This is the final part of my first visit to Tokyo! Tokyo Tower deserved its own post, I felt, due to the sheer number of pictures I took there.
Introduction to Tokyo Tower
Tokyo Tower is a communications tower in Tokyo. It was built in 1958 to increase broadcasting power in the region after the NHK, Japan’s public broadcasting station at the time, began broadcasting television in 1953. The shape is inspired by the Eiffel Tower. In 2011, it was determined that the tower was not tall enough to broadcast to an expanded area, so the taller Tokyo Skytree was built shortly thereafter. However, Tokyo Tower still holds greater significance to Japanese culture, having appeared in many television shows and anime.
Outside
The area around Tokyo Tower is very pretty. There is a small garden in front of the tower, and the base of the tower itself is also decorated. There are a couple of food stands outside the tower for those who want snacks. There is more food inside!
Inside
The first floor is primarily dedicated to the tourism infrastructure of Tokyo Tower, with ticket counters, locker rooms, the elevators up, and a small museum about the history of Tokyo Tower (available to those who have purchased tickets to visit the Observation Deck or Top Deck). The museum also includes some interesting models of Tokyo Tower and some opportunities for photos.
Observatory: The Main Deck, 150m up
A tour of the Main Deck, 150m/492ft. above sea level, is cheaper than going to the top deck, but not quite as spectacular as the Top Deck. However, the Main Deck has enough room to include a small shrine and a café. A separate set of elevators takes you from the Main Deck to the Top Deck. There are windows a full 360° around the tower. Please enjoy these photos of the inside of the main deck and the view.
Top Deck
The Top Deck, at 250m/820ft. above sea level, offers a spectacular overlook of Tokyo. You can see Tokyo Bay, Shinjuku, and buildings such as Zojo-ji Temple and Reiyukai Shakaden Temple. Like the Main Deck, windows cover the full 360° around, allowing for unrestricted viewing of the city. As you are ushered to the Top Deck, you are treated to a short presentation on the history of the tower, a voice-guided tour, and a small beverage. Please enjoy this video of the ascent to the Top Deck, and pictures of the Top Deck and view after.
My first glimpse of Mt. Fuji is in this next picture! …Technically. Can you spot it?
On the way down
I was extremely surprised that my route down the tower took me past a moving, talking robot. In hindsight, a robot is a very Japanese thing to run into! They are much more common in Japan than in the United States. I found the robot’s hands to be very impressively articulated, to something of an uncanny degree.
Also on the way down, I found some “Lookdown Windows” to look down at the tower from 150m.
Finally, on the way down, I was extremely surprised to find that there were three floors of shops above the ground floor in the tower. One floor was mostly Tokyo Tower souvenirs, but the other two floors were a multi-restaurant cafeteria and a mini shopping mall with all sorts of goods, including expensive anime figures! Unsurprisingly, these shops were primarily aimed at tourists. I wonder what kind of prestige you need to open a shop inside of Tokyo Tower…
Bonus: Zojo-ji Temple
Outside of Tokyo Tower and a very short walk away (~5 minutes) is Zojo-ji Temple, an old Buddhist temple founded in 1393 and moved to its present location in 1598. The temple burned down during World War II but has since been rebuilt. Explains why the buildings look so new!
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