Architectural introduction to Tokyo Tower

Tokyo Tower is the tallest independent iron tower in Japan with a height of 333 meters. The iron tower is supported by four legs and is a pyramid. The tower body is painted in sections of orange and milky white, which is bright and eye-catching. The tower is responsible for the radio transmission tasks of 7 TV stations, 21 TV relay stations and radio stations. At a height of 100 meters, there is a two-story observation deck; at a height of 250 meters, there is a glass observation deck, where you can overlook the entire city of Tokyo. The lower part of the tower is the Iron Tower Building, with a lounge on the first floor, a shopping mall on the second floor, a wax museum with the largest scale in the Far East on the third floor, and a modern science museum and a television studio on the fourth floor.

Background

Before the birth of Tokyo Tower, the tallest tower in the world was the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, but Tokyo Tower surpassed it by 13 meters, reaching a height of 333 meters. However, the construction materials used were only half of those of the Eiffel Tower, and it took a year and a half to build the tower. With such little materials and such a short time, this giant typhoon-resistant and earthquake-resistant behemoth was erected on the ground, which shocked the world.

When the Tokyo Tower was built, part of the cemetery of Zojoji Temple on the original site was destroyed. It is said that supernatural phenomena often occur here.

Tokyo Tower has a large observation deck at 150 meters and a special observation deck at 249.9 meters, offering a panoramic view of Tokyo and Mount Fuji on a clear day. There is a four-story Tokyo Tower directly below the tower. In addition to the entrance and exit to the observatory, it also houses the Tokyo Tower Aquarium and various souvenir shops.

One-third of the steel used to build the tower came from US tank scrap during the Korean War.

Tokyo Tower is owned by Nippon Radio Tower Co., Ltd., which is responsible for its daily maintenance and management.

Features

Tokyo Tower was formerly the highest point in Tokyo (later surpassed by Tokyo Skytree). The pyramid-shaped iron tower is supported by four legs. The tower body is painted in orange and milky white. , bright and eye-catching.

Radio Antenna

The upper part of the tower is equipped with radio transmitting antennas for 7 TV stations, 21 TV repeaters and broadcast stations in Tokyo.

The upper part of the tower is the heart of the entire building, sending radio waves to the outside world for NHK (abbreviation of Japan Broadcasting Association), Nippon Television Network, Tokyo Broadcasting, TV Asahi, Fuji TV, Channel 12 and other television stations 7 channels transmit programs. In addition, it can also emit special radio waves for reconnaissance, firefighting, etc. The four piers at the base of the tower are each 80 meters apart. There is a 5-story building within the four piers, which houses restaurants, department stores, etc., with complete supplies, which greatly facilitates tourists. What is particularly worth mentioning is that Lounet has opened a science museum, which displays televisions, radio equipment, various experimental instruments, and colorful science pictures, allowing tourists to have fun and increase their knowledge.

Observation Tower

There is a two-story observation deck built at a height of 150 meters on the tower for visitors to climb up and enjoy the scenery. There is a special observation deck at a height of 250 meters. Three elevators continuously transport visitors. It only takes one minute to take the elevator from the ground floor of the building to the observatory. If you want to hike, you need to climb 563 steps.

The observatory is a 20-meter-square room surrounded by a large piece of glass. Visitors feel as if they were born in the sky and far away from the world. On a clear day, looking down, you can have an unobstructed view of the entire Tokyo. The beautiful Mount Fuji to the west, wrapped in light makeup, is graceful and beautiful, which is amazing. At night, the lights on the tower suddenly light up, forming a colorful pattern in the night sky, which becomes more magical and majestic.

Iron Tower Building

The lower part of the tower is the Iron Tower Building, with a lounge on the first floor, a shopping mall on the second floor, and the largest wax museum in Japan and the Far East on the third floor. There are dozens of life-size wax figures inside. The surrounding scenery includes mythical fairyland, terrifying prison cells, forced confession rooms and other scenes. The lighting and sound effects make visitors feel like they are there. On the right side of the entrance to the building, there is also a statue of the dogs that participated in the first Antarctic expedition. The fourth floor is the Modern Science Museum and the TV studio, and the fifth floor is the radio transmitter.

Sculptures under the Tower

The sculptures of the Antarctic Birch Dogs stand on the right side of the entrance to the lower part of the Tokyo Tower.

When the Japanese Antarctic Observation Team first landed in Antarctica in 1956, 23 birch dogs were used as sled dogs. In February 1958, due to deteriorating weather, the observation team was forced to abandon 15 of the dogs when they returned to Japan. It was not until January 14, 1959, when the observation team went to the Antarctic base again that they discovered that two dogs were still alive. The two surviving dogs were named "Taro" and "Jiro". The news of the survival of "Taro" and "Jiro" has brought a lot of shock and emotion in Japan. The Japan Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals specially invited sculptor Ando Shi, who once made a statue of the loyal dog Hachiko, to create a commemorative memorial for these 15 hachiko dogs. The sculpture was installed under Tokyo Tower in September 1959.

In August 2012, the Tokyo Tower Operation Company began planning the greening work around the tower. After obtaining the consent of the Animal Protection Association, it finally decided to move the "Antarctic Birch Sculpture" to another location. It is understood that the "15 Hutai Dogs" will be temporarily placed in the warehouse of the Tokyo Tower Operating Company before finding a "new home".

On May 15, 2013, according to Japan's "Sankei Shimbun" report, the managers of Japan's Tokyo Tower announced on the 15th that the "Antarctic Birch Dog Group Statues" that had been installed under the Tokyo Tower for half a century The relocation work of "Sculpture" officially started on the 15th.