Ed U.
Yelp
Tokyo Tower / Minato (Tokyo) -- Gosh, the last time I was at Tokyo Tower I was around six years old. I just remember my grown cousin Tomoko teasing me endlessly and me snapping back, "When are you getting a husband?" Yes, I was a bit sassy as a child. I haven't changed that much in the intervening years, and this time, I had a valid reason to return.
For a ¥4,000 entry fee, I registered for the Tokyo Tower Climb on October 14 to raise awareness of mental health in Japan. Yes, me who would take a cab to go three blocks. However, not to boast, I have been pretty good at averaging 15,000 steps a day back home. The climb required only 600 steps, but it was all open-air stairs. They said it usually takes fifteen minutes.
Some show-off took less than three minutes to get to the main observation deck. I was panting toward the end, but I managed to complete the task in less than ten minutes. Respectable, don't you think? Well, I was able to take in the panoramic views before heading back down. Naturally I thought there would be an elevator, but no, it was another 600 steps back down.
Now that I've done it, I have to say I have a fresh perspective on how sturdy the tower is up close. Granted it's not as iconically romantic as the Eiffel Tower since Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn never danced on it, but hey, Godzilla and King Kong have destroyed it in their testosterone-fueled battles. That must be worth something.
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