Japan is known for having a significant number of public holidays, and Golden Week is the longest holiday of the year. It takes place at the end of April and begin of May. The weather is cool, not too hot, combined with beautiful natural scenery, so this is the ideal time for travel. I took advantage of this time to explore more of Tokyo. The first place I chose was Tokyo Tower.
Tokyo Tower is a communications and observation tower located in the Shiba park area, Minato district, Tokyo. This tower is 332.6m tall and is the second tallest tower in Japan after Tokyo Sky Tree Tower. It was built in 1958, inspired by the Eiffel Tower in France. The place attracts a large number of tourists and has become a symbol of Tokyo.
Tokyo Tower is divided into 4 main floors. The first floor is an aquarium with more than 50,000 different species of fish. The 2nd floor is the dining and shopping area, the 3rd floor is the museum area displaying Guinness world records. The 4th floor is the entertainment and art exhibition area. At at the top of the tower is an observatory area, from here you can see the entire city of Tokyo. Tokyo Tower becomes more sparkling at night with modern, colorful lighting systems.
Located right next to Tokyo Tower is Shiba Park, which not only brings a sense of peace to visitors when walking, but is also a beautiful viewing spot for Tokyo Tower. After the early stages of modernization, in 1873, Shiba Park was chosen as the nation's first park.
Zojoji Temple in Tokyo is a must-visit location. Situated within Shiba Park, it is one of the largest Buddhist temples in the city. The temple offers a picturesque setting, with numerous small statues and the iconic Tokyo Tower in the background, making it an ideal spot for photography. Apart from its historical significance, the temple is famous for its stunning architecture and hosts various notable events.
The streets around the tower are also beautiful. Besides modern high-rise buildings, there are also many buildings with unique and rare architecture. I was engrossed in looking at the streets for hours, without getting bored.
One day of experiencing around Tokyo Tower, I not only learned more about this place, but also felt more fond of the country and people of Japan.
Trainee in 2024, Ngo Dang Chung