Tokyo Skytree, Communication tower in Oshiage district, Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo Skytree is a steel structure in the Oshiage district that rises 634 meters (2,080 feet) and serves as a television and communication tower. Two observation decks sit at 350 meters (1,150 feet) and 450 meters (1,475 feet), offering views across the city and the surrounding region.
Construction began in July 2008 and finished in February 2012 to expand digital television broadcasting capacity. The project replaced older facilities and became a new landmark for the eastern part of the city.
The tower's name was chosen by a nationwide vote in 2008, when "Tokyo Skytree" took about 33,000 of 110,000 ballots ahead of "Tokyo Edo Tower". Its height of 634 metres encodes the old province name Musashi through goroawase wordplay: 6 is mu, 3 is sa and 4 is shi. The exterior is painted "Skytree White", a bluish white based on the traditional colour aijiro.
The observation decks open daily from 9 in the morning until 10 at night and connect directly to Tokyo Skytree Station or Oshiage Station. On clear days, visibility extends far beyond the city limits toward the mountains to the west.
A damping system in the core works like a giant pendulum to absorb shaking during earthquakes. Thirteen elevators carry visitors through 29 floors while digital television signals broadcast from the upper levels at the same time.
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