There’s something you’ll notice when you go to Tokyo Tower: for locals, it’s a popular date destination. Tokyo Tower lends itself to this idea quite well, and often contributes to the romantic atmosphere. It’s easy to see why the landmark is a go-to for dates. It resembles the Eiffel Tower, built in the city of love. The best views are at night. It’s something everyone can enjoy (barring a fear of heights). Personally, the screaming children of tourists bringing their entire 16-person party up to the top ruins any potential romance, but no one ever named me the queen of love, so who cares what I think?
Well, I think you should visit Tokyo Tower, whether it’s with friends, your partner, or by yourself. I went by myself, and still had a great time. Here’s how you can too!
The Journey
The closest subway stations to Tokyo Tower are Onarimon Station, Akabanebashi Station, and Kamiyacho Station, all of which are about a 10 minute walk from the tower. While getting to the tower is not as convenient as most other things around Tokyo, it’s also not an impossible walk, and is at the very least quite scenic and beautiful with many shrines surrounding the base of the tower. During cherry blossom season, the area is surrounded with blossoms. Talk about atmosphere! Beware that there are steep hills up to the tower, so if you don’t do well with walking uphill, consider taking a taxi.
The Tower
At 333 meters high, Tokyo Tower is the world’s tallest self-supported steel tower and even 13 meters taller than its model, the Eiffel Tower. In addition to being a popular tourist spot, Tokyo Tower serves as a broadcast antenna!
Tokyo Tower has a four-story building below the tower called FootTown, filled with souvenir shops and places to eat. You’ll even find an Animate branch inside with loads of anime merchandise! FootTown is free to access and you do not have to be visiting the tower to go inside.
There are two tiers of tickets to get into the observatory decks. The Main Deck will get you about halfway up the tower for ¥900 (around $9). The Top Deck will get you to nearly the top for ¥2800 (about $28), which grants you access to both decks. I wasn’t willing to pay an additional ¥1900 for Top Deck access, so I stuck with the Main Deck and it didn’t disappoint. There are views in all directions, and on a good visibility day it seems like you can see forever. The time I went was around rush hour, so the streets were illuminated with all the car lights.
There are two levels to the main deck, with one of them occupying a nice sit-down cafe if you just want to soak up your time alone on the deck. While there may be cuddlers around you taking selfies, pay no mind. There is a bravery in being able to enjoy solitude and explore new things on your own – don’t let going alone to a place that is usually filled with groups deter you! Being able to go at your own pace is a rewarding feeling and you can exit the tower on your own accord.
The Extras
Do yourself a favor and stop into the various shops in FootTown, which is where you’re deposited once coming down from the tower. The souvenirs are actually pretty tasteful (considering they’re souvenirs) and there are a few more food options if you have a rumbling stomach. The Marion Crepes stand at the base of the tower (next to the outdoor ticketing station) is a personal favorite of mine. But then again, I just go hard for crepes. The best part? You don’t even have to share it with anyone.
