Tokyo Skytree

Built as a broadcast tower and opened to the public in 2012, Tokyo Skytree has quickly become a popular spot in Tokyo. At 2,080 feet (634 meters), it’s the world’s largest self-supporting tower. Observation decks give you 360-degree views of Tokyo, its skyscrapers, river and harbor, and surroundings stretching southwest 60 miles (100 kilometers) to Mount Fuji. The exact tower height was chosen because “six-three-four” in Japanese sounds like Musashi, the ancient name for the area surrounding Tokyo. The tower is near Tokyo’s Asakusa area and is easily visible from anywhere in the city with blue or purple lighting on alternating evenings. It is nearly twice as tall as Tokyo Tower.From Skytree Town at the tower base, pay the fee to take an elevator to Skytree Tembo Deck at 1,148 feet (350 meters) for exceptional views. This level also has a gift shop, café and Sky Restaurant 634, which features Japanese-French fusion cuisine.For an additional fee, you can ascend through a glass tube to Skytree Tembo Galleria. Here, a walkway spirals upward around the tower to reach the ultimate observation height of 1,476 feet (450 meters), giving you the feeling that you are “walking in the sky.”At ground level, Tokyo Skytree Town offers plenty to do. Solamachi shopping complex has more than 300 stores and restaurants, an aquarium with 10,000 sea animals and a planetarium, which has shows with Japanese narration. More restaurants top the adjacent Skytree East Building office complex.Purchase tickets for the lower observation deck in advance for a specific time and date via a Japanese website using a Japanese credit card. Alternatively, same-day tickets can be purchased on floor four of Skytree Town. Tickets for the Galleria level are available only on the Tembo deck. Weekdays offer the best opportunity to avoid crowds, and of course, days of clear visibility provide the greatest value for the observation visit.Tokyo Skytree has its own subway station and can also be reached by direct bus lines from major city hubs. Cars are discouraged.