Tokyo Tower

Tokyo Tower Review

In 1958 Tokyo's fledgling TV networks needed a tall antenna array to transmit signals. Trying to emerge from the devastation of World War II, the nation's capital was also hungry for a landmark—a symbol for the aspirations of a city still without a skyline. The result was the 1,093-foot-high Tokyo Tower, an unabashed knockoff of Paris's Eiffel Tower, but with great views of the city. The Grand Observation Platform, at an elevation of 492 feet, and the Special Observation Platform, at an elevation of 820 feet, quickly became major tourist attractions; they still draw some 3 million visitors a year, the vast majority of them Japanese youngsters on their first trip to the big city. A modest art gallery, Guinness Book of World Records Museum Tokyo, and a wax museum round out the tower's appeal as an amusement complex. Enjoy live music and stunning views on the main observation-floor café during Club 333 (Wed. and Thurs. 7-9pm, Fri. 7-9:30pm), an in-house radio show, featuring live jazz, R&B, and bossa nova performances at no extra charge.