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I’ve lived in Kanagawa for more than three years, and although Tokyo Tower is one of Japan’s most iconic landmarks we’d never made the trip. When friends invited us to spend a day in the city, my wife, daughter and I decided it was finally time to go. We left our car behind; years ago we drove into the city only to spend more than $30 on parking, so this time we took the train. The ride from Yamato into Tokyo gave us a chance to watch the scenery change from our suburban neighborhoods to the dense city centre and to talk excitedly with our friends about what the day would hold.
Tokyo Tower is a communications and observation tower completed in 1958 that rises 332.9 meters above the city. Inspired by the Eiffel Tower, it is painted white and international orange to meet air‑safety regulations and repainted every five years. At its base is a four‑storey building called FootTown with museums, shops and restaurants. We entered through FootTown and followed signs to the ticket booth. Tickets are issued for specific time slots, and we were able to get passes for the next elevator ride up.
As we waited, I confessed to my family that I’m terrified of heights. The tower’s elevator climbs quickly to the Main Deck at 150 meters. When the doors closed and the floor began to rise, my heart pounded and I gripped the rail, trying not to look out the glass. My wife and daughter, by contrast, were chatting happily with other visitors and pointing out the city shrinking below us. Reaching the observation floor brought some relief, but I still kept my back to the interior wall while they ventured to the large windows to take photographs. From up there they could see Roppongi Hills, Rainbow Bridge and even Mount Fuji in the distance on the clear afternoon.
After walking around the 360‑degree gallery my fear gradually gave way to fascination. Information panels explained how Tokyo Tower was built as part of the city’s post‑war redevelopment, and there was a short documentary about its construction that we watched inside FootTown. Learning how engineers designed the lattice structure to withstand earthquakes and how the tower symbolized Tokyo’s recovery gave me a deeper appreciation for it. We also stopped at one of the cafés back at ground level for lunch and browsed the souvenir shops, picking up a couple of small trinkets for our daughter.
By the time we headed home on the train that evening, the tower was beginning its night‑time illumination. Looking back at it from the moving train, glowing orange against the darkening sky, I felt grateful we had finally visited. Despite my fear of heights, I’m glad I shared the experience with my family and friends, and I hope to return someday—perhaps after I’ve summoned the courage to ride to the Top Deck at 249.6 meters.
