Tokyo Tower is not just a landmark of Tokyo.
It was built as a communication and observation tower in 1958.
At that time, it was the tallest freestanding structure, rising to 333 meters in height, slightly taller than the Eiffel Tower which stands at 324 meters.
As a result of advanced technology in manufacturing steel and construction, one-third of Tokyo Tower was built using scrap metal taken from US tanks damaged in the Korean War.
Therefore, Tokyo Tower is made only by using 55% of steel as compared to the Eiffel Tower.
The main sources of revenue are antenna leasing and tourism.
You may be aware that Tokyo Tower provides transmission signals for television broadcasting and radio, but were you aware that a part of your mobile phone fee is paid to Tokyo Tower as well. Since 420 yen per mobile phone is being paid annually, and it is said that 100 million mobile phones are currently being used, 4.2 billion yen is paid to Tokyo Tower automatically each year.
In 1989 it recorded 100 million visitors in the summer and illumination service started. The “Landmark light” is the most common light up for Tokyo Tower. Were you aware there is 2 types of “Landmark light” depending on the season. From October to June, the tower will be covered in your most familiar orange lighting, showing warmth in the cold. From July to September, the Tower will be accented with a silver white lighting, offering a cool image in the hot summer season.
In 2008, the owner company spent $6.5 million to create a new lighting to celebrate its 50th anniversary, calling it the “Diamond Veil”. This allows for the 17 levels of lighting totaling to 276 lights, each with ability to change into 7 different colors, to dress up the Tokyo Tower during special occasions. While the “Diamond Veil” is lit up, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on such occasions, the 180 lights used for the “Landmark light” is completely turned off.
Using the “Diamond Veil” illumination, lighting is changed for special events such as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, St. Patrick’s Day in 2007 commemorating the 50th anniversary of Japanese-Irish relations, World Cup and Christmas, etc.
During the daytime when illumination is not turned on, Tokyo Tower stands out proud dressed vibrantly in international orange (yes, you cannot call it red or even plain orange) and white. Under the Civil Aeronautic Law, international orange must be used and therefore, Tokyo Tower gets repainted every 5 years in order to maintain this color. 34,000 liters of paint is used over a period of 1 year to complete the repainting. 4,200 painters who will directly brush paint the tower is only allowed to conduct their work from sunrise to 9 a.m. in the fall and spring only. No wonder it takes 1 year!
In July 2011, all television broadcasting will turn digital.
Although 24 broadcast waves, both digital and analog, are currently being transmitted from Tokyo Tower, unfortunately, it is not capable to support complete terrestrial digital broadcasting. Hence we see a newcomer on the scene, the Tokyo Sky Tree, already stretching past Japan’s tallest building for the past 50 years. It is aimed to stand as tall as 634 meters at the time of completion. While we anticipate the completion of the next tallest structure in Japan, I hope that Tokyo Tower will forever remain a symbol of central Tokyo and continue to fascinate visiting tourists with its beautiful illumination.
Night views of Tokyo Tower
http://tokyoyakei.jp/tokyo/tokyo-tower/tokyo-tower.html
http://www.tokyotower.co.jp/english/
info@plazahomes.co.jp