Japan Itinerary: Our Tokyo Skytree Experience

If you are fond of cityscapes and spectacular city views enjoyed from hundreds of meters aboveground and you know that chances of you returning to Japan is slim, you should include Tokyo Skytree in your itinerary and make it one of your priorities, given that it's a one-of-a-kind experience. 

 

The Tokyo Skytree, a broadcasting and observation tower with a height of 634 meters, is the second tallest structure in the world, next to Burj Khalifa of Dubai. 

It remarkably embodies Japan's affinity for the fusion of old and new. According to the developer, traditional Japanese and modern architectural and engineering techniques were employed in constructing the building.

 

For earthquake resistance, the principle of shinbashira- a central pillar that acts as a damper- used in building the ancient pagodas of Japan was adopted. Ever wondered how historically no pagoda has ever toppled down due to an earthquake? The Japanese designers believe that shinbashira should be given credit for that.

Part of its marvelous design, the viewing deck carefully nestled on top of the tower is what would surely take your breath away. With a viewing distance of up to 70 kilometers, they say that you could see Mt. Fuji on a clear day.

Tokyo Skytree has its own train station which makes it easily accessible from any point in Tokyo. Aside from the tower itself, there are other attractions in the complex: Tokyo Solamachi- a shopping mall that houses tons of shops and restaurants; Sumida Aquarium- one of the largest aquaria in Japan; Minolta Planetarium- an aromatherapy planetarium; and plenty of green spaces for relaxation and photo opportunities with the Tokyo Skytree in the background.

To fully appreciate the tower's height, we first strolled around the area and took photos of the tower from the nearby park. 

 

We wanted to see the city's beauty shift from day to night and decided to buy tickets at around 4:30PM. 

 

Full of excitement, we bought the Fast Skytree Tickets which cost 2,820 yen each, just 760 Yen more than the regular tickets. These are exclusively sold to foreign tourists (non-Japanese residents/passport holders). 

The ticket gives you faster and easier access to the Tembo Deck-- no need to wait in long queues, in just a few minutes after buying the tickets, you will be escorted towards the elevator and enjoying a 360-degree view of Tokyo at 350 meters above the ground.

Inside the flyer is a panorama guide on what landmarks you can see from each pillar of the observation deck. Mt. Fuji can be spotted between Pillars 8 and 9, if you are lucky.

 

[This is the lift lobby, with celing pattern that mimics Tokyo Skytree's truss network and lit in the same color as the building's exterior.]

Only the Tembo Deck is covered by the ticket bought at the entrance. At an additional fee of 1000 Yen for the ticket sold at Tembo Deck, you could go up to Tembo Galleria for an additional viewing height of 100meters. 

Waiting for the cityscape to change phase, we stayed for about three hours at Tembo Deck. It was a wise decision; we got to see the best of both worlds: 

Tokyo in broad daylight-- a sprawling concrete jungle, 

 

Tokyo at night, bereft of natural light-- a spectacle of silhouettes and dazzling lights.

 

Due to strenuous walking from our stopover at Ueno, Luvley spent the entire time sitting on the bench while relishing magnificent views of the city. It was a perfect spot to unwind and think.

 

There was a huge crowd during our visit since it was a Japanese holiday. Getting unobstructed views for a long time was impossible. But it was still overall a great experience, even if it was also hard to take good shots.

 

For a sumptuous feast, you can relax and enjoy exclusive Skytree sweets at the Skytree Cafe. There's also a restaurant (Sky Restaurant) at Floor 345.

 

For a giddy experience, step onto the glass floor and see the entirety of Skytree's steel framework.

 

At around 7:00PM we decided to go down and take night shots of Tokyo Skytree from the podium. 

We were also quite in a hurry since we were set to meet a high school friend, who's studying in Japan. Plus, we were looking forward to experiencing the quirky and crazy Shibuya.

More photos of our day in Tokyo here.