Tokyo Skytree is the tallest tower in the world at 634 meters and the second tallest structure after Burj Khalifa in Dubai.
The tower contains a restaurant, cafe, shop, broadcasting, and an observation tower.
Where can the World’s Tallest Tower be Found
You can find the Tokyo Skytree in Sumida, Tokyo, Japan not far away from Asakusa. It is the heart of the Tokyo Skytree Town in the Sumida City Ward.
You can easily find this giant needle in the haystack of Tokyo.
How to Get There
You can enter the Tokyo Skytree on the 4th floor of Tokyo Skytree Town.
Here are the list of bus travels to Tokyo Skytree:
– From Ueno Station, 30 minutes trip for 220 yen
– From Tokyo Station, a 30-minute-bus-ride for 520 yen
– From Tokyo Disney Resort, around 45 to 55 minutes for 720 yen
– From Haneda Airport, estimated bus travel is 50 to 70 minutes for 920 yen
Tokyo Skytree, an Earthquake Resistant Tower
The architects behind this amazing tower have based their design on the ancient concept of the Shinbashira. This is a central column that has been used as the support for Japanese pagodas for more than 1500 years. The Shinbashira has traditionally been formed from the trunk of a tree, as the elasticity of the timber enables the building to flex and withstand the stresses caused by earthquakes.
The Skytree concept needs to be earthquake proof, and the architects applied the Shinbashira concept to create an earthquake-resistant tower. In the case of Skytree, the central core is made up of a hollow concrete construction, with interior and exterior trusses separated but joined by oil dampers.
At ground level, the tower is formed by an equilateral triangle that gradually transforms to a circular form at higher levels.
According to the PR Manager, Hirotake Takanishi, the dampers can reduce 50 percent quake vibrations and the Skytree tower can withstand 8-magnitude or stronger earthquakes.
The Highlight
To highlight your visit, the Tokyo Skytree Tower has two observation decks which offer amazing 360 degrees panoramic views of the City.
These enclosed decks are located at heights of 350 and 450 meters. The lower deck is called Tembo Deck. On this deck there is a small section with glass floor panels, where you can see all the way down to the bottom of the tower.
Before you enter the Tembo Deck, you pass by a souvenir shop and Sky Restaurant 634.
An elevator from the Tembo Deck takes visitors up to the second observation deck which called Tembo Gallery, located at 450 meters high. This elevator has a glass front, so you can see the city getting smaller as you rise.
The Tembo Gallery features a dizzyingly circular glass corridor with tall windows so you can see all over the stunning Tokyo. On clear days you can see up to 100 km away, all the way to Mt. Fuji, Japan’s iconic volcano. During the night the Tokyo appears amazingly beautiful.
Operating Hours and Fees
The Skytree Tower open at 8:00 in the morning and closes at 10:00 in the evening. However, entry to the tower closes at 9:00P.M.
The tower is open for visitors from Monday to Sunday.
Fast Tickets are tickets available only for foreign tourist, where you can bypass the queue and have less waiting time. Purchasing this ticket requires a passport.
Access to the Tembo Deck, costs 2060 yen for regular tickets and 2820 yen for the fast ticket.
For the second observatory deck, you need to pay additional 1030 yen.
There are slight discounts for those who purchase tickets to cover access to both the Tembo Deck and Tembo Gallery.
If you decide to reserve the access ticket in advance then you will be charged a 510 yen service fee.
