Tokyo Tower 東京タワー
With its dazzling red and its Eiffel Tower look, the Tokyo Tower is one of the symbols of the Japanese capital
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The Tokyo Tower, emblem of the Japanese capital
Higher, lighter, more colourful... The Tokyo Tower was intended when it was created as a modernized version of the Eiffel Tower. Like the Iron Lady, her younger sister is a "must see" of the capital and one of its finest vantage points. It has now become the symbol of the capital.
Having become the symbol of the city, Tokyo Tower is located in the Minato district, in the heart of the Japanese capital....
The history of Tokyo Tower
Inaugurated in 1958 , the construction of the Tokyo Tower coincides with what some call the Japanese economic "miracle". The Tokyo Tower, or Tokyo Tower, symbolizes the spectacular regeneration of post-war Japan. His recurring appearances in the kaiju , the monster films very popular in the 1950s, contributed to his establishment in the Japanese collective imagination. Destroyed fictitiously by Godzilla , Mothra (the giant moth) and other King Kongs in the films, the Tokyo Tower remains one of the most effective means of setting a Tokyo scene.
Built in 1957 by the architect Tachū Naitō , the Tokyo Tower is 332.6 meters high : it is therefore taller than its Parisian sister. It weighs "only" 4000 tons , against the 10,000 of the Eiffel Tower. The steel that constitutes it comes partly from American tanks damaged during the Korean War. It was of course designed to withstand violent earthquakes but also the winds of typhoons .
La tour de Tokyo
Wikimedia Commons
With her beautiful red and white dress, she can be spotted from afar among the buildings. The color of paint used is in fact international orange (the same as for the Golden Gate Bridge) in San Francisco), due to aviation safety rules. From a distance, this very dark orange hue passes for red...
From its construction, it was thought to be a radio tower, basically only for the NHK. Today, it still transmits 9 television signals and 5 radio signals. Even if it has today been surpassed by the very modern Tokyo SkyTree and its 634 meters high, the Tokyo Tower remains an emblem and a good point of view to admire the buildings of the city.
Tokyo Tower illuminations
Tokyo Tower is illuminated at night, and changes colors with the seasons. In winter, it is illuminated in orange, then, from July, it is illuminated in white. However, since Japan's entry into the Reiwa era in 2019 , it has also benefited from a brand new light, soberly titled "Diamond Veil". 268 colored LEDs are installed on 17 floors. They change color individually for an infinite number of combinations.
This new lighting is visible on Fridays and Saturdays from 8 p.m. to midnight, and its colors vary according to the month of the year. During the holidays or on the occasion of special events (new year, hanami...etc) specific themes are applied
Visit Tokyo Tower
The tower has two floors hosting panoramic observatories , the first at 150 meters, the second at 250 meters.
The first platform can be reached via an elevator , or by climbing the 600 steps for the more athletic... This is where you can stand on the famous glass floor , which allows you to admire the ground at 145 meters under your feet. Subjects to vertigo, abstain!
The second platform, the highest, (the " Top Deck "), was renovated for two years and reopened in 2018. It is located just under the antenna of the tower.
La Tour de Tokyo au crépuscule
Wikimedia Commons
Le Zojo-ji et la Tokyo Tower
Wikimedia Commons
Vue depuis la Tour de Tokyo
Flickr Olivier Bruchez
During the renovation, many mirrors and LED lights were installed, to give a typical Japanese "spaceship" effect. You should know that the visit to the Top Deck must necessarily follow a reservation , either taken in advance on the website (adult price 2800 yen, 23€), or directly on site (3000 yen, or around 25€). Tours depart every 15 minutes.
Finally, preferably choose a nice day for the visit. On a clear day, it is indeed possible to see Mount Fuji in the distance.
- Read also: 5 places from which to see Mount Fuji
Those who don't like the height can console themselves on the ground floor with a visit to the giant aquarium, souvenir shops and tea rooms, as well as a shopping center ("Foot Town") that hosts the base of Tokyo Tower. In 2015, the first theme park dedicated to One Piece was also installed there.
Not far from the Tokyo Tower, we advise you to pay a visit to the Zojo-ji temple which is readily displayed in photos next to the famous tower.
Activité au Japon : Réservez votre visite guidée de Tokyo
Address, timetable & access
Address
Phone
+81(0)33433 5111Timetable
Oedo line, Akabaneshi station (5 minutes on foot) or Mita line, Onarimon station (6 minutes on foot) Also JR Yamanote, Hamamatsucho station (15 minutes on foot).Price
Main observatory: 1200 yen for adults (10€)Main and special observatory combined: on site 3000 yen (25€) for adultsAccess
Open daily, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., last admission at 9:45 p.m.Website
https://www.tokyotower.co.jp/en.html
