Even if something happens once in a blue moon, it’s still not as rare, or gorgeous, as this.
Last night, people in Tokyo had their breath taken away, as well as several of their adjectives commandeered, by the appearance of a super blue blood moon. Rather than a celestial body born into extreme luxury, the super blue blood moon is the incredibly rare combination of a full moon that appears larger to the eye than normal (supermoon), the second full moon to come within a calendar month (blue moon), and the red color the moon is seen with during a lunar eclipse (blood moon).
In Tokyo, the phenomenon began to manifest shortly before 9 p.m., and was punctuated by office workers on their way home, as well as downtown diners and drinkers, turning their eyes skyward to appreciate the view.
皆既月食、スカイツリーてっぺん乗せ。 pic.twitter.com/JJWngp7NNl
— てつ (@tetsu_skytree) January 31, 2018
Some of the most striking images were captured near the Skytree, the 634-meter (2,080-foot) spire that rises from the city’s Sumida Ward.
スカイツリー直上に浮かぶ皆既月食の紅い月を撮ってやるぜと意気込んで出向いたのに、もしかして場所取りを失敗したのではないか…という疑問が確信に変わった一枚。ロケハン大事。超大事
— luv4spike (@luv4spike) January 31, 2018
645Z+FA★645 300mmF4https://t.co/DWYtnQo6Jh pic.twitter.com/HNdzVMXGaF
With its futuristic design, the Skytree adds an even more otherworldly look to the blood moon, which, depending on the angle, sometimes seemed to be almost balanced atop the tower’s tip.
▼ Skytyree (right) and Tokyo Tower (left)
皆既月食。スカイツリーと東京タワーとのコラボ写真。ずっとこの2枚を並べてみたかった。満足です!#皆既月食 #東京タワー #スカイツリー pic.twitter.com/YuylS3lRmR
— 菅家 優介|Kanke Yusuke (@ysk_photo) January 31, 2018
▼ A time-lapse video of the moon moving across the heavens behind the Skytree
https://twitter.com/RPEvangelist/status/958893895491997696ウェザーニュースに届いた写真📷や、一部始終を収めた動画🎞をお届けします〜#皆既月食 #スーパーブルーブラッドムーン #SuperBlueBloodMoonhttps://t.co/vrgqVenv3w pic.twitter.com/sXt91Qnn8Q
— ウェザーニュース (@wni_jp) January 31, 2018
皆既月食×東京スカイツリー
— YM (@YakeiMemory) January 31, 2018
皆既月食とは、太陽と地球、月が一直線に並び満月がすべて地球の影に覆われる現象。とのこと。
天気が不安でしたが今日は綺麗な月食が見れました^^/よかった!#スーパーブルーブラッドムーン pic.twitter.com/zHuDvRWxQA
The orange glow of Tokyo Tower made for less contrast with the blood moon, but also imparted a warmer, more relaxed atmosphere to the sight.
赤い月と赤いタワー
— みうみう@ (@miumiuuuuu83) January 31, 2018
#スーパーブルーブラッドムーン#皆既月食#東京タワー pic.twitter.com/B5DN6o7MYm
東京タワーの無機質感と赤い月の組み合わせひたすらかっこよかった…#皆既月食 pic.twitter.com/KQ1Q9OaQgP
— 星空✴︎(Starry heavens) (@Starryheavens_p) January 31, 2018
Meanwhile, over on the west side of downtown, the scarlet moon appeared to pass through the paired towers of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, also known as Tocho.
新宿からお届けします。#スーパーブルーブラッドムーン #皆既月食 pic.twitter.com/79TpySHdbo
— まいまい 〜 𝐾𝑎𝑧𝑢𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑎 𝐼𝑚𝑎𝑖 〜 (@kazutaka_imai) January 31, 2018
And for those watching in less urban parts of the country, the blood moon looked less sci-fi and more mystical when sharing a field of vision with structures such as Ibaraki’s Toyoda Castle and a pagoda in Nagano Prefecture.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BeorhEwlMup/?taken-by=tel427
The next morning, it was back to overcast conditions with snow in the forecast, but at least when it needed to, the weather cooperated and gave Tokyo a gorgeous reason to step outside and look up in the cold.
Source: IT Media

Tokyo Skytree gets some extra decoration thanks to the Blood Moon Eclipse【Photos】
Tokyo Tower, Skytree don French Tricolour in show of sympathy following Paris terrorist attack
No, the Tokyo Skytree wasn’t lit in colors of Ukraine for solidarity…but another landmark is
Lightning storm photos of the Skytree show the Tokyo symbol in a whole new light【Photos】
Tokyo Tower, Skytree, lit in colors of American flag as Donald Trump arrives in Japan
Krispy Kreme Japan is bringing two special donuts to the most-forgotten big city in the country
Japan has a new cute and clever sunblock for cat lovers
Starbucks Japan hoping fans will go bananas for its new mottainai banana affogato Frappuccino
Japanese vending machine find introduces us to a new drink you can’t get anywhere else
Japan’s izakaya pubs closing at record pace, failing to attract foreign tourists
Super! Eel Bread takes Japanese sushi into uncharted territory
The story of our reporter P.K. Sanjun’s heart attack
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer
7-Eleven Japan releases their second lineup of upsized foods from a muffin to bukkake soba
Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
Hundreds of rose bushes in bloom at Tokyo’s off-the-beaten-path, next-to-the-tracks flower street
This Tokyo Station sweets sensation sells out daily, but we finally got our hands on it
161-year-old Kyoto confectionary maker releases new edible Pokémon lineup
Studio Ghibli’s president is leaving the company. Will it change how they make anime?
7-Eleven Japan is releasing Greedy chocolate chip and whipped cream sandwiches
Let’s hike a Japanese mountain (that isn’t Mt. Fuji) – Mt. Tsukuba[Photos]
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before
Studio Ghibli launches huge new anime movie T-shirt collection with special design details
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Gigantic Evangelion Spear of Longinus appears stabbed in the ground at the Tokyo Skytree【Photos】
Is this Tokyo, or Final Fantasy? Rainy season night makes for incredible Skytree view【Photos】
Tokyo Tower is bathed in beautiful blue for Milky Way Illumination and Tanabata celebration
Japanese candy artisan opens new store below Tokyo Skytree with exclusive sweets
Sakura Skytree photos take Tokyo’s breath away, give kick-start to cherry blossom season【Photos】
Happy Reiwa! People celebrate the first day of a new era around Japan 【Pics & Videos】
Bandai opens beauty shop with Japanese anime cosmetics from popular franchises like Sailor Moon
Tokyo Tower reopens after coronavirus closure, but now you have to take the stairs 150 meters up
Real life Majora’s Mask: Moon crashes in Chinese city, rolls over cars, people 【Video】
Beautiful new line of Sailor Moon shoes feature “360-degree cuteness”【Photos】
“Drain me of my blood!” Otaku rush to donate for anime VTuber nurse