Tokyo Skytree
Communications and observation tower in Minato, Tokyo, completed in 1958.
via Wikipedia: Tokyo Tower · see source
Tokyo Skytree is a broadcasting and observation tower in Sumida, Tokyo, Japan, which opened in 2012 and became the tallest tower in the world, reaching its full height of 634 meters in early 2011. It displaces the Canton Tower as the world’s tallest tower and ranks as the third tallest structure globally, behind Merdeka 118 and Burj Khalifa. The tower serves as the primary television and radio broadcast site for the Kantō region, replacing the older Tokyo Tower, which could no longer provide complete digital terrestrial television coverage due to surrounding high-rise buildings. Completed on Leap Day, 29 February 2012, it opened to the public on 22 May 2012. The tower is the centerpiece of a large commercial development funded by Tobu Railway and six terrestrial broadcasters headed by NHK, with adjacent train stations and a location seven kilometers northeast of Tokyo Station. Its design, published in November 2006, blends neofuturistic style with traditional Japanese beauty and includes a tripod-like base that becomes cylindrical above 350 meters. Observatories at 350 meters and 450 meters offer panoramic views, with the upper deck featuring a glass-floored skywalk. Earthquake resilience is provided by a reinforced concrete central shaft, oil dampers between 125 and 375 meters, and tuned mass dampers that absorb 50 percent of seismic energy. The exterior is painted "Skytree White," a bluish-white traditional Japanese color, and illuminated nightly with alternating blue or purple LED patterns. The name was chosen from public suggestions, with "Tokyo Skytree" receiving about 33,000 votes out of 110,000 cast. The height of 634 meters references "Musashi," an old name for the region, via numeric wordplay.
- type
- Broadcasting and observation tower
- location
- Minato, Tokyo, Japan
- height
- 332.9 m (1,092 ft)
- opened
- 23 December 1958
- completed
- 1958
- owner
- Nippon Denpatō
- known_for
- Tallest tower in Japan until 2012
Verified Timeline
Quick Facts
- Native Name Lang
- ja
- Location
- Sumida, Tokyo, Japan
- Architectural Style
- Neo-futurism
- Construction Start Date
- df=yes · 2008 · 07 · 14
- Topped Out Date
- df=yes · 2011 · 03 · 18
- Completion Date
- df=yes · 2012 · 02 · 29
- Opened Date
- df=yes · 2012 · 05 · 22
- Antenna Spire
- 634.0 m
- Roof
- 495.2 m
- Top Floor
- 451.3 m
- Elevator Count
- 13
- Cost
- 65 billion JPY
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The need for a large broadcasting tower arose after NHK began television broadcasting in 1953. Private broadcasters followed, leading the government to fear a proliferation of towers across Tokyo. The solution was one large tower for the entire region. Japan also sought a monument symbolizing its post-World War II recovery. Hisakichi Maeda, founder of Nippon Denpatō, originally planned a tower taller than the Empire State Building, but lack of funds and materials forced a change. The final height was determined by the distance TV stations needed to transmit across the Kantō region, about 150 kilometers. Architect Tachū Naitō based his design on the Eiffel Tower, claiming it could withstand earthquakes twice as intense as the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake and typhoons with winds up to 220 km/h. Construction began in June 1957 by Takenaka Corporation, with at least 400 laborers working daily. The steel included scrap from US tanks damaged in the Korean War. When the 90-meter antenna was bolted into place on 14 October 1958, Tokyo Tower became the tallest freestanding tower in the world, surpassing the Eiffel Tower by 9 meters. It opened to the public on 23 December 1958, costing ¥2.8 billion. It was mortgaged for ¥10 billion in 2000.
Reader's Guide
Visitors start at FootTown, a five-story building at the base with restaurants, shops, and attractions. From there, elevators go to the two-story Main Deck at 150 meters. A second set of elevators from the Main Deck's second floor leads to the Top Deck at 249.6 meters. The tower is repainted every five years, a process taking a year; a new coating applied in 2019 extended the timetable to seven years, with the next painting projected for 2026. The tower's main revenue comes from antenna leasing and tourism. It recorded its 190 millionth visitor in 2024, after visitor numbers had declined to 2.3 million in 2000. The tower's antenna was damaged on 11 March 2011 by the Tōhoku earthquake, and its height shrank to 315 meters during repairs from 19 July 2012. The tower was not suitable for Japan's planned terrestrial digital broadcasting, leading to the construction of the Tokyo Skytree, completed on 29 February 2012. As a result, only two FM radio stations remain: Tokyo FM (80.0 MHz) and InterFM (89.7 MHz). The tower's base building originally opened with a "modern science museum" and has since featured a wax museum (1970–2013), an aquarium (1978–2018), and a "trick art" gallery (1994–2012). The roof leads to an outside stairwell of about 660 steps to the Main Deck, open on weekends and holidays.
Did You Know?
- Tokyo Tower weighs about 4,000 tons, which is 3,300 tons less than the Eiffel Tower.
- The tower is repainted every five years, a process that takes one year to complete.
- A third of the tower's steel came from scrap metal taken from US tanks damaged in the Korean War.
- The tower's height shrank to 315 meters on 19 July 2012 while the top antenna was repaired for damage from the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake.
- The tower recorded its 190 millionth visitor in 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tokyo Skytree?
It is a broadcasting and observation tower standing in Sumida, Tokyo, Japan, and has held the title of the country's tallest tower since it opened to the public in May 2012.
How tall is Tokyo Skytree and what records does it hold?
Standing at 634 metres (2,080 feet), it became the tallest tower on Earth when it reached full height in early 2011, overtaking the Canton Tower, and currently ranks as the third-tallest structure in the world behind Merdeka 118 and the Burj Khalifa.
Where exactly is Tokyo Skytree located and who owns it?
The tower is situated in the Sumida ward of Tokyo, Japan, and is owned and operated by Tobu Railway.
What is Tokyo Skytree actually used for?
Its core function is serving as the main television and radio broadcast site for the entire Kantō region, a role it took over from the older Tokyo Tower, which could no longer deliver complete digital terrestrial TV coverage.
When was Tokyo Skytree completed and opened?
Construction wrapped up on 29 February 2012, and the tower officially opened its doors on 22 May 2012.
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