Tokyo Skytree tower opens to public in Japan

Tokyo Skytree, a new 634m broadcasting tower in Tokyo, Japan, has opened to the public.

The JPY40bn ($503.7m) tower is located in Narihirabashi/Oshiage area of Tokyo’s Sumida district.

The high-rise tower will become a hub for terrestrial digital TV and radio broadcasting, as well as being used as an observation tower.

The tower, which has been in development by Tobu Tower SkyTree and Tobu Railway since 2008, is based on traditional Japanese architecture principles of convex (Mukuri) and concave (Sori) curves.

Tokyo Skytree has a triangular pyramid-shaped base and houses two observation decks at 350m and 450m above ground level.

The first observation deck of the tower will accommodate a restaurant, cafe and shops and can house about 2,000 people, while the second deck can accommodate 900 people.

The main structure of the tower is made of steel tube frames, and the key elements have been built with double standard strength steel channels.

The tower was designed by Japanese architectural firm Nikken Sekkei, while Obayashi Corporation served as the general contractor for the project.

Tokyo Skytree has been recognised as the tallest broadcasting tower in the world, and stands around twice the height of the city’s famed Tokyo Tower. It is expected to attract about 25 million visitors a year.

The tower is the second tallest structure in the world, behind the Burj Khalifa (829.8m) in Dubai, UAE.

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Image: Tokyo Skytree is the second tallest structure in the world, behind the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, UAE. Photo: Obayashi Corporation.