Tokyo Tower, the landmark monument of Tokyo, is one of the worlds tallest towers made of self-supporting steel. It is also the tallest man made structure in Japan. The design of the tower has a close resemblance with that of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, but is actually 9 meters taller and 3 thousand tons lighter than the Eiffel Tower. The difference in weight is attributed to the kind of steel used and exceptional Japanese technology.

The Tokyo Tower is painted white and orange to conform with air safety regulations. It takes more than 28,000 liters of paint to repaint the tower every 5 years. During the winter, one can easily see its’ primary radiant orange color and the shining white in the summer. The lighting of the tower will often change, signifying a special function or event taking place within the city.

Although the Tokyo Tower is surrounded by many buildings, due to its’ height and structure, can be spotted from other fabulous locations such as the Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Bay, and The Imperial Palace Garden.

The tower is used to support broadcasting signal antennas for both FM radio and television channels. The special observatory set up at the top of the tower, helps visitors view distant tourist sights such as Mt. Tsukuba and Mt. Fuji. From the main observatory one can enjoy a 360 degree view of the entire Kanto region that surrounds Tokyo. Tourists are invited to take a break and do a little shopping in one of the many stores located at the base of the tower.

The first floor of the tower has an incredible aquarium collection open to the public, and currently displaying fifty thousand different varieties of fish. The third floor houses a wax museum and the Mysterious Walking Zone.

In spite of being built primarily as the broadcasting center for radio and television, the Tokyo tower is now one of the major attractions for tourists visiting Tokyo. Some may find it to be a bit expensive but it definitely should be on your “places to visit” list.