We were recently invited to see the newly opened and renovated Tokyo Top Deck. It was formerly known as the Special Observatory in Tokyo Tower. Now we will share our special excursion and show what the new Top Deck has to offer.
The Top Deck resides 250 meters above ground and commands breath taking views of Tokyo. Before entering the elevator, we were escorted to another area. Once there we were given voice guides to enhance our experience. They have various language functions and for this experience I tested out the English portion. The first elevator brought us to the Main Deck, which is 150 meters above sea level, where we then led to the Tower Gallery past the Top Deck Gate.
Upon entering the Tower Gallery, we were awed at the projection mapping on the walls depicting Tokyo and various other places around the world. Suddenly an audio recording began playing on the voice guide device about the history of the tower and the two-important people responsible for it. At the end of the spiel, the doors opened and we entered the secret library. Pictures were not allowed inside this area, but the little show there was quite entertaining.
After riding the elevator again, we were greeted by geometric mirrors as soon as we exited. It was mesmerizing as that day was a beautiful day to see Tokyo. There were instructional guides on how to use the Voice Guide system. Depending on where you were standing will determine the options available. This GPS setting came in handy when we did not know where we were facing.
The audio portion was informative and great guide. Not only did it point out major land marks it made references to the historical aspect of each area. They even showed ukiyo-e prints of the area when the audio reached the history portion of the explanation. The guide provided a greater insight to Tokyo that made the city even more attractive.
On the morning of our reservation to Top Deck it was raining. I was worried that we will not be able to see anything, but by the afternoon it was clear skies. From one side we can see the snowy peak on Mt. Fuji and on the other we can see Mt. Tsukuba on the other. We even saw an incoming plane going in for a landing at Haneda Airport with Odaiba in the background.
I would have to say my favorite fact from the Voice Guide was the one about the buildings. From 250 meters you can see the buildings facing the tower at an angle. The reason why is because the owners wanted to make sure as many rooms possible had a view of Tokyo Tower. It was an interesting fact that you would not have noticed unless you were at that height.
We then made a nice stop on the Main Deck and enjoyed standing over the Skywalk Window. The newest addition from the last time I went to the tower was the Tokyo Tower Love Power Spot. The caption of “Another Diamond Veil” was a bit confusing, but the pink bedazzling is a definite eye catcher.
Descending back down, we were given a parting gift to remember our visit to Top Deck. The Tokyo Top Deck opens to the public on March 3, 2018. Hopefully this will help you make your decision about going to the Top Deck.
