We’ve got a pretty good reason to celebrate this month as Tokyo Skytree rings in its tenth anniversary on Sunday May 22. The iconic addition to the city skyline opened to the public on May 22 2012 and stands at a towering 634m over Tokyo’s Sumida neighbourhood.
Tokyo Skytree mainly functions as a TV broadcasting tower, but it’s also a must-visit tourist destination as it houses two observation decks, the Sumida Aquarium and the Tokyo Skytree Town complex featuring over 300 shops and restaurants.
One of the two observation points you can visit is the Tembo Deck, 350m above ground. If that’s not high enough for you, you can head up to Sorakara Point, Tokyo’s highest observation deck, perched 450m high in the sky. Both decks offer unobstructed views of the city from every direction.
Designed by Japanese architectural firm Nikken Sekkei, Tokyo Skytree is also recognised by the Guinness World Records as the tallest tower in the world and is also the world’s third tallest structure after the Burj Khalifa in Dubai and Merdeka 118 in Kuala Lumpur.
The tower is a stunning sight in the evening, with its LED illuminated patterns that change throughout the year. It even lights up in special colours for holidays and major events such as the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Even from the other side of the city, Skytree has become an unmistakable part of the skyline. One unmissable event is the Diamond Skytree phenomenon, where you can watch the sunrise or sunset align perfectly with the tip of Tokyo Skytree. You can usually catch the sight from Ikebukuro's Sunshine City at certain times of the year.
To celebrate, Tokyo Skytree is hosting several exciting events including the Tokyo Skytree Town 10th Anniversary celebration and light up on May 22 and the summer-long JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure 10th anniversary at Tokyo Skytree.
We can’t believe it’s already been ten years since the Skytree went up – here’s to many more years of Tokyo’s iconic twinkling tower. For more information on Tokyo Skytree, visit the website.
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