A Luxury Experience Awaits Visitors to Tokyo Tower’s Newly Refurbished Top Deck

A Nostalgic Atmosphere

Tokyo Tower’s Top Deck observation area, located at the 250-meter mark of the 333-meter-high structure, has undergone a transformation. Following on from renovation work six years ago that saw geometric mirrors installed on the deck’s ceiling and pillars, the most recent alterations include the appearance of “glowing tatami” mats that create a truly glittering space.

The elevator hall that leads visitors from the Main Deck, an observation area located 150 meters up the tower, to the Top Deck has also been transformed into a relaxing, Japanese-style space that features a latticework partition and an aesthetic central oval opening.

The central white square of the Main Deck, with the circular Top Deck above. (© Nippon.com)

The newly refurbished elevator hall offers a distinctly Japanese atmosphere. (© Nippon.com)

The new design is inspired by the ryōtei Kōyōkan, a high-end Japanese style restaurant that once stood on the site where Tokyo Tower is now located. Built following the opening of Japan in the Meiji era (1868–1912), the restaurant was favored, along with the Western-style Rokumeikan banqueting house, as a social venue by politicians and business leaders to entertain foreign guests.

Monitors display visitors’ commemorative photos along a walkway. Participants on the Diamond Tour receive their photographs in special frames. (© Nippon.com)

Top Deck tours run at 15-minute intervals from 9:00 am to 10:15 pm. For visitors looking for an extra special experience, there is also the high-end Tokyo Diamond Tour that runs seven times a day at one-hour intervals. These are limited to 10 people per tour, with advance reservation required. Diamond Tour participants receive first-class treatment as they are ushered into a luxurious private lounge on the first floor before passing along an exclusive entrance to a private elevator that takes them up to the Main Deck and then onward to the Top Deck. Performers accompany the tour, adding excitement to the views from Tokyo Tower with songs and performances.

The Maple Lounge, an exclusive area accessible only to Diamond Tour participants. (© Nippon.com)

A tour guide and the scenic guide on the Main Deck tell visitors about the tower and the surrounding view. (© Nippon.com)

At 66-years old, Tokyo Tower remains a tourist hotspot, drawing visitors from around the world. Maeda Shin, president of Tokyo Tower’s managing firm, places focus on welcoming overseas travelers to Japan, saying that he wants to provide “a unique viewing experience imbued with Japanese tastes and entertainment styles.”

A special walkway exhibiting images depicting the history of Tokyo Tower. (© Nippon.com)

QR codes located next to windows provide information about the view in several languages. (© Nippon.com)

For pricing and other details, please visit the official Tokyo Tower website.

(Originally published in Japanese. Research and text by Nippon.com. Banner photo: The “glowing tatami” mats newly installed on the Top Deck and geometric mirrors on the V-shaped pillars of Tokyo Tower’s supporting steel columns.)