Tokyo Tower, Japan

Tokyo Tower is a nickname for the integrated radio tower in Shiba Park, Minato-ku, Tokyo. The official name is Japan Radio Tower. Completed on December 23, 1958. Known as a symbol and tourist attraction of Tokyo.

Overview
It was designed by Tanaka Naito et al. The height is reportedly 333 meters (351 meters above sea level), and the spacing between the tower legs is 88.0 meters. The project was completed with a total construction cost of about 3 billion yen, a year and a half (197,015 hours / 543 days), and a total of 219,335 people. It is a truss-type radio tower with observation towers at 125 meters above ground (about 150 meters above sea level) and 223.55 meters (about 250 meters above sea level).

As a daytime obstruction sign, it is painted in yellow-red (international orange) and white alternately from the top. Broadcast radio waves are transmitted as TV and FM radio antennas (see #Transmission frequency and output). Emergency signals are transmitted as protective radio antennas for the East Japan Railway Company (JR East). And so on.

The image that the height was the highest in Japan for a long time was strong, but it was actually the highest in Japan until the Ogasawara Islands were returned to Japan on June 26, 1968 and passed by Minamitorishima Loran Tower and Iwojima Loran Tower About nine and a half years, and about eleven years from when the Omega Tower in Tsushima (Nagasaki Prefecture) was dismantled until it was overtaken by Tokyo Sky Tree. However, it was the tallest standing tower in Japan for about 51 and a half years before it was overtaken by Tokyo Sky Tree. It is currently the second tallest building in Japan after the Tokyo Sky Tree. The weight is about 4,000 tons.

Concept
Prior to the construction of Tokyo Tower, broadcasters had individually built radio towers 153-177 meters high, broadcasting from their own towers. At these heights, broadcast radio waves could only reach a radius of about 70 km, and radio waves could not be received satisfactorily at Choshi and Mito 100 km away. In addition, since the receiving antenna has directivity, each time the channel is changed, the direction of the antenna must be changed to the direction of each radio tower.

In addition, the overburdening of towers is not a favorable situation in the cityscape, and there is a need for a comprehensive radio tower that unifies radio towers among stakeholders such as Narita Hamada, who was then director of the radio administration bureau of the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications. However, it was planned by each of Hisayoshi Maeda and Nobutaka Kauchi, focusing on the future potential of the broadcasting business, and soon their plans were unified.

There were other plans, but only Tokyo Tower was over 300 meters high, and the next tallest was 200 meters. It was a slim thing without. Hamada thought that if he built the world’s largest tower beyond the Eiffel Tower in Paris and set up an observatory there to attract customers, the construction cost would be paid in 10 years.

Design
Prior to the construction of this tower, “Japan Radio Tower Co., Ltd.” was established. A scholar specializing in structural mechanics of architectural design, he also designed the tower of the battleship Yamato, the Nagoya TV tower and Tsutenkaku in Osaka, and has a track record of designing dozens of radio radio towers. Tanaka Naito, a leading expert in design, and Nikken Sekkei Co., Ltd. jointly designed the tower. Naito conducts a study on a reinforced concrete tower with reference to the Stuttgart TV Tower (216.6 meters) in Germany, which was providing the topic at that time, but if there were considerable difficulties, especially in relation to the foundation, especially for the foundation. Based on this judgment, it was decided to proceed with calculations using a steel tower.

Hisayoshi Maeda says, “It is meaningless to construct it unless it is the tallest tower in the world. A splendid tower (five-story pagoda) that was already more than 57 meters high was made by Japanese people 1300 years ago. We can certainly do it now that technology has progressed. ” The requirements for the design were that the tower, including the antenna, was 380 meters high, an observatory was installed at a high place, and a five-story science museum was built under the tower.

It was presumed that a height of 380 meters was required to transmit radio waves throughout Tokyo, but if it was calculated assuming 380 meters, it could be calculated that the antenna would shake by several meters due to the wind and the image might be disturbed Because it was high, the shaking of the antenna at the tip was suppressed to about several tens of centimeters, there was no adverse effect on broadcasting, and when calculating variously as much as possible to cover the entire Kanto region, the number ”333 meters in height” was calculated Derived, it happened to be the height of a pun intended for “3”. This height was 21 meters higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, at 312 meters (324 meters as of 2000), and was one of the world’s highest freestanding towers at the time.

Initially, a strong wind with a wind speed of 90 meters at the top and a wind speed of 60 meters at the bottom, and a large earthquake (the horizontal seismic intensity considered in the seismic design of the tower was 0.99G, about twice the acceleration estimated near Odawara during the Great Kanto Earthquake. In order to be safe even if it is encountered, the structure was designed by rivet joining as a reliable technique at the time, instead of electric welding, which is advantageous for weight reduction. The wind coefficient was requested by Professor Kamei of the Building Research Institute of the Ministry of Construction at the time, and a wind tunnel experiment was performed. Seismic force is still in the era of static analysis, and wind pressure was more dominant in steel towers, so k = 0.16 + h / 400 was applied as the horizontal seismic intensity according to the seismic force calculation method of the Building Standards Law. The analysis and calculations were all manual, using Cremona’s solution and Castigliano’s theorem, which were common methods of solving trusses.

The final check of the structural calculation report was carried out together with his own design firm, Yasushi Tanaka and Nikken Sekkei, at a retreat at Waseda University’s Futakisha in Atami for three days in a canned state. Naito, who finished the design, said, “I don’t have such a wonderful view.” Later, the proof stress was verified with the three-dimensional frame model stress analysis software “FRAN”, but the results were consistent with considerable accuracy.

In addition, Tsutomu Kato (Professor Emeritus, The University of Tokyo; President, Welding Research Institute, Japan) received a third-party evaluation that the reliability of the structure of Tokyo Tower is high, according to the “Structural Safety of Tokyo Tower” (2007) ing. At the time, the height of the building was determined to be less than 100 feet (about 31 meters) under the Building Standards Law at the time, but the tower was considered a work and could be built.

Tokyo Tower as a tourist facility
The revenue from this tower exceeds 50% from tourism. It has become a standard destination on school excursions and other destinations near Tokyo. In 1959, the year after its opening, Ueno Zoo’s annual visitor record was 3.6 million, which was significantly lower than that of Ueno Zoo, with 5.13 million visitors (Jan-Dec). Although there was a temporary drop, 3 million people are visiting the tower each year.

The tower is often used by local and foreign tourists, and some locals in Tokyo say that “Tokyo Tower is the place where” Onobori-san “goes”. Therefore, Nippon Denpato Co., Ltd. raised the number of visitors by changing employee awareness, hiring young designers, and planning illuminations.

In conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the opening of business on December 23, 2008, the following businesses were conducted.

From December 2007 to August 2008, the elevator connecting Foottown and the Observation Deck was gradually renovated. Each of the three units has a theme.The first unit that went was “ Rubik’s Cube of Light ”, the second unit was “ UNIVERSE ”, the first unit was “ UFO ”, and the ceiling changed color when moving Is given. In addition, the operation speed was slightly increased, and the required time was reduced from 1 minute to 45 seconds.

The tower hall on the first floor of Foottown, which was used as a rest area and dining space for visitors, was renamed “Tokyo Tower Hall” and all spaces were converted into multipurpose halls.
On August 5, 2008, a part of the 3rd floor of Foottown was renovated and opened as “Tower Gallery 3.3.3.3”, with three facilities including exhibition space, shop and cafe.

Observatory

Main Deck (formerly Observation Deck)
The main deck is located 120m above ground in a two-story structure, and the elevator from the first floor of the foot town arrives at the second floor of the observatory and drops off guests. When you return, you will get off the elevator from the first floor of the main deck. There are evacuation corridors at 53 meters and 88 meters. If the elevator stops, you can move to the corridor at low speed and evacuate.

The stairs (590 steps) connecting Foottown and the main deck are open to the public on Saturdays, holidays, and public holidays. You cannot get into the elevator on the way, and there is a note near the stairway entrance stating, “If you are unwell, please do not use the stairs.” When you go up the stairs, you will be given a serial number-certified “Noppon Certified Ascending Staircase Certificate”. The down stairs are open on weekdays. The stairs connecting the main deck and the top deck are for emergency use and cannot be used by ordinary customers.

Previously, a paid telescope was installed on the observatory, but now it has been removed and rental of binoculars has begun. Previously, there was a small hole under the glass window from which some customers flew paper airplanes, but that hole does not currently exist. In addition, the observatory had an advertisement under the signboard at the view point until the renewal in April 2002. A wheelchair can be used up to the main deck, and the AED is located on the first floor of the main deck. In addition to the Braille notation on the observatory layout, there is also Braille notation on the view.

The concept is “a magnificent view of Tokyo where you can relax and enjoy”. Under renovation step by step as of June 2018.

Lookdown window (1st floor)
Floor that can be seen directly below made of tempered glass of 160cm x 60cm. There are two places on the front side of the tower. Existing 50cm squares exist on the Hamamatsucho Station side (East side) and Akabanebashi Station side (South side). Workers who change illumination bulbs may walk here to see if they can work at high altitudes.

Club333 special stage (1st floor)
Requests can be made on the website at concerts and request programs held every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

CAFE la TOUR (1st floor)
The observation cafe is 60cm higher than the observation deck floor. Food is heated by electricity because the observatory cannot handle fire. Coffee, milk, beer, cake, brioche, dorayaki with a branding of the tower are sold.

Goods shop (2nd floor)

Rental scope (2nd floor)
Vixen’s 10x magnification binoculars are rented out for 500 yen.

Tower Daijingu (2nd floor)
The highest shrine in Tokyo’s 23 wards. In commemoration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of Japan Radio Tower Co., Ltd., he prayed for the prosperity of the business and the safety of visitors to the tower. The god of the god is Amaterasu-Omami.

The Observation Deck was renamed the Main Deck along with the renovation on March 3, 2018.

Top Deck (formerly Special Observatory)
The special observation deck is located 223.55m above the ground, and the work table that was originally set up has been left as it is. It has been used as a warehouse for broadcasting equipment and equipment for about 10 years since its opening, and opened in July 1967. From the special observatory, you can overlook the city center and the cityscape of Tokyo, and if the weather is good you can see the cityscapes of Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba prefectures and mountains such as Mt.Fuji, but business will be canceled due to weather or other reasons Sometimes. Previously, the way of admission was different, and the admission fee had to be paid in addition to the entrance fee of the observatory (currently the main deck). A number is assigned to the entrance ticket, and the liquid crystal display installed on the ceiling of the 2nd floor of the observatory will guide you to the reserved ticket number XX. Was displayed and admission was restricted. Currently, reservations are required.

The toilets on the special observation deck (currently the top deck) are Western style and are available for men and women. There are public telephones, but no shops or vending machines. There is a garbage can, but the hole is about the size of a can. In the past, from the second floor of the observatory, we used a staircase decorated with the theme of “Wind and Light Prologue” and an escalator to reach the elevator hall to the top deck, but this is different now. For this reason, wheelchairs cannot be used. AED is installed. During a major repair in March 2018, the Special Observatory was renamed the Top Deck.

After renovation, it is finished beautifully with geometric mirrors and LED lighting. Tickets are reserved in advance on the Internet or at the ticket office on the first floor. When you go sightseeing, you take a tour and call it a “top deck tour.”

Foot town
A five-story sightseeing and entertainment facility beneath the tower, formerly called the Tower Building and also a science museum. Designed as a tower weight. In the past, TEPCO and Fuji Television showrooms such as TEPCO Tower Land and Fuji Television Tower Plaza have also moved in.

Located in the base of the tower is a 4-story building known as FootTown. The first floor includes the Aquarium Gallery, a reception hall, the 400-person-capacity “Tower Restaurant”, a FamilyMart convenience store and a souvenir shop. This floor’s main attractions, however, are the three elevators that serve as a direct ride to the Main Observatory. The second floor is primarily a food and shopping area. In addition to the five standalone restaurants, the second floor’s food court consists of four restaurants, including a McDonald’s and a Pizza-La.

FootTown’s third and fourth floors house several tourist attractions. The third floor is home to the Guinness World Records Museum Tokyo, a museum that houses life-size figures, photo panels and memorabilia depicting interesting records that have been authenticated by the Guinness Book. The Tokyo Tower Wax Museum, opened in 1970, displays wax figures imported from London where they were made. The figures on display range from pop culture icons such as The Beatles to religious figures such as Jesus Christ. A hologram gallery named the Gallery DeLux, a lounge and a few specialty stores are also located on this floor. Tokyo Tower’s Trick Art Gallery is located on the building’s fourth and final floor. This gallery displays optical illusions, including paintings and objects that visitors can interact with.

On the roof of the FootTown building is a small amusement park that contains several small rides and hosts live performances for children. On weekends and holidays, visitors can use the roof to access the tower’s outside stairwell. At approximately 660 steps, the stairwell is an alternative to the tower’s elevators and leads directly to the Main Observatory.

Current facility

Rooftop
There are direct stairs to the observatory and a ticket office. When the weather is fine, the elevator that descends from the observatory drops guests off on the roof.
Rooftop amusement park
Glass Square-Outdoor Event Square.

4th and 5th floor
Tokyo One Piece Tower (From March 13, 2015)-An attraction facility with the theme of “ONE PIECE”.
There is a TV and radio transmission station on the 5th floor. Outsiders are not allowed.

3rd floor
Japan Information Industry Newspaper
Tokyo Tower Official Shop Galaxy (directly managed store)
Mother Farm Cafe
Tower taiyaki
Tokyo Tower Tourist Information Center-An information center for foreign tourists operated by JTB Communication Design. It consists of tourist information and foreign currency exchange in Tokyo and neighboring areas, PC space where Wi-Fi spot and Internet can be used, and event space.

2nd floor
There is an entrance directly to the parking lot and a west entrance on the Mos Burger side.
Various souvenir shops
restaurant
Caricature Corner-Formerly at the observatory, but has moved to Foottown.
There is a city charge near the doorway that allows you to charge smartphones and other devices for free using the power of solar panels on street corners.

1st floor
There is a front entrance and the ticket office is outside.
Tower hall
Various souvenir shops

Underground
Management office. No outsiders allowed. The staff cafeteria is on the second basement floor. A nurse is stationed in the doctor’s office, and a doctor from Jikei University comes twice a week.

Tokyo One Piece Tower
Tokyo One Piece Tower is an indoor theme park for the popular Japanese manga series, One Piece. It opened on March 13, 2015 inside Tokyo Tower. Since its opening, it has undergone a partial renovation and reopened on June 18, 2016. It offers several games and attractions based on characters of the Straw Hat Crew from One Piece, entertainment shows, merchandise shops and themed restaurants, and seasonal events and campaigns.

The core concept is that the whole park is an island in the New World called Tongari Island (トンガリ島), that the Straw Hat Crew landed on, and they created games and attractions for their fans with the islanders. The island’s leader is Tongari Den Den Mushi who frequently appears as the guide in some attractions and the website. Tongari (トンガリ) means “pointed” or “sharp” in Japanese and it refers to the shape of Tokyo Tower.

360 Log Theatre -The World of One Piece
It is an experiential attraction where the famous scenes of Straw Hat Crew adventure from the manga series are projected onto a 360 degree omnidirectional screen. It is located on the third floor, the entrance floor of One Piece Tower, and the first attraction to welcome visitors to the island.

Luffy’s Endless Adventure
It is a walkthrough attraction that follows the adventurous history of the protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy and his fellow characters. It is located on the 5th floor. There are life-size statues of characters, miniatures, and exhibition panels.

There is a movie theater with a wide screen at the end showing an original short film only available at Tokyo One Piece Tower.

Zoro’s Soul of Edge
It is an interactive game based on one of Straw Hat Crew, Roronoa Zoro located on the fourth floor. Inside is a Dojo that Zoro established and the players must slash down cannons fired from the screen in front to defeat Marines with a sword using Zoro’s skills.

Also, Zoro’s and other characters’ swords and weapons are displayed on the wall inside this attraction.

Nami’s Casino House
It is an interactive attraction based on the navigator of Straw Hat Crew, Nami (One Piece) located on the fourth floor. It’s a casino game where the players bet a certain amount of Berries, the world currency in One Piece, for a three-point match to win a jackpot. The winners with over certain amount of Berries receive a VIP card.

Usopp’s Road to Sogeking
It is an interactive game based on one of Straw Hat Crew, Usopp located on the fourth floor. The players will shoot the Marines with a slingshot, Usopp’s iconic weapon for a given time. The last enemy is the World Government.

Chopper’s Thousand Sunny Tours
It is an interactive walkthrough attraction guided by one of Straw Hat Crew, Tony Tony Chopper located on the fourth floor. The whole attraction imitates the interior of Straw Hat Crew’s second ship, Thousand Sunny. It includes the kitchen and dining, Nami and Robin’s bedroom, and other facilities inside Thousand Sunny.

Robin’s Finding Ponegliff
It is an interactive game based on one of Straw Hat Crew, Nico Robin located on the fourth floor involving the whole park. The players are given one Transponder Snail to find many ancient characters hidden all over the park to finally discover Ponegliff in the ancient remains.

Franky’s Park
It is an area dedicated to the shipwright, Franky on the fourth floor. There is a pinball machine called “Franky’s Ball Run in the shape of Franky, colorful kid’s area with toys, and a small cafe called Franky’s Cola Bar offering light meals and beverages.

Brook’s Horror House
It is a haunted house based on one of Straw Hat Crew, Brook. The players will be given one salt ball (塩玉) to defeat zombies roaming inside the haunted house.

Tongari Island Photo Spots
There are numerous photo spots inside the park including characters’ life-size statues, portraits, special exhibitions, etc.

Photography
This is a tourist spot in the center of Tokyo, a tower of light that is more than 300 meters above the ground. When photographing people and the tower together, the tower is too close on the premises, and because of its huge size, there are some people who bend down and shoot. Some people lie down when shooting children. To that end, a standing signboard for commemorative photography is installed on the Tokyo Tower on the left side of the front entrance. This photo was taken near the No. 2 tower leg on the entrance side of the second floor, where the light is on, and a group photo of group customers is also taken near the second floor entrance.

In daytime shooting from the front entrance side, a flash is necessary because the face is blackened by backlight. However, in that case, be careful as the tower looks dark, but recent cameras have automatic backlight compensation, so it is easy to shoot with HDR or auto.