Carbohydrates are among the potential materials for molecular devices, since they are abundant natural resources. However, their rigidity has restricted their use for movable devices. Hinge sugars, 2,4-diamino-2,4-dideoxy-xylopyranosides, shed light on the use of carbohydrates as movable components, as demonstrated by the motion by which all four equatorial substituents can change to an axial orientation in synchronization with a chelation-driven ⁴C₁–¹C₄ ring flip. In this study, we synthesized a tong-like metal ion sensor, 1,3-di-O-pyrenylmethylated hinge sugar (1), and its model compound, methyl 2,4-di-O-pyrenecarbonyl-xylopyranoside (2), to extend the abilities of hinge sugars as molecular components. From observations of the solvent-dependent conformational and fluorescent behavior of 2, we found that the pyrene stacking assists the ¹C₄ formation of xylopyranoside by 1.7 kcal mol⁻¹. We also found that compound 1 produced excimer fluorescence by chelation to Pt²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, Mg²⁺ or Mn²⁺, and unexpectedly by addition of acids. ¹H NMR measurements ascribed this behavior to the ⁴C₁–¹C₄ ring flip of hinge sugar in response to chelation or protonation at N2, and revealed rapid and perfect ¹C₄ formation in the case of Zn²⁺. These findings will extend the scope of hinge sugars as movable components.