All You Need To Know About Tokyo Skytree
Tokyo Skytree, locally known as Tokyo Sukaitsuri (東京スカイツリ), was once the tallest tower in the world, until the Burj Khalifa took over that title. Previously, the Tokyo Skytree had in turn overtaken the Canton Tower in Guangzhou, China to be the world’s tallest tower in March 2011. However, it still remains the tallest tower in Japan.
Tokyo Skytree also acts as a broadcasting and observation tower. It acts as the main broadcast site for television and radio for the Kanto region.
Due to its immense popularity, today it is the most visited tourist spot in Japan. Standing tall at 643 metres, you can get a panoramic and breathtaking view of the city of Tokyo. Its design resembles a five-storey pagoda which is reminiscent of historical Japan.
Where Is Tokyo Skytree?
Photo from Pixabay
Isn’t it great that you’re excited to visit the tallest building in Japan? But where is it? It is located at Sumida, in the beautiful city of Tokyo. To be precise, the address is 1 Chome-1-2 Oshiage, Sumida City, Tokyo 131-0045, Japan.
Depending on where you are starting from, you need to take the TOBU Skytree Line from Kita-Senju Station to Tokyo Skytree Station. You can also take the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line from Ueno Station to Asakusa station. The journey will take just 5 minutes. After, you can avail the TOBU Skytree Line to reach the Tokyo Skytree Station.
You can also skip the train journey altogether and take the Skytree Shuttle which is non-stop. It will drop you in from of the tower.
What Time Does It Open?
Photo from Flickr
It opens as early as 8 am in the morning and closes at 10 pm at night. Last admission is around 9 pm, so make sure you get there before that! That way you have an entire day to get there, spend some time, chill and hangout with your friends and/or family.
Grab Your Tickets!
There are two types of tickets, the regular tickets for locals and the Fast Skytree Ticket for international visitors. The benefits of the former include ‘no reservation required’ from beforehand, however, the price differs during weekdays, weekends and holidays. The latter too does not require any prior reservation, but you gain express entry just as the name suggests. Another benefit is that the price does not change even during holidays or weekends.
Under the regular ticket, there are 3 types, the Tokyo-Skytree Combo Ticket which includes the floors between the height of 350m to 450m, the Tokyo Skytree Tembo Deck and the Tokyo Skytree Tembo Galleria.
The price differs according to what your age is. For example, on weekdays the price of the Combo Deck ticket for children between the ages 6-11 is ¥1,450, for teenagers between 12-17 years old the price is ¥2,350, and for adults the price is ¥3100.
For more information about the tickets, check Tokyo Skytree’s website.
Places To Eat Around Tokyo Skytree
Photo by Hans Johnson on Flickr
There are many restaurants in and around the Tokyo Skytree for you to gorge on. If the in-house restaurants and cafes are too costly for you then you can try one of these:
The Alley. Located in Town Solamachi, just a few minutes away from Tokyo Skytree, you can get their famous bubble tea. If you are looking for a place to just have a refreshing drink after the walk in the Skytree, then this is the place for you. Try their trademark drink, the Royal No. 9 Milk Tea.
Jasmine Thai. It is a restaurant in Sumida City that offers authentic Thai cuisine. Relish on spicy and flavourful dishes and feast your eyes on this restaurant’s beautiful décor. Whether you want noodles, soups, or rice dishes, they have it all.
Tamahide Ichino. This restaurant serves oyakodon, literally meaning parent-child rice bowl. This rice dish typically uses chicken meat with eggs, and then topped with sauce and broth–using the parent and child in one dish, as the name suggests. These are so tasty that you can probably devour them all at one go.
Things To Do At Tokyo Skytree
You must’ve made a list of things you plan on doing once you are in Tokyo. But if ever you run out of things to do, you can add these to your list:
Take a walk around the nearby Sumida River or take the Sumida River Cruise. The Sumida River flows through the central part of Tokyo, on the northeast side. It is a beautiful river that offers a glimpse of the nearby attractions as well as the Tokyo Skytree. It is famous for the Sakura Illuminations which take place from March to April.
Shop for souvenirs at the Tokyo Skytree Mall to remind you of your trip to the tallest building in Japan. It has all the things you want to buy as a souvenir all at one place. You will get unique stuff too! There are Skytree-inspired stationary, mementos, sweets, candies, and even alcoholic beverages.
Enjoy a nice cuppa at the Skytree Cafe which is located in the 340m and the 350m of the building. You’d happily give brownie points to the cafe just for the view it provides. You can avail snacks, coffee, tea, and other soft drinks.
Located in the vicinity of Tokyo Skytree, the Kamimura restaurant is famous for one more thing other than its soba noodles: the Skytree-inspired tempura. The Skytree-inspired tempura is a rice bowl that is topped with the crispy prawns. It is a huge hit among tourists.
Get geeky at the Tree Village. As the center of TV memorabilia, your otaku heart will jump in joy. All the animes you grew up watching such as Doraemon, Crayton Shinchan, Goku, Dragon Ball Z are available there. You can also buy merchandise such as T-shirts, toys, etc.
In conclusion, the Tokyo Skytree is a beautiful piece of concrete art that needs to be witnessed firsthand to really appreciate its true beauty. What are you waiting for? Book a flight, pack your bags, and marvel at the Skytree’s beauty.
