- Address: 4 Chome-2-8 Shibakoen, Minato, Tokyo 105-0011, Japan
- Phone: +81 3-3433-5111
- Website: tokyotower.co.jp
- Opening: in 1958
- Architect: Tatya Knighto
- Working hours: 9: 00-23: 00
Not far from the Japanese capital, in the suburb of Minato, is one of the most famous landmarks of the country - the Tokyo television tower. It is one of the objects of the World Federation of High-rise Towers, occupying the 14th place.
History of construction
The construction of the TV tower was planned for 1953 and is connected with the beginning of broadcasting of the NHK station in the Kanto region. The architect of the grandiose project was appointed Taty Naito, who by that time was famous for building high-rise buildings on the territory of the country. The engineering company Nikken Sekkei was instructed to design the construction of a future television tower, resistant to earthquakes and typhoons. The developer was Takenaka Corporation. Large-scale construction works began to boil in the summer of 1957.
The television tower of Tokyo looks like the French Eiffel Tower, but differs from its prototype with less weight and greater strength. Made of steel, it is still the highest tower in Tokyo and the highest steel construction of the planet, as it reaches 332.6 m. The grand opening ceremony took place on December 23, 1958. Not only the size of the Tokyo television tower was impressive, but also the costs associated with it with its erection. The project budget was $ 8.4 million.
Appointment
The main function of the TV tower was the maintenance of tele- and radio communication antennas. This continued until 2011, until Japan switched to the digital broadcasting format. The obsolete TV tower Tokyo could no longer satisfy the demands of the region, because in 2012 a new tower was built. Today, the clients of the Tokyo television tower in Japan remain the Open University of the country and numerous radio stations.
What else to see?
Today, the tower is more like a tourist attraction, which is visited annually by 2.5 million people. Right beneath it was erected the "Foot Town" - a building in four floors, which contained many objects. The first floor is decorated with a huge aquarium, which is home to about 50 thousand fish, a cozy restaurant, small souvenir shops, exits to elevators. On the second floor there are fashionable boutiques, cafes, cafes. The main attractions of the floor number 3 are the Tokyo Museum of the Guinness Book of Records, the Wax Museum, the holographic gallery DeLux. The fourth floor is known for galleries of optical illusions. The amusement park was laid out on the roof of the "Down Town".
Observation platforms
For visitors to the television tower of Tokyo, two observation platforms are open. Home is located at an altitude of 145 m in the building of the observatory. Tourists can explore the city and its surroundings in minute detail. There is a cafe, a nightclub with a glass floor, a souvenir shop, elevators and even a Shinto shrine. The second platform is at an altitude of 250 m. It is fenced with heavy-duty glass.
Tower Appearance and Illumination
The Tokyo TV tower is divided into 6 tiers, each of which resembles a grille. It is painted in orange and white colors, chosen according to the requirements of aviation security. Cosmetic works on the tower are held every five years, their result is a complete renovation of the painting.
Illumination on the Tokyo TV tower is interesting. Since the spring of 1987, the company Nihon DenpatÅ, led by the lighting artist Motoko Ishii, is responsible for it. Today, the tower has 276 searchlights, starting from the first twilight and automatically turning off at midnight. They are installed inside and outside the television tower of Tokyo, so in the dark the tower is fully lit. During the period from October to July, gas discharge lamps are used, giving the building an orange color. In the remaining time, metal halide lamps illuminate the tower with cold white. In some cases, the light of the illuminations is changing and may be pink (in the month of breast cancer prevention), blue (during the World Cup 2002), green (on St. Patrick's Day), etc. The annual maintenance of illumination costs $ 6 , 5 million.
How to get there?
Not far from the sight is the Shinagawa Station metro station , which receives trains of more than 8 lines from different areas of Tokyo. If you want, you can use the services of a taxi, bike rental or cars.