TOKYO TOWER

Description

Essentials about Tokyo Tower in brief

No, this tower is not in Paris. Although Tokyo Tower bears a striking resemblance to the Eiffel Tower (wicked tongues even speak of a brazen copy), its overall effect in Tokyo’s cityscape is quite different. Unlike the Eiffel Tower, which is clearly visible from all over Paris, Tokyo Tower is surrounded by many high-rise buildings. From many directions, it is therefore not easily visible, if at all. Its bright orange and white paint job also sets Tokyo Tower apart from its dark counterpart in Paris. But with a height of 333 meters, it is still 9 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower. If you want to enjoy a great view of Tokyo, you should definitely visit Tokyo Tower.

The history and architecture of Tokyo Tower

The tower was built in 1958 to create a symbol of Japan’s economic power, which was regaining strength after World War II. For reasons of earthquake safety, it was not built using the reinforced concrete construction method common at the time, but as a steel lattice truss structure. To this day, the tower serves as a radio and television tower.

Whether Tokyo Tower is a more or less shameless copy of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, each visitor may judge for himself. The fact is that the tower, with its 332.6 meters of height, was the tallest television tower in the world in the year of its completion and the second tallest free-standing structure in the world after the Empire State Building in New York City. It even surpassed the Eiffel Tower by a full 9 meters. Surprisingly, however, Tokyo Tower is significantly lighter than its French model. In contrast to the 7,300-ton Eiffel Tower, Tokyo Tower weighs just 4,000 tons.

In the meantime, a number of other television towers have broken the former record of Tokyo Tower. However, the world’s tallest television tower is still in Tokyo. Today, it is the 634-meter Tokyo Skytree. The construction of the Skytree had become necessary because Tokyo Tower had been “built over” by more and more skyscrapers over the years and thus could no longer supply the entire Tokyo metropolitan area with radio and television signals.

The observation decks of Tokyo Tower

The tower has two fully glazed platforms: A two-story one at a height of 150 meters, which also contains stores and restaurants, and a single-story, observation-only platform at a height of 250 meters. The lower platform can be reached either on foot via 600 steps or by elevator. Only elevators then lead to the upper platform. On a clear day, you can even see as far as Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest mountain, from the upper platform. Especially at night, the view from the viewing platforms over the sparkling sea of houses in the Japanese capital is a real experience.

Other facilities of Tokyo Tower

Below the tower is a building that houses on four floors, among other things, an aquarium, a wax museum, an arcade, souvenir stores, restaurants and on the roof a small amusement park.