I went to Tokyo on a business trip to attend two real estate meetings.
Between the meetings, I went to see my apartment in Shiba Koen. The apartment was well maintained inside and outside.
From the 15th floor, Cornes‘ building is seen across the street.
They sell expensive cars like Ferrarris.
Tokyo Tower is in a walking distance from the apartment. I walked there to see it.
A well-known view from the precincts of Jozoji Temple.
At the foot of Tokyo Tower.
I took an elevator to climb up to the first stage located at 150 m from the ground.
A small shrine exists on the floor.
I then went up to the second stage at 250 m from the ground.
The views of Tokyo.
Tokyo was much crowded than I imagined.
I took an elevator down to the lower part of the first stage at 150 m. There were windows on the floor to look down through. I was not able to step on them.
I once came up to the tower with Katya some three or four years ago. It will be fun to come again together.
Of course, it must a great time with the sky tree about to be finished (in 3-4 months?)… very close. Actually, I am very weak at heights, but for some reason I can stand on the plexiglass floor without too many dramas. It’s always fun… but also a lot easier at night.
It’s great that Tokyo Tower is still able to pull a crowd of people, even though as an observatory it’s been well and truly surpassed. It still has a charm from yesteryear… I hope it retains some of its popularity once the sky tree opens up.
I was able to see the ground through the glass window, but could not step on it. I checked other people, and they dared not, either.
The number of visitors was much less than before; I even did not have to stand in line. However, you still have a very nice view. And Tokyo Tower has a history.
I hope Tokyo Tower retains its charm, because a merit of my apartment, in an advertisement sense, is that from the window, you see Tokyo Tower.
One of the best advertisements for Tokyo Tower was “Always”, the movie. It brought life to that history, even as a supporting cast member. It’s no Eiffel Tower, but it’s an important reminder of a period of re-birth for Japan. Some might say, it also highlighted a period of some social insecurity in Japan, or ‘show over substance’… but I think this only really happened in the monuments in the 80′s-early 90′s. Tokyo Tower has it’s genesis in the much more naive exuberance of Japan coming out of the shadow (of so many things).
Tokyo Sky Tree is different, and I suspect that whilst the designers/financiers might hope for the same ‘history’, that actually the writers of history will be quite a bit less positive. The other problem with the Sky Tree is location… it seems an odd choice, and I understood the original location was even further out of Tokyo. Still, Japan’s economy and cultural mindset needs a symbol – now more than ever. I hope the opening of the Sky Tree can provide that… another symbol of rebirth after dark days.
“Always” is one of my favorite movies! The third movie of the series has appeared on the screen today, January 21. The year of the movie this time is 1964, when the Olympic games were held in Tokyo.
Tokyo Tower, with our present eyes, looks feminine compared with Sky Tree. The latter looks more authoritarian.
Some people seem to have the similar feelings as when Tokyo Tower was built. As you said, Ben, Japan needs something simple that shows progress. For that, the building-up of Sky Tree will be a good news.