The seemingly endless sprawl of Tokyo can be hard to take in from the ground. But sky-high observation decks dotted across the Japanese capital, set to host the Olympics in August, offer a fresh perspective.
Inaugurated in 2012, Tokyo Skytree, the tallest structure in Japan (634 meters), includes two decks which attracted an average of 4.5 million visitors a year before the pandemic.
The Tembo Deck is a little over halfway up, with towering glass panels allowing a panoramic view of the concrete jungle far below. The second deck gives the visitors a complete view at 450 meters above ground.
The Skytree boasts that visitors can see up to 70 kilometers away, with Japan's Mount Fuji regularly visible floating above the city's haze.
One of the city's older observation decks is on the Tokyo Tower, another famed city landmark. The communications tower, colored in red and white, is based on the design of the Eiffel Tower. It offers two small top decks- the highest is around 250 meters up.
Completed in 1958, the tower witnessed the Olympics hosted by Tokyo in 1964, during Japan's post WWII economic boom. The city is currently preparing for the upcoming Olympics which many pandemic-related restrictions.
Tokyo's newest observation deck sits above the much-photographed "Shibuya Scramble", with its five zebra crossings crowded with pedestrians. Shibuya Sky opened in 2019 and is 230 meters up. It also features hammocks for cloud-watching.
