Visiting Tokyo Tower
The Japanese answer to the Eiffel Tower
Located in the Roppongi neighborhood, known for its high-energy nightlife and international community, Tokyo Tower was built in 1957 by architect Tachu Naito. Modeled after the Eiffel Tower but standing 7 meters taller, its height of 333 meters makes it one of the tallest steel towers globally. Painted in international orange and white for aviation safety, the structure is lit up at night in either orange or white depending on the season.
A bold feat of engineering
As the tallest structure in the city when it was built, this broadcast antenna for public television was designed to withstand earthquakes twice as strong as the 1923 Great Kanto earthquake and winds exceeding 220 km/h. A symbol of Japan's postwar recovery, it was erected on the site of a former Buddhist temple. It took 4000 tons of steel to complete, with about a third of that metal salvaged from American tanks damaged during the Korean War. A crew of 400 laborers finished the job in just 19 months. The tower's 90-meter antenna was slightly bent during the 2011 earthquake.
Observation decks and high-altitude shrines
The tower features two observation levels, a main deck at 145 meters and a special deck at 250 meters. Be aware that elevators are only guaranteed on weekends and holidays. On weekdays, you may have to climb the 660 steps to the first observatory. Built on two levels, this deck houses a Shinto shrine, which is the highest of its kind in the capital.
Leisure at the base
At the base of the tower lies Foot Town, a commercial complex featuring a 400-seat restaurant and a gift shop. The ground floor houses an aquarium with 50,000 specimens, while the upper levels offer various fast-food chains and an indoor amusement park dedicated to the One Piece manga franchise. Tokyo Tower is now the 7th tallest structure in the city, with the newer Skytree Tower standing nearly twice its height.
Opening hours
*Information subject to change
Obviously, as a Parisian, I immediately thought of the Eiffel Tower when I saw the Tokyo Tower. Going up to the observation deck is nice, with a beautiful view of Tokyo, even if the city is so huge that you do not really know where to look anymore (a bit like in Paris, actually). It is not the most beautiful monument in Tokyo, and even less so in all of Japan, but I still recommend it.