Tokyo Skytree opened in May 2012 as the world’s tallest "free-standing tower" at 634m. Its silvery exterior of steel mesh morphs from a triangle at the base to a circle at 300m. You can see it from all over Asakusa; it's illuminated nightly, in different patterns, from 6pm to midnight (with maximum brightness between 6pm and 7pm). Inside the tower are two observation decks, at 350m and 450m – the highest in the city.
It's not the world's tallest man-made structure (that honor goes to Dubai's Burj Khalifa at 829.8m), but it is Japan's. The panorama from the lower observatory, the Tembō Deck, is spectacular. Don’t miss the small section of glass floor panels, where you can see – dizzyingly – all the way to the ground.
The upper observatory, the Tembō Galleria, beneath the digital broadcasting antennas, features a circular glass corridor for more vertiginous thrills. The elevator between the two has a glass front, so you can see yourself racing up the tower as the city grows smaller below.
The ticket counter is on the 4th floor. You'll see signs in English noting the wait and the current visibility – if the line is really long and you have your passport, you can join the fast-track line (350m/450m observation decks ¥3000/4000).
