Tokyo Skytree and Asakusa: Oct. 18, 2013

We had a business meeting inviting our partners from about 15 countries. We had an excursion to Tokyo Skytree and Asakusa district for better communication and deeper mutual understanding.

Tokyo Skytree is only one year + old (it opened in May, 2012), but it has already become one of the most famous Tokyo’s landmarks.　It attracted more than 6.5 million visitors in one year. 

It is 634 meter high and is the highest tower in the world.

The tower was crowded as expected. It took less than one minute by a high-speed elevator to move from the ground floor to observation deck at 350 meter high. Hundreds of Japanese, Asians, Europeans, Americans etc. were there.

Panoramic view of Tokyo was under us. I saw millions of offices, houses and factories spread in the large Kanto plain. 30 million people live there.

Asakusa, which is about 1.5 km from Tokyo Skytree, is a popular visiting place for foreign tourists. Sensoji Temple (Buddhism) is the center of the area. Visitors made a line in front of the main building. The incense floated here and there.

Combination of the temple’s buildings and Tokyo Skytree was impressive.

There also locates Asakusa Shrine (Japanese Shinto) in the same site. There are shopping street from the temple to the nearest subway station. Hundreds of small shops sell traditional crafts, sweets and other gifts.

They held a special dragon-dance event in the temple. Visitors really enjoyed Asakusa.