Tokyo Skytree

I have to say that as a tourist this was a great place to go. The Studio Ghibli store was one big reason to go here, but if you are interested in great food, lots of cool Japanese clothes (saw some very cool shoes here I saw nowhere else), and an easy connection to the train line (down below) do check out the sky tree, and grab some Totoro stuff while you are there. The Ghibli themed store is out on a patio — so you have to look outside (second floor I think).

The view is great — definitely worth the money. I bought the cheaper option, which is about $ 17 USD. You go up 350m, which is high enough for anyone! The view is 360 degrees, and in your brochure there’s a map that points out everything you can see that is worth mentioning, which is super nice to have. That level also has the glass floors. I was a bit disappointed by the glass floors, though, because it’s actually pretty small, and there’s more than just a layer of glass that you’re standing on. If you look at my photo, you’ll get what I’m talking about.
You have to pay about $ 8 – 9 USD more if you want to go 100m higher. I don’t really see the reason to, unless you want the bragging rights. You can see everything you need to see from the 350m option! You can even see Mt. Fuji if it’s a clear day.
Plan more time than you think you’ll need — the line is LONG to buy tickets.

Ever been up high? Then go to sky tree and go even HIGHER. This building makes Tokyo Tower look old and tiny. Yes it’s that impressive.
This tower base is full of retail and food shops. Lots of options if you want to do your excursion a whole dinner kind of deal. there is also a train station that leaves you right over there. PS. if you are a jrpass holder this train won’t be included.
The line to get up there was quite long but let me tell you why: They have a star wars display up there! and it was Awesome! IF you wanna geek out, get all the way up and see some of the cool displays and an ever more dramatic view of Tokyo.
I’ve been to tall buildings but this one is one of my favorites. It stands solo in the middle of tokyo with a personality that says «I’m here. Watch me»
I wish the glass floor was much bigger (like Shanghai’s pearl tower) and that the entrance fee was a bit cheaper but all in all, it is well worth it.
Go check the SW thingy before its over!!!

So blessed to have an opportunity to see the Tokyo Skytree. It was the last night of my stay here in Japan and it was either go see the Skytree or the Tokyo tower. It actually reminds me of Seattle, WA where you go to either the Space Needle or the Columbia Tower. The Skytree for me was the Columbia Tower since it was the most breathtaking view from basically a 360 degree angle that oversaw all of Tokyo. From 350M above, you could clearly see the Tokyo Tower across the city. If you had to pick between the two, I would highly suggest the Skytree because there’s more than one floor to view from AND there’s even a glass floor where you could see the ground from right under you.
I did some research before I came here and debated on the ticket options that I was given. There wasn’t much of a line at the regular tickets, but I opted to see what my options were as a foreign traveler so I headed over to the information booth behind it. She suggested that I should just wait the five minutes and I could save some money since the line wasn’t that long. I took her advice and it went by painless. I swiped credit (for the better conversion rate and points) and got my tickets to ride up on the elevator above. The regular tickets for an adult runs about 2060yen for the Tembo Deck (350m), if you wanted to go even higher for you add another 1030 yen once you reach the Tembo deck to pay again, in addition.
You get crammed into an elevator with a bunch of other people. Unfortunately, there’s no windows while going up or down to grab a quick glimpse of the view around you, but they have a mini light show and there’s a small screen that tells you how fast and far up the Skytree you are going. Once you get off, you have all the time in the world to enjoy the view. I suggest going at night because it’s breathtaking to see such a vibrant city alive (but I also went during the holidays, so beautiful lights). There’s areas to sit and restaurants to eat at here inside the Skytree so take advantage of everything you can. You can go downstairs to get another view another and there’s a TINY gift shop there too for souvenirs.
If you get a chance to stop by, it’s definately worth the trip!

It’s impressive but really expensive to go all the way up.
You can enjoy the view of the sky tree via the nearby Tobu building. Go to the 30^th floor and you will have a great view of the tower while having a dinner.
It’s a tower with lights and lots of shopping malls in the base.

This is the new landmark highrise of Tokyo located near Kinshicho in Sumida-​Ku. I believe it is the tallest tower in Asia as of the time of this writing.
I used to watch this tower being built over the years as my family in Kinshicho had a direct view of the Skytree from their place. Getting there is a no-​brainer. If you can hop on the Tokyo Metro, just get on the Hanzomon line towards Oshiage and exit at Oshiage Station and that dumps you right into Soramachi and thus, the Skytree itself.
It’s a very nice place to hang out, eat and shop. I remember when it first opened, the crowds to get in were unbelievable. It’s died down a tad since then, but there are still tons of people. The restaurant at the top of the tower is very nice and has some very tasty sandwiches, as well as a 360 view of the Tokyo area.
On the surface level is Solamachi (basically meaning Sky Town) which is a big mall and restaurants, and the Sumida Aquarium. Great date spots. ;)
If you’re a tourist, it’s a nice place to visit for a day. And tourists, you will see.

Tōkyō Skytree is a must-​see attraction for anyone visiting Tōkyō. It is a modern-​day achievement in engineering, and a shining example (day or night) of human capability. The elevator effortlessly wisks visitors to 350 metres (1148 ft.) in mere seconds, and does so quietly, and in remarkable fashion. In fact, it’s only when you begin to feel the pressure building in your ears, from the change in atmosphere, that you realise just how far you’ve come in such a short period of time. Any damage done to your ears will be compensated for by the soothing music you’ll hear playing as you ascend to the Tembo Deck, the main deck (for an additional fee you can go even higher). On my last visit, they were playing a jazzy hip-​hop instrumental that went really well with the postmodern décor and overall swagger of the place.
Speaking of swag, the employees of each operational unit are suited with uniforms unique to their position. The information desk, ticket counter staff, the photographers, and even the cleaning crew, all look like they just stepped off a page of the latest Issei Miyake lookbook. If you’re into fashion, you’re in for a treat. And, if you’re into food, you’re in for an even bigger treat, as there are three restaurants located on the main deck. There’s also a gift shop, glass floor, and ample washroom accommodations.

Move over, Tokyo Tower, there’s a new kid in town (since 2012), and at over 2,000 feet, the Tokyo Skytree ranks as the tallest free-​standing tower in the world. IN THE WORLD? Frankly I didn’t know it existed until I read about it my guidebook. Not so publicized is the fact that it stands on landfill in a country known for the frequency of its earthquakes. To guard against the possibility of it being toppled, Japanese engineers replicated the architecture of ancient pagodas that have a central column to ground the structure. There’s no arguing with history since there isn’t any record of a pagoda collapsing during an earthquake.
That was good enough for me and Jamie W. as well as the hundreds waiting in line to go up to the observation floor 1,150 feet above ground. How they managed the constant flow of visitors showcased the Japanese at their most efficient as the line moved very quickly with the wait for an elevator barely five minutes. In the meantime, you can stare at the 13-​screen digital mural on the ground floor which gives a animated panorama of Tokyo to heighten your anticipation of the views to come (photo:
). Once the elevator doors open after a barely noticeable ride, you do have to compete with the crowds to get the view.
Since the Japanese do not rudely elbow each other out of the way like others of our species, you simply wait for your 360-​degree view. Tokyo doesn’t suffer Beijing’s intense smog (yet), but I’ve heard that on clear days, you can actually see Fuji. Otherwise you see Tokyo’s expansive cityscape which appears to go on infinitely without the density of skyscrapers that would identify a Shanghai or a New York City (photo:
). Tickets for the main Tembo Deck are ￥2,060 each. For an additional ￥1,030, you can go up to the Tembo Galleria at 1,480 feet although views don’t vary that much. I can’t imagine staying more than half an hour at which point you take the elevator down to quite the shopping mall complex, Tokyo Solamachi.

We came here on a weekday and it wasn’t too busy. There was a line to purchase the tickets but it moved quickly (5 minutes more or less) so we didn’t need to do the tourist line for more money. As soon as we got our ticket, we were let into the elevator and up we went!
Super fast elevator and when the door opened, there was a lot of people upstairs! We weren’t packed like sardines though so it’s still okay.
Views were amazing! It was a clear day when we went so you can see as far as your eyes can go. I didn’t see mt Fuji though…
It was extra to go higher but we skipped that.
If you want someone to take your official sky tree photo, you line up and they take one with their camera (option to buy) and one with yours.
The glass walkway was pretty cool. Not for someone whose scared of heights though.
There was plenty to do downstairs. There’s a lot of restaurants, a food court and of course, shopping. One Could easily spend the whole day here.

We were fortunate enough to go with a group so we entered the elevators as soon as we arrived. The views were not the best on the day we visited, but you were still left with a sense of wonder viewing the Tokyo skyline.
They have a section where the floor is see-​through and you can walk on it. I was nauseous with just the thought of the floor cracking wide open and me falling through. Yikes.
We were here in mid-​October, and the place is swarming with Halloween decorations. The Japanese don’t celebrate this holiday, but it seems the influence of overly commercialized holidays will not escape them.

We arrived quite early hoping to beat the queues, as it was a glorious day to go up the tree, but was waylaid by the Food Festival at the entrance base. After sampling lots of food and drinks, we went to enter the Skytree only to discover that we needed to collect a numbered card per person, which stipulates the time for you to return to the Sky Arena North Entrance, where you join a queue to buy a same day ticket.
I wish I had known about this system before, as we would have collected the card before going round sampling all the different stalls, and by the time we finished, the alloted time would have been just right to enter. As it is, our alloted time was in another hour and a half, with perhaps another half an hour to one hour’s wait as «promised» in the rules on the card before we buy our tickets. So we gave up as we only allowed the morning for this visit, and it was already 1.30pm, and we needed to catch the East Gardens before they closed at 4.30pm.
However, the shops in the building was interesting and there were many levels to rest and enjoy some of the views albeit lower down the building and not in the Skytree.

Having been various times to Tokyo, this last trip I wanted to do a bunch of touristy things. And, Tokyo Sky Tree was on my list. A family friend got tickets beforehand so we didnt have to wait in the gigantic line. The tickets have a specific time for you to enter. To go up it was pretty quick. The lifts had designs and lights that were interesting, and as you go up you can look at the ceiling (but i dont think all of them have a clear glass top).
The observatory deck is pretty standard as other observation towers. The windows are huge and great visual aids around. They have huge interactive screens for you to see the panoramic views at night and day. I was actually impressed at how many rivers cross the city area.
They have a coffee stand inside plus «professional» (touristy souvenir) photo opportunities. At the main observation deck, you can purchase an additional ticket to go to the higher observation area. There was less people there and allowed you to get a different view. The windows are not as long, so it offers a slightly different feel.
Overall it was fun to go and see Tokyo from above, and we went on a sunny day so the views were great! Try to get tickets beforehand and enjoy the views!

Their tickets are a little pricy but it is a great experience and a great view to enjoy in Tokyo! You buy one general ticket and if you decide to go higher, you buy another ticket. They do have a café and a picture take stand but you have to pay for it. A selfie stick would probably be useful!
The lines can be a bit long so try not to get their right before it closes. They don’t have a time limit on how long you can stay so if I could go again I would go before Sundown to take a before and after picture.

— ARE YOU AN INTERNATIONAL TOURIST?
— ARE YOU TIRED OF THE LONG LINES AT NORTH ENTRANCE?!
WELL, you’re in luck! You can head over to West Entrance and pay ~¥2,850 ($ 23) to skip all the lines and get direct access to Tokyo Sky Tree. If you don’t mind the wait, pay ¥2,060 ($ 17) at North Entrance.
Personally, the West Entrance receptionist told me if I could wait and I’m not a time crunch, I could wait about 14 minutes for the cheaper price. I told myself, «Hell yeah, I’ll wait and save money!» Once I got there, I saw the zig-​zag lines, I knew there was no way it was only 14-​minutes because I waited…5 minutes in, I realized I could not uphold to the commitment. I must purchase the International tourist ticket.
***NOTE: You must show foreign passport to qualify for international tourist ticket
I’m so glad I did, right after I purchased the ticket, I got direct access to the elevator on up. Yay! I got to the Tokyo Sky Tree Tembo Deck (350m) and the view was amaaazing! Awesome to see the skyline of Tokyo Sky Tree Town and seeing river flow through the city! I did not pay the ~¥530 ($ 4.50) to go up even higher to the Tokyo Sky Tree Tembo Galleria Deck (450m). The view on the original Tembo Deck was already wonderful. I was on a time crunch and was already taken away from the view at the Tembo Deck.
I did not go to Tokyo Tower, but Tokyo Sky Tree is much higher and taller. If you’re on a time crunch, I would pick Tokyo Sky Tree instead of Tokyo Tower. One of my favorite tourist attractions in Tokyo! Must visit: D

Came here during the middle of the day and wasn’t all that impressed. It’s similar to the Tokyo Tower, but even higher and with a ton more people.
It’s slightly more expensive and let me tell you this, you will be waiting in line for what seems like an eternity and a half to get on the stuffed elevator to the top. Well, you can actually avoid that line, but it will cost you extra. Literally, they will charge you more to cut in line.
Still, once you get to the top this is where you get your views. Great views, but with the amount of people here, it really does take away some of the pleasure of being so high up. Due to the wait time and other factors, I’d say you have better avenues when it comes to views in Tokyo.

This tourist attraction was awesome. My husband REALLY wanted to come here during our visit to Tokyo, so it was a must stop. The Tokyo Skytree is currently the TALLEST tower in the world. It’s only 3 years old too, as we saw signs indicating it was celebrating it’s 3^rd year anniversary. :)
Cost: USD $ 20 per adult to get to the mid-​tier.
We didn’t book reservations in advance, so we picked up same-​day tickets that required us to come back in 1.5 hours. That worked out fine for us, since we needed to eat lunch anyways!
There are 2 levels you can visit while you’re at the SkyTree. There’s a mid-​tier where most people go (via elevator) and it takes you pretty far up. Everyone gets in line and you’re whisked up some very fast elevators to the viewing platform. You get off, and wander around the viewing area, to see 360 degree views of Tokyo and surrounding areas /​waters, etc.
If you’re in for some more height and thrills, you can get in line to buy another separate ticket that takes you to the TALLEST viewing platform, which is about 10+ floors higher than where most people get off.
My husband and I decided to get the extra ticket to go up to the highest point in the SkyTree. It’s worth it! We’re already here and it doesn’t cost that much more either. :) From what I remember, the tallest tier is called the «Tembo Galleria» and it costs an extra JPYen 1,030 more (on top of your original ticket to get to the mid-​tier).
Grand views all around, and plenty of photo opportunities too. Be sure to visit the «glass viewing area» in the mid-​tier area, where you can walk on top of glass and take a look down to the ground floor of the sky tree (you can see cars driving, etc.). Incredible views and kinda scary for those who are afraid of heights! hahaha…
Well worth a trip and highly recommend for 1^st time visitors to Tokyo!
More photos on my blog:

HIGH in the SKY.
The Tokyo Sky Tree is viewing/​observation tower that graces the Tokyo Skyline. During my recent trip, there were signs throughout the building celebrating its 3^rd anniversary.
Tokyo Sky Tree initially was not on my list of places to visit, but after reading more about it during my trip we decided to stop by. We made our to the Sky Tree after paying a visit to nearby Asakusa. It was a bit of a walk/​trek but we eventually made it to the tower.
If not having purchased tickets online, visitors should proceed to the 4 °F to purchase tickets. The complex is not just the viewing tower itself, but is comprised of shops, restaurants, and even an aquarium.
Shorter WAIT: For INTERNATIONAL visitors, there is special/​separate line provided. Though the cost per person is 800 yen more then the regular entrance fee, you’re given the opportunity to bypass waiting in the regular que of people, which we were told was about three hours. By paying the fee of 2800 yen per person (adult), International visitors wait about 20 minutes instead for the elevators transporting people to the main observation deck.
The main viewing deck is at 350m and views are absolutely stunning. Stepping off the elevator was a bit of a rush as the deck was crowded and full of visitors and residents alike enjoying the beautiful views of Tokyo. It was amazing to observe people of all ages enjoying themselves looking thru the windows, taking photos, taking selfies, laughing, smiling, and talking happily amongst themselves. One aspect that was truly alluring (besides the views) was the interactive maps of the city that were displayed throughout the observation deck. These displays were operated by touch and users could touch a certain building or landmark and obtain various tidbits of info. The maps could even be switched from day to night views and vice versa to allow a glimpse of what the views look throughout the day.
NOTE: The main observation deck can become quite CROWDED. This situation is probably expected by most visitors, but I thought I would mention it anyway. Mostly people don’t linger too long at the railings near the windows, but others just seemed to enjoy gazing out the windows for long periods. Also, I must mention there are various snack bars and seating areas present as well.
side NOTE: The main deck at 350 is the known as the Tembo Deck. For about 1000 Yen more, visitors can purchase tickets for the Tembo Galleria at a height of 450m. If choosing to venture to the Galleria, tickets can ONLY be purchased at ticket counters on the Tembo Deck.
BOTTOM LINE: A good decision was made to visit Tokyo Sky Tree for the stunning views of Tokyo. The ticket cost was a bit higher than I expected, but totally worth the shorter wait time. Beautiful views.

Recognized as the world’s tallest tower at 634m high, I wanted to check out this popular tourist spot during my visit. My cousins who live in Tokyo haven’t been here yet either, so we decided to get here right when it opened at 8:00a on a Saturday (being a weekend, online reservations were already booked). Good thing we did, because the line wasn’t that bad yet. We still had to wait in line for about 20 minutes or so, which was probably a breeze compared to how crowded it normally gets during the day.
Tickets at the counter were 2,060y (adults), 1,540y (12 – 17), 930y (6 – 11), and 620y (4 – 5). These tickets only took us up 350m (Tembo Deck). After getting the tickets, we lined up again to get on the elevator. The elevators were fairly big and it only took us maybe 50 seconds (?) to get to the Tembo Deck. The ceiling was see-​through.
I actually thought I’d be freaking out over the height, but it wasn’t bad at all. The city below looked like a toy model with teeny tiny cars moving. We got to see a few landmarks like Tokyo Tower and the Asahi Beer Hall (with the golden flame). There was a small café on the Tembo Deck, and right below (walk down the stairs to 345^th floor) there was a small souvenir shop and restaurant. The shop was PACKED… I suggest going to the bigger one on the 5^th floor. Below the 345^th floor (walk down another set of stairs to 340^th floor), there’s a small glass floor section (yikes!).
We decided to go further up to 450m, so we got additional tickets (only available here on the Tembo Deck). Tickets were 1,030y (adults), 820y (12 – 17), 510y (6 – 11), and 310y (4 – 5). This floor (called Tembo Galleria) was sloped so you can reach the highest point at 451.2m. We were able to see Mount Fuji in the far distance, which was pretty cool.
Overall, I’m glad that we came here, but it’s one of those «once is enough» place for me (especially after having to pay 3,090y to go all the way up). BTW, tickets were temporarily unavailable when we left a few hours later (it was a zoo by then).

Although the day I visited this attraction was overcast and rainy, I still enjoyed the experience. One of the perks is that all the workers speak English. You wouldn’t believe what a relief that is. The structure itself is quite impressive and there are 3 different heights for you to look out from. The observation deck, the deck below and if you pay a little extra you can go up a few more km. I would’ve loved to go up more, but as I said the weather was not cooperating when I went.
I am afraid of heights… and going up to the glass was an experience. Because the observation deck looks like a ball, the curve of the glass threw me off the first time I looked out. I felt like I was leaning forward too much when I was actually standing up straight. As the clouds thinned out a little bit, I could see for miles it seemed. I would like to go back on a nicer day to see more. One floor down from the observation deck is a small gift shop, café and a glassed off hole in the floor that you can see all the way down to the bottom. I was a little nervous walking on it, but I knew I had to try at least once.

Talk about about strategic planning at it’s best! Lets just say, I came here on a Monday night one hour before closing and guess what? NO long lines!
We found the ticket counter with ease, bought tickets at about ¥2000. Then another ¥1000 to check out views from the highest elevation, The Tembo Galleria. I think it’s cheaper to purchase tickets in advanced online, but «time is money» so we had to get this touristy spot checked off. After getting our tickets, we were guided towards the elevators. We had gone up, only with about ten other people in a huge elevator.
At the lower level, the Tembo Deck, there were a few maps pointing at certain buildings and landmarks. Looking down the ‘glass floor’ is always fun too. This level also hold the café, restaurant, and gift shop. You take another elevator up to the gallaria. And from up there, they really light things up with colorful visuals.
The only thing I wondered was how different the views look during the day. Though night time, in my opinion, was simply awesome! The views were still spectacular! Yes this is a little tourist spot, but one well worth it. You can still eat and shop after, at the Tokyo Solamachi area.
So, all in one day, I did the Tokyo Tower and SkyTree. Did I enjoy both, YES I did! You want more temple views, visit Tokyo Tower. You want to all of Japan, then do the SkyTree!
View Tokyo from another perspective! Observe, reflect, admire, and enjoy! You’ll love it!

La Tōkyō Skytree est devenue la nouvelle grande attraction de la capitale nippone, et de fait un nouveau symbole.
Avec ses 634 mètres qui donnent le vertige, elle est la deuxième plus haute structure du monde.
D’un point de vue esthétique, il est franchement difficile de la trouver belle. Impressionnante, ça elle l’est forcement. C’est encore plus vrai lorsqu’on décide monter au dernier observatoire, situé à 451 mètres. Tout là haut, c’est juste WOUAAAAAA !!!
Maintenant, je reste relativement nuancé sur l’aspect touristique de cette tour.
Premièrement, située à Sumida elle est assez excentrée en transport.
Deuxièmement, elle est très fréquentée, et l’attente est donc relativement longue.
Troisièmement, le prix pour grimper tout en haut est carrément prohibitif, il vous en coutera 3000 Yen…
Quatrièmement, le panorama n’est finalement que peu intéressant, comparativement à d’autres observatoires de la ville. Difficile de faire de belles photos aussi haut et excentré des centres et attractions de Tōkyō.
Je trouve le lieu sans réelle saveur. L’intérêt ici est juste de grimper le plus possible et cela né suffit pas à déclencher quelque chose d’émotionnel. Tōkyō regorge d’observatoires peut-​être moins haut mais qui génèrent davantage d’excitation.

Alors oui, la tour Tokyo Sky Tree a détrônée la tour de Tokyo depuis 2012, et de loin, avec ses 634 mètres de hauteur!
Elle fait donc partie des incontournables de la ville.
Mais pour pouvoir bénéficier de la superbe vue qu’elle nous offre, il faudra remplir plusieurs critères:
— se lever tôt! Parce qu’elle est victime de son succès et l’attente peu durer plusieurs heures. (Pour info elle ouvre à 8h)
— avoir de la chance! Parce qu’il né suffit pas, non seulement de choisir un jour de beau temps, mais entre la pollution et l’humidité, il peut y avoir un voile de grisaille gênant la visibilité.
La montée s’effectuera grâce a un ascenseur gravissant les 350 étages à la vitesse de 600m/​min!!!
Une fois en haut, on pourra observer Tokyo à 360°, aidé par des écrans tactiles.

Il est devenu le nouveau symbole de Tokyo. Même si presque deux ans se sont passés après sa construction, il y a toujours beaucoup de visiteurs qui prennent sa photo autour de cette tour. Elle nous montre l’aspect fantastique en changeant la couleur dans la nuit, ce qui est littéralement l’art de lumière.
La dernière fois que l’on y est allé(il y a quelques mois), il y avait trop de personnes et on né pouvait pas monter la tour. C’était un peu dommage mais vu que cette tour est équipé de tant de boutiques et restaurants, on peut bien s’amuser sans monter jusqu’au sommet.