Tokyo Tower, also known simply as Tokyo Tower, is a famous landmark located in Shiba Park, Minato Ward, Tokyo. It is one of the most iconic sights of the city. Its official name is the "Nippon Broadcasting Tower," and it was completed in 1958. Standing at 332.9 meters, it remained one of the tallest structures in Japan for many years until it was surpassed by Tokyo Skytree in 2012.
The design of Tokyo Tower was inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris, but it is taller and lighter in weight. The tower is painted in alternating red and white stripes, not as a reference to the Japanese national flag, but to comply with aviation regulations for air safety visibility. About one-third of the steel used in its construction came from decommissioned U.S. military tanks left over from the Korean War.
Inside the tower, the FootTown building at its base houses museums, shops, restaurants, and even an aquarium, offering visitors a variety of attractions. Tourists can take elevators up to two observation decks: the Main Deck at 150 meters and the Top Deck at 249.6 meters. From there, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of Tokyo, and on clear days, even see Mount Fuji and the Southern Alps in the distance.
Beyond tourism, Tokyo Tower has long served as a broadcasting and television transmission hub for stations such as NHK, TBS, and Fuji TV. With the advent of digital broadcasting, most of its primary transmission functions have been transferred to Tokyo Skytree, though Tokyo Tower is still maintained as a backup facility.
The tower’s illumination design is overseen by renowned lighting designer Motoko Ishii. The lighting colors change with the seasons, adding a gentle charm to Tokyo’s nightscape. Every five years, the tower undergoes a complete repainting, which takes about a year to finish—a massive undertaking.
Over the decades, Tokyo Tower has become not only a technological and architectural achievement but also a cultural symbol. It has appeared in countless anime, films, and literary works, carrying the memories of both Japanese citizens and visitors from around the world. To this day, it continues to attract large numbers of domestic and international tourists.
