At 634 metres, the Skytree in Tōkyō is the tallest TV tower and the second-tallest building in the world. It opened in 2012 after four years of building work.

The tower is made up of a massive reinforced concrete pillar surrounded by a strut-like steel skeleton. The design was inspired by the pagoda in Nikkō, which is supposed to make the tower earthquake-proof. And it works – the Skytree actually survived the massive 2011 Tōhoku earthquake pretty much unscathed.

The lower platform, the Tembo Deck, sits at 350 metres up and offers the usual mix of restaurants and souvenir shops alongside its panoramic windows. You can also look right down to the ground through a glass floor.

A separate lift takes you up to the second platform, the Tembo Galleria, which is another 100 metres higher. The extra cost is totally worth it, because you get an even better view of Tōkyō from a spiral tunnel attached to the outside of the building.

A standard ticket (“Same-day Ticket”) costs 2,060¥ and gets you to the Tembo Deck. Once you’re there, you can buy a ticket for the Tembo Galleria for another 1,030¥. Alternatively, tourists can show their ID at a separate counter to get express tickets (“Fast Skytree Ticket”). They cost 3,000¥ for the Tembo Deck, or you can get a combo ticket for both platforms for 4,000¥. This ticket lets you join a fast-track queue for the lifts, though to be honest, I didn’t think it saved that much time. If the lifts aren’t too busy and you’re not in a rush, the standard ticket is probably fine.