"If you are lucky enough to have lived in Tokyo as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life, it stays with you, for Tokyo is a moveable feast."--My modernized Ernest Hemingway quote
Welcome to Tokyo Travel #1.
If you are ever in Tokyo I recommend visiting Tokyo Tower at night, especially if you are with someone you love. It's a romantic place filled with incredible views of the city. Many years ago I took my wife there on one of our first dates so maybe it blesses your relationships too.
Getting There
There are several ways to get to Tokyo Tower, but all of them require between a 10-20 minute walk from the train station. I prefer the 20 minute route from Ropppongi station because you can see the tower grow as you walk down the street towards it.
As you take in the different shops and buildings along the way, like the Russian Embassy, before you know it you will arrive just outside of the tower's grounds.
The tower sits on a small hill which can provide you with great vantage points to take photos from.
Details
Located in Minato City, Tokyo Tower has been an icon since it was built in 1958. It was built as both a telecommunications tower and observation tower for tourists. Standing at 1092 feet (332.9 meters) it is now the second tallest tower in Tokyo since the taller Sky Tree (2,080 feet, 634 meters) was built in 2012.
There are two observation decks on the tower. The Main Deck, two story, sits at 490 feet, 150 meters, high. This is the most popular deck for two reasons:
- You can walk a 600 step staircase up to it or use the elevator.
- It's only $12 to for the Main Deck admission.
The Top Deck is much higher and smaller at 819 feet or 249.6 meters high. However it costs $30 to go to the Top Deck. I still haven't been to the Top Deck though so I can't comment on it, but I understand it feels like you are inside of a diamond looking out over the city.
As with all tourist attractions in Tokyo, English speakers will have no problem navigating Tokyo Tower. There are even guides & signs in Korean, Chinese, Thai, Spanish & more.
The base of the tower has a 4 story building in it. The first floor is the lobby where you can purchase tickets and board the elevator, while the upper 3 floors have gift shops, a museum, hall and restaurants that can all be reached by escalators.
The entrance to the elevators takes you through a nice, little museum space showcasing the city before the tower was built, it's construction and seasonal decor.
The Main Deck
As soon as you step out of the elevator the city comes to life.
Looking West towards Shibuya.
Another new skyscraper going up across the street from the Russian Embassy.
The challenging part on the Main Deck is taking pictures without the glare or reflection from the glass. You can see artifacts in most of my pictures from this deck.
The Main Deck has 2 floors, both offer amazing views of the city. There is a cafe on the 1st for some sweets or light eating & drinking along with an event area and glass floors. The second floor has a post box to mail from, a shinto shrine, and souvenir shop.
Looking North, Sky Tree can be seen in the distance with the blue light on top.
Looking South at the Rainbow Bridge.
On the 1st floor you need to watch your step for those glass floors!
There are four glass floors, two on the North side and two on the South side of the 1st floor deck.
As you walk around you will notice the stairs by the bathrooms. For those of you who are really adventurous you can climb the 600 steps up or down the tower!
Apparently it takes about 8 minutes to walk down, probably twice that to walk up though!
I debated walking down, but I still had a 20 minute walk back to the train station so I didn't want to push it. Instead, I chose to take the elevators back down.
Even the exterior grounds of the tower offer fantastic views and can be romantic too.
The tower is painted in orange and white which was done to comply with air safety regulations when there weren't many skyscrapers in Tokyo.
A reflection in the building across the street.
Lastly, the moon bids us a good night. I hope you'll have a chance to visit someday.
Additional Information
As I mentioned, Tokyo Tower is 10-20 minute walk from the 3 closest train stations, Roppongi, Hamamatsucho and the closest Akabanebashi.
The tower is open from 10am too 10:30pm. The Top Deck from 10am to 10:30pm.
The cost to the main deck is $12. The Cost to the top deck is $30, but you can save $2 by buying online.
Their website in English is here: https://www.tokyotower.co.jp/en/
In closing, here is a photo taken of Tokyo Tower from a skyscraper in Shibuya. This skyscraper was one of the most incredible experiences I've had in Tokyo. I'll write about that in Tokyo Travel #1. Until then....
Tokyo Travel is a series where I document all of the wonderful places to visit that Tokyo has to offer.
All pictures taken with my iPhone 11.
