Tokyo Tower
Stumbled onto some photos of Tokyo Tower being built and thought I'd share. Love looking at photos of Japan in the past. Really tough finding decent ones though. Do let us know if you know of any libraries or stocks online.
After the NHK started to broadcast TV back in 1953, a large tower became a necessity to broadcast the analog waves over the Kanto region which lead to the construction of the 332.5 meter tall Tokyo Tower in 1958.
Tokyo Tower took only just over a year to build and is currently the tallest self-supporting steel structure in the world and the tallest artificial structure in Japan.
Today, Tokyo Tower makes its moolah from tourism and antenna leasing to the TV stations.
In 2011 however Japan is going to ditch analog TV for terrestrial digital broadcasting. The current height of Tokyo Tower is not adequate to cover the region with digital broadcasting which is why the Tokyo Sky Tree is being constructed - a tower 634 meters tall thats due to open to the public in 2012.
The Tokyo Sky Tree is obviously problematic for Tokyo Tower as all the broadcasting companies are planning to jump ship and pay for the antennas on the Sky Tree.
Because of this, the folks who run Tokyo Tower are planning on increasing the height of Tokyo Tower by 100 meters which involves increasing the actual structure height by 20 meters. Am presuming that the rest will be made up of some long extension at the top.
Tokyo Tower even has its own image girl - Umeda Ayaka.
And if you was wondering what those dolphin shaped pink objects in the video were - they is being the Tokyo Tower mascots called Noppon.
Errr, photos not in order ^^;
Update: While deciding on the Japanese title of this post, I came across more photos of Tokyo Tower under construction - photos taken from the same spot.
The rest of this photo set can be seen at Mainichi.
This photo taken in 1962.
And this is Tokyo Tower present day. Took this photo a while ago and you can see this and the photos below in the other Tokyo Tower post.
Here is a map to Tokyo Tower below. You can get there from any of the following stations:-
Akabanebashi ( 赤羽橋駅)
Kamiya-cho (神谷町駅)
Onarimon (御成門駅)
Shibakouen (芝公園駅)
Daimon(大門駅)
Hamamatsucho (浜松町駅)
Some of these photos in the Wallpaper Pool which I havent updated for ages.
History and other nitty gritty about Tokyo Tower from English and Japanese Wikipedia.
If you are interested in reading about life in Japan, seeing photos taken daily around Tokyo, like Japanese subculture (anime, manga, figures, Dollfies) then you may want to start delving into the Japan or Figure categories for a start or have a gander at all photo articles.
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SalaryMex XD
http://www.morningmusumex.com/
wanna be there someday!
Student
http://www.lesterho.com
Am wondering Will Kansai region going to have digital broadcasting too?
wow, tokyo Sky Tree would be higher than Ostankino tower http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostankino_Tower
*is it possible to use html (or other ) tags for links in comments ?
CEO MIrai Inc
http://www.dannychoo.com/profile/eng/
Urls should automatically become clickable.
New media student
I haven't visited the tower, but I'll be visiting Tokyo again in few weeks, so I guess this time I should. I like tall buildings.
Mecha Student
What do I choose if I am posting this, while standing under the tower? (Yes I know the trains stopped service... that's why I am stuck there...)
Troubleshooter, Universal Exports
http://funkyblueame.tumblr.com/
Looking at Tokyo today one would almost forget it much like a small urban town at the end of the 1940's and early 1950's. Today Tokyo is major international metropolitan city. I wonder what it will look like in another 45 to 70 years?
Wo often think of cities as static. In reality they are always in a state of flux.
IT specialist for application development, Business Process Manager
http://www.lukisblog.de
I was there of course and I really loved it! Weill go there next year again ^^;
studying comp studies
http://bruneian-otaku.blogspot.com
Will visit there soon. ^^
Danny, you misspelled her name, it's Umeda Ayaka, not Akaya. ^^
Anyway, been there done that. Tokyo Tower that is. I remember first day in Tokyo my plane arrived in Narita mid-afternoon, by the time I reached the hotel, it was evening. So first thing I did was go straight to Akabane and climb up the tower. Great view.
BTW, why the hell do they want to extend the height of the tower for? That'll destroy the perfect number of 333 metres. Surely they can't be seriously thinking of permanently scarring one of Tokyo's most famous landmarks just because its original purpose got usurped by a taller structure? By their logic, the Eiffel Tower ought to be scrapped after the Paris World Fair way back in 1889, because the tower would serve no other useful function whatsoever.
CEO MIrai Inc
http://www.dannychoo.com/profile/eng/
Thanks for typo ^^;
They want the tower to be taller so that they can have a share of TV stations licensing their antennas.
Student
http://foxkey.blog126.fc2.com/
At this rate they'll be able to support orbital space elevators. ^^
Student
well thats another attraction i will be sure to go to when i go on a vacation, Very lovely tower.
master of woodchop
http://www.bookindian.wordpress.com
Tokyo Tower looks like its twin in Paris !! :O
failing student
http://ukyuki.blogspot.com/
i do love old pictures XD!!
Student
http://lordofgundams.blogspot.com/
I would love to visit the Tokyo Tower someday. Especially at night.
do want vist tokyo tower XDDD
Young Grasshopper
http://miragestrike.blogspot.com
Would love to take a visit if I ever make it to Tokyo. ^^
Student
I'm a modern architecture/skyscraper nut and I can't wait for the Tokyo Sky Tree to top out!
Danny, it's such a pain searching for good images of Tokyo's urban nightscapes to use as wallpapers. You have tons of them scattered amongst your Week in Tokyo/Photo Walk posts. Images in the style of 86003 and 86004 would simply make IDEAL wallpapers, if only the resolution was bigger :x...do want! XD
CEO MIrai Inc
http://www.dannychoo.com/profile/eng/
Read the post - link is in there ^^;
Student
where is the tokyo sky tree? maybe i can see it from tokyo tower
my place already ditched analog back in..... june 2009 i think?
havent gone to tokyo yet but when i do ill be sure to visit it unless they destroy it or sumthing before i get the chance to...
I've never been the T.T. in person, but I would love the opportunity to see it.
Last year of High School
What an amazing transition. A single year for the whole tower, WOW! O_O
Really would like to visit it someday.
Student
http://holy-star-ocean.livejournal.com
I want go to Tokyo Tower =x
Apprentice Baking & Pastry Chef
http://Ima-Monogatari.com/
thats amazing, tokyo was so dead before...and look at now....that tower is a symbol of age
Exploring worlds and ways of thought
OK it's official, Iron workers are equally crazy globally. ^^
Seriously though, I had no idea Tokyo tower had been standing that long. Love the olden time pics.
US Navy Sailor
http://punynari.wordpress.com/
Really cool article Danny. I didn't know they were building such a tall tower in Tokyo. I'm tempted to go there and get some pics as they are building it because it would be capturing Japanese history as it happens.
For Tokyo tower, it was one of the first places I went when I first got to Japan. Beautiful view at the top on clear winter days.
Student
Its a beautiful walk up to Tokyo tower from the nearby train station... interesting how the Eiffel tower and Tokyo tower were both created originally for broadcasting purposes.
???Confused???
We've switched over to digital for a few months now...I'm surprised that Japan would switch later than the U.S...I'd love to see Tokyo Tower one day...so many anime reference it...
Game Programmer
http://softwerkz.net
I've been there once but it was late and didn't manage to go up. Loitered around near there for some time. Great surrounding. I'll get up there some day.
Student
just chillin
Student artist
http://www.requestview.wordpress.com
I got some guts... What if there was a strong wind???
commis ^^
I'll pee my pants if i see down from there -.-;; and there's no visible rope holding him.
anime/cosplay events organizer
http://www.cosplay.ph
Tokyo Tower is beautiful. <3
College student (programer n computer seller)
uwaaaaa love the old photos ... i wonder when i'l go there ... i really wanna go to japan T^T
Pseudo-Graphic Designer, 触手 wrangler, H-Man
http://lightningsabre.blogspot.com/
Interesting story on the Sky Tree and Tokyo Tower. I hope Tokyo Tower survives longer even with the new Sky Tree.
I have been there, and while the view you get is quite nice, I gotta say the view OF Tokyo Tower is much nicer!
Those old pictures are interesting too, amazing how much it has changed!
Graphic Designer
Definitely visit during night, the view from Tokyo Tower, as well as the tower itself, is gorgeous!
Student
http://theotakukid.com/
Added to my to do list when I'm in Japan.
大学生
http://gundamhub.blogspot.com
Went there in daytime when I last visited Japan. I would like to go there at night time next time. BTW,the night pictures are lovely.
Anti-social
http://trans0am.wordpress.com/
Reminds me of Kamen Rider Kabuto~ *points to the sky* with the tower behind.
Apprentice
"I can see my home from here"
Figurine Enthusiast, Uni Student
balls of steel
Student/Arcade Racer
I can see an ant doing a hand stand. ^^
Student, Uncle & hopfully a good husband..
Maybe i will pass by there one day in my travels....
Daigakusei
http://phantomclf.blogspot.com
the interior of Tokyo Tower transport me back to the 50's.
I never understood why Tokyo Tower was just a copy of the Eiffel Tower. Wouldn't it have been more impressive to have designed something original?
Still, the views of the city are pretty fun, and I like the glass floor sections inside.
Student
It could be that those in charge probably just built the tower for its practical usage and didn't really cared about how it looked cos they didn't consider it much as a landmark. So may be they didn't see it as copying.
三年せいとオタク
Awesome photos can't wait to see the Sky Tower when it's finished.
Very interesting never knew it was an actual tower just thought it was for looks. The little girl in the video was extremely cute.
http://twitter.com/phossil
http://www.animoe.net
Wow, incredible to see Tokyo Tower Historic pictures.
http://twitter.com/phossil
http://www.animoe.net
Here comes the mayo!
Tech Support Officer - Network Security Engineer
http://burugureibi.blogspot.com/
Only once have i gone - it's a breathtaking view up there
A superior difference to Sydneys low density population viewable from Centrepoint tower
College Student
http://www.projectsaber.com
Definitely have to pay that place a visit when I go to Tokyo.
blackberry trainer
http://www.blackberrybasics.com
this place is my fav in tokyo! hamamatsucho, B-line it up the street and u get the zojo temple with tokyo tower in the back ground!
for real good times go to the hotel across the street and go to their sky lounge and you can sit in leather chairs looking at tokyo tower as a guy in a tux serves you 1200 yen beer instead of standing on the cold balcony of tokyo tower for 1500 yen~
High School Student
http://flawlessexa.wordpress.com
Amazing. Would love to visit the Sky Tree when it's completed. I also need to visit the Tokyo Tower also. ^ ^
maintenence
http://joey1058.wordpress.com
It's cool to see how Tokyo has modernized in the last 50 years.
Student, Bowler, Collector
http://carldica.wordpress.com
Been to Tokyo and to most of its prefectures, but not the tower though -.-
Student
http://johndiew0107.wordpress.com/
This guy owned
college student
omg it's soo beautiful! i love it! i wish i could get there someday ^^ :3