Kyoto Tower - Kyoto, Japan
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denben
N 34° 59.252 E 135° 45.544
53S E 569277 N 3871923
Kyoto Tower (Kyoto-tawa) is an observation tower located in Kyoto, Japan. It was completed in 1964, the same year as the opening of the shinkansen and the Tokyo Olympics.
Waymark Code: WMZAY7
Location: Kyoto, Japan
Date Posted: 10/11/2018
Views: 5
The steel tower is the tallest structure in Kyoto with its observation deck at 100 metres (328 ft) and its spire at 131 metres (430 ft). The 800-ton tower stands atop a 9-story building, which houses a 3-star hotel and several stores. The entire complex stands opposite Kyoto Station.
Designed by Makoto Tanahashi, a doctor of engineering at Kyoto University, Kyoto Tower was built to withstand the forces of both earthquakes and typhoons. The head of the tower's business division, Tsuyoshi Tamura, claims it can withstand winds of up to 201 mph (90 m/s) and survive an earthquake of far greater magnitude than that of the Kobe or Tokyo earthquakes.
The tower was first opened to the public on December 28, 1964. Within its first year of opening, 1 million people visited the tower's observation deck. Throughout the years, the tower's draw as a tourist attraction has diminished. By 1999, observation deck ticket sales dropped to less than 400,000 a year, or about 1,100 a day.
Kyoto Tower is split into two distinct structures. The primary structure is the steel spire that begins on the roof of the building below. Tourists may buy tickets and ascend one of the tower's nine elevators to visit the 100-metre (330 ft)-high, 500-person-capacity observation deck. This area is lined with game machines and free telescopes and provides a 360-degree view of the city. From here, nearly all of Kyoto can be seen. The mountains of Higashiyama and Arashiyama are visible on the east and west sides respectively, while Kitayama can be seen to the north. On a clear day, some buildings in Osaka are visible to the south.
The second structure that completely supports the 800-ton tower and gives it its first 30.8 meters of height is a nine-story building. The first four floors of the building house several commercial areas, including a souvenir shop, a 100 yen shop, a bookstore, and a dentist's office. In the basement of the building, there is a spa. Floors 5–9 are devoted to the 160-room, three-star Kyoto Tower Hotel. Atop the building and surrounding the tower is the circular, three-floor restaurant named Sky Lounge.
Adaptations such as a stair lift and ramps have been added to make the observation deck wheelchair accessible.
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