big wheel stands beside the Kaiyukan aquarium on Osaka Bay, and its see-through gondolas are clear all around, not just underfoot. As you climb, you can look out in every direction over the port, the bay and the city. It is a short walk from Osakako Station on the subway, so it pairs easily with a visit to the aquarium.
This 60 m Ferris wheel stands at Fujikawa Service Area, a large rest stop on the Tomei Expressway between Tokyo and Nagoya, and on a clear day Mount Fuji fills the view in front of you. Eight of its gondolas have clear floors and seats, so you can also look straight down toward the river and Suruga Bay. It is on the Tokyo-bound side of the expressway, so it is easiest to visit on a road trip.