[Anime Culture Monday] Anime Hot Spot: Tokyo Tower

Tokyo has become a global sensation over the past decade due to higher tourist numbers and the popularity of many sub cultures such as anime. With its bright lights and noisy streets, Tokyo is definitely a hot spot for many folks of any age. What makes the city so fascinating is not in its neon lights and great shopping districts, but more so in diversity. Tokyo over the years has risen to the ocassion to implementing a lot more foreign friendly restaurants from various countries giving consumers a lot more versatility. One of the prime hot spots in Tokyo at the moment is the Tokyo Tower, and it's wonderful observation deck that is worth visiting if you ever do come to Japan.

Tokyo Tower can be seen throughout various popular anime such as, Card Captor Sakura, X, Sailor Moon, Tokyo Magnitude 8.0, and Gantz just to name a few. The sheer popularity is due to it being widely regarded as one of Japan's best landmarks. The tower has made a ton of cameos in anime for years, and has brought in a lot of attention from overseas to see it up close and personal. While the scenery in anime looked beautiful as the sailor team glanced at it from afar, once you get a real life glimpse of the tower, you'll be blown away at how uncanny everything looks and feels. So with all that being said, let us hop right in and discuss some of the finer aspects of Tokyo's famous landmark.

For more information, check out: https://www.tokyotower.co.jp/


Tokyo Tower

Location:Address: 4-chome -2-8 Shibakoen, Minato, Tokyo 105-0011
Nearest train lines:
  • Akabanebashi Station: 5 Minutes on foot from Akabanebashi Station (Oedo Line)
  • Kamiyacho Station: 7 Minutes on foot from Kamiyacho Station ( Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line, exit No. 2)
  • Onarimon Station: 6 Minutes on foot from Onarimon Station (Mita Line, exit No. A1)
Cost of Admission:Main Observatory (Adult) – 900 yen / Special Observatory 700 yen / Both 1600 yen
Hours of Operation:Main Observatory 9:00-23:00 (Last Admission 22:30) / Special Obsevatory (250m) 9:00-23:00 (Last Admission 22:30)

The Experience

Tokyo Tower experience (Exterior)

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Tokyo Tower is known for its simple beauty in design, and from the outside at night it provides a beautiful illumination that you can enjoy. Standing at 333m tall the idea behind its height according to founder Hisakichi Maeda was that he wanted it to surpass the height of the Eiffel Tower, and that more technology could be built over the course of its existence. What's even more interesting are the colors that were chosen, which were international orange and white and were decided by Japanese Aviation laws.

The exterior is very durable in that it can withstand various earthquakes due to it's flexible structure, so it sways slightly over time to absorb the shock. One single leg of the Tokyo Tower can withstand 4,000 tons of immense pressure, and each of the legs is connected underground by 20 steel rods.

So before we go inside the tower, there are the Tokyo Tower mascots named the Noppon Brothers. They represent the tower, usually appearing throughout the weekends and national holidays. They are meant to be an attraction to visitors, and we are encouraged to play and take photos with them. When you do ever visit the Tokyo Tower make sure to give them a smile and hug them!

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Tokyo Tower experience (Interior) – Main Obsevatory

HAH-Tokyo-bowbhzpbicbpq2fd5v5b [Anime Culture Monday] Anime Hot Spot: Tokyo Tower

So this is where the magic all happens since most visitors are always enamored by the simplistic yet modern design of the Tokyo Tower interior. Over 170 million people have ventured up this tower each year which proves how popular it is not only among tourists, but Japanese as well. The main observatory is a very nice spot to bring your friends and family due to the assortment of activities to choose from. Most of the action takes place on the first and second floors with many shops, the popular club 333 stage, and cafe la tour. All of these attractions are a wonderful treat for anyone who just feels the need to relax and spend quality time.

Tokyo Tower experience (Interior) – Special Observatory

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They don't call it special for a reason as the upper most observatory allows you to see one of the most beautiful skylines you'll ever see in Tokyo. One of the things that you may notice is how intricate everything is once you see it all from a birds eye view. All of the buildings have actually been formed in such a way to create a street version of the Tokyo Tower! Not too many people get a chance to see it, but when you do make sure to capture it like we did. On the special floor, there are binoculars you can rent for free but also ones that are set up for visitors to use should they be available. Aside from the breathtaking scenery, it is just a great place to bring your loved ones since you can share an experience like no other. We at Honey's Anime recommend that you go at night to see both the illumination but to see the streets light up to create the Tokyo Tower roads!


Additional Info

So we've covered a majority of what really stands out in Tokyo Tower, but for those looking for something a little extra to spend on there are the Foot Town Roof floors which also allow you to shop and see various attractions. The first floor of the Foot Town entrance is home to the Tokyo Tower Aquarium which is a beautiful experience to soak yourself in when visiting. The second floor of Foot Town is home to the official shop of Tokyo Tower, and a portrait street where you can see various photos of outside the tower.

The 3rd,4th, and 5th floor are home to the One Piece Tower where you can explore the popular world of One Piece with family and friends alike, while taking a gander around the many shops surrounding the vicinity. Another wonderful spot to just kick back before making your way up to the main observatory. There is actually another official shop on these upper floors, so it is pretty enticing to bring a lot of cash if you intend on visiting as it is encouraged you bring something back with you.

Of course you don't have to bring much if your only intention is to just view the glorious scenery that awaits you above, but should you feel the sudden urge to splurge then we recommend bringing a good amount. There is truly an endless amount of activities to do within the Tokyo Tower, so it really all depends on how you want to spend your time. We recommend that make your way to the club 333 stage to see some really unique music and shows which are a reflection of the current Japanese culture. The Foot Town roof is where you'll be walking in order to reach the main observatory, which doesn't take very long but still a nice experience to have (plus a little exercise too!).

Within the tower are guides to also help you along the way which really emphasize the おもてなし (Omotenashi meaning hospitality in Japanese) welcoming attitude of Japanese tradition. This will surely entice you to explore deeper into the history of the tower, but allow for a more comfortable experience while you and your family explore.


Concluding paragraph

In closing, Tokyo Tower is not just any tower it is truly an image of Japan and it's willingness to continue growing. The tower represents strength while the protective barriers to prevent shock truly emphasize stability within the culture. Japan has faced many ups and downs over the course of history, but Tokyo Tower is a testiment that despite all the turbulent times Japan can still stand tall and overcome any adversity. If you'd like more information about the Tokyo Tower you can visit the website posted above, as well as perhaps watching some videos on Youtube for a little more insight as to how things work. Nonetheless, Tokyo Tower will surely lift you up and carry your mind to new places, which we believe was the purpose behind Maeda's dream in the beginning.

As always, keep it locked here for more anime and hot spot entertainment. Leave a comment below and discuss your passions and dreams with everyone! Take care.

HAH-Tokyo-bowbhzpbicbpq2fd5v5b [Anime Culture Monday] Anime Hot Spot: Tokyo Tower

Editor/Writer

Author: Rob "NualphaJPN" B.

A passionate fan of gaming, writing, journalism, anime, and philosophy. I've lived in Japan for many years and consider this place to be my permanent home. I love to travel around Japan and learn about the history and culture! Leave a comment if you enjoy my articles and watch me play on twitch.tv/honeysgaming ! Take care!

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