About half an hour walk from Asakusa, stands the highest building of Japan. The 634 meter high Tokyo Skytree is now the new symbol and landmark of this Capital City of Japan. Japanese combined the ancient skills and cutting edge technology to build this world's tallest free-standing broadcasting tower. It was made to a height of 634m as Japanese pronunciation of these numbers appear to be "Musashi" which was the former name of the region where the tower now stands. After it officially opened on May 2012, people are always recommended to Go To the sky and explore Tokyo Skytree for an unforgettable experience. We had ours and when would be yours?
The highlight of Tokyo Skytree is its two Tembo observation decks that offer magnificent view visible for approximately 70km over Kanto Region. The 350 meter high Tembo desk can cater for 2000 people while the upper Tembo Galleria can receive only 900 people, at a time.
Tokyo, a capital city of Japan since 1868, is a dynamically modern metropolis where 13 million people call home. Fast-paced, energetic and busy, the city rarely seems to rest.
Train and subway lines form a vast interlocking network that covers most parts of Tokyo city.
The top floor at Tembo Galleria has tall and broad windows offering a 360 degree panoramic views of Tokyo city.
Tokyo is undoubtedly a concrete forest.
The X shaped pedestrian bridge is among the 26 bridges building across Sumida River at Tokyo Bay.
River Sumida flows through Tokyo city for 27km.
There are four digital displays installed on Floor 350, which will clearly explain the view you see when you touch the panels.
A section of glass flooring gives visitors a direct down view of the streets below. Brave people like him have a try to squat or step on it and look down from the dizzying height of the tower. It is still quite thrilling for people like me. Another unique sensation is at The Sorakara point where it marks the highest point of 451.2m With light and glass, people feel as if floating and being in sky.
The Tembo Galleria observatory features a sloping spiral ram where visitors ascent the last five meter to the highest point at the upper platform. Floors at 445 meter are connected to floors at 450 meter by a glass-paneled sloping passageway that makes one feel as if ascending into the sky while taking a stroll. The glass covered sky-walk is considered as The world highest. It gains the altitude as it circles the tower. It was also fun to experience the spatial effects created by the interplay of opposing mirrors and floor lighting.
The high speed 40 passengers capacity elevators are the fastest of their type in Japan. It boasts the speeds of 600 meter per minute. Traveling from the ground to Tembo Deck, it takes about 50 seconds to reach the floor of 350 meter and another 30 seconds to go up 450 meters. The special part of these four Tembo Shuttle elevators are the filming of four seasons scenic sights and a night illumination show in the lift. Its interesting to look up when you can witness the moving of the carriage through certain technical effect.
Any time, any hour, Tokyo Skytree is an attraction. We waited for two hours in a working weekday. It was said that for the first week of its opening in May 2012, it received 1.6 millions of visitors.
The base of Tokyo Skytree was built as if a tripod and in order to offer panoramic views of the rivers and city, the structure was constructed into cylindrical after 350 meter. Skytree is used mainly as a radio, television broadcast and communication tower. Its ground floor is occupied by large shopping complex with aquarium. There are two observation decks at 350 meter and 450m offering bird eye views of this densely populated city of the world.
Tokyo Skytree Town, accessible by many modes of ways, is not too far from our hotel but to save time, we use its shuttle bus service which is very convenient and easy.
Asakusa District was once the site of Kabuki Theaters and today it still survives in the atmosphere of the past decades. The concerts for spectacular Kabuki and highly refined Noh attract crowds of audiences every day. The new covered shopping area where many restaurants located, is also a destination for many tourists.
Asakusa district can be easily explored on foot or by a guided tour on a rickshaw, which cost about 800 yen for a tour of 30 minutes for two persons.
Looking for something sweet or a cup of hot coffee? Every corners have desert stalls to offer you and convenient shops are every where to make you a cup of coffee. The newly invented coffee maker installed in 24 hours 7-11 shops, allowed you self made a cup of coffee of your choice, hot, chilled, sweet or plain. Every way is possible. Japan is a true paradise for snacks!
Dinning is not a problem around the area either. There are 24 hour service Bento shop with 250 kinds of food a day, delivery shop supplied with hundreds of sushi choices, tradition seafood restaurant offering only Hokaido products, and many others.
I choose this shop for our lunch today as I was attracted by its rice cooking tools putting on the front desk. Owner told us that they not only prepare their rice in the tradition olden way but also insisted to use a specific area produced rice. Their specialty is the fresh home made Tamago (Egg Roll). On top of it, they also have many authentic local food and pickles prepared and hygienically on display for the choices of its customers. Every desk is provided with free tea leaves and a flask of hot water. Three of us ordered a roll of their Tamago and 12 different kinds of dishes plus three bowls of rice. We paid 2850 yen (About 28 US dls) for the whole bill and surprisingly, the most expensive item is the rice. I believed the sticky grains with shinning texture are of high quality.
All dishes are delicious, especially the Tamago and their stewed meat ball and simmered potato.
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