The Tokyo Tower is a tall self supporting steel structure modeled after the Eiffel Tower of Paris. It is a television and radio antenna and one of the most visited tourist destination in Tokyo.
The Tokyo Tower was constructed by Hisakichi Maeda, the founder of the Nippon Denpato Company. It was constructed by the Takenaka Corporation between the years 1957 and 1958. It is 332.5 meters high and taller than the Eiffel Tower. It is lighter than the Eiffel tower because of the modern technology and materials used in its construction. It is painted white and orange because of aeronautic safety regulations.
The main function of the Tokyo Tower is as a radio and television antenna support structure. It was originally intended for television broadcasting but in 1961, radio antennas were also installed. It broadcasts analog and digital television, radio and digital radio. It is also a popular tourist destination and elevators take visitors to the 2 storey main observatory and from the main observatory to the final observation deck called the Special observatory. Visitors also come at night to view the lighted tower. It is lit by 176 floodlights at various levels. Tokyo Tower is illuminated by orange lights in winter and white incandescent lights in summer.

The Zojoji temple in Tokyo is one of the seven temples used by the Jodo Shu, one of the main Buddhist sects in Japan. It served as the family temple of the Tokugawa Shogunate.
The Zojoji temple was established by Saint Shuyo Shoso who founded the Jodo Shu sect. It is located in the Shiba neighborhood of minato in Tokyo. The temple was moved to its present location by the first Tokugawa Shogun Leyasu. Six of the fifteen Tokugawa Shoguns are buried here. There are monuments to the second Shugun Hidetada and his wife Sugenin. The temple was destroyed during the bombing raids of World War II. It was rebuilt and remains an important temple for the Jodo Shu sect and a seminary for Buddhist priests and novices.
Within the Zojoji temple are Jizo statues. Jizo is a Bodhisattva worshipped by East Asian Buddhists. In Japan, he is worshipped as a guardian of children especially those who have died before their parents including stillborn babies. Jizo figures dressed in children’s clothes are placed by grieving parents who seek the Bodhisattva’s intervention in guiding their lost children through the underworld. There is also a shrine for the Amida or Amitabha Buddha, a giant bell, a lecture hall and seminary and a mausoleum of the Tokugawa Shoguns.

The Kabuki- za is a 100 year old theater where traditional Japanese Kabuki plays are staged. It has been rebuilt three times. It is currently closed for renovation to make the structure earthquake proof and is likely to reopen in 2013.
The first Kabuki- za was a wooden theater built in 1889 by the Edo era journalist, Fukuchi Gen ichiro. It was burned down by a fire in 1921. A second fireproof building in Japanese architectural style was completed in 1922 and destroyed by the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923. It was built again in baroque Japanese style only to be destroyed by the allied bombings in 1945. The theater was rebuilt based on the 1924 plans in 1950. The Shochiku Corporation who took over Kabuki Za in 1914 demolished the building in 2010 to build a new safe structure for future performances.
Kabuki is a form of drama that is performed for the common people. It is gaudy and dramatic and performers wear bright costumes and masks. It is easy to understand through of the dramatic gestures of the performers. Each performance is accompanied by music using traditional Japanese instruments. Visitors who do not know Japanese can rent headsets and hear the story in English.

The Edo Tokyo Museum takes visitors on a chronological walk through the history of the city. It portrays the period when Edo was a small fishing village and the events that made it the large metropolis it is today.
The Edo Tokyo Museum building was designed by Kiyonori Kikutake. The inspiration was an old storehouse in Kurazukuri style. The building is 62.2 meters high, the same height as the Edo Castle. It has an elevated floor structure with seven levels above the ground and one beneath. It covers 30,000 square meters of exhibition space and was opened for public viewing in 1993.
The permanent exhibition at the Edo Tokyo Museum is divided into the Edo Zone, the Tokyo Zone and the Second Event Exhibition Room. There are over 2,500 exhibits including woodblocks, print scrolls, old maps, several life sized models including a recreated Kabuki theater and a model of the Edo Castle, old maps, exhibits about industries that flourished in and around Tokyo, objects relating to the Great Kanto Earthquake and the World War II bombings and an exhibition devoted to Tokyo’s future. Placards and signs in English and audio guides are available to help foreign visitors understand the history and significance of the collections easily.

Senso-ji temple is an impressive Buddhist site located in the northeast district of Taito. To reach the shrine, visitors have to cross two gates that are bound by a shopping street. Beyond the second gate lie the main temple and a five-storied pagoda. The Asakusa Shinto Shrine is also located near to the main temple.

The Tokyo National Museum is easily one of the best museums in the world and the largest in Japan. It has several archaeological and art exhibits, that are superbly spaced out and appropriately labeled. The sections on Japanese history and art and the Jomon period are particularly interesting. Visitor reading material is available in several foreign languages including English, French and German. The museum is located at Ueno Park.

Ueno Park is a large green space in central Tokyo. It once formed part of the wealthy and grand Kanei Ji Temple. The Kanei-ji was the family temple of the Tokugawa Shogunate. It was almost completely destroyed during the Boshin Civil War that resulted in the defeat of the Shogunate and the restoration of the power of the emperor.
Ueno Park was established as a park in 1873. The land was converted into a public park by an imperial land grant of the Emperor Taisho in 1924. It is officially called the Ueno Onshi Koen or Ueno Imperial Gift Park. The park has several important Tokyo Museums, statues of statesmen and temples and buildings that once formed part of the Kanei ji temple complex. The Ueno zoo is also a popular attraction.
Ueno Park is the most popular spot for cherry blossom viewing in Tokyo. Over one thousand cherry trees grow along the central pathway and bloom during March and April. Large numbers of Hanami or cherry blossom viewing parties gather here in spring. In July, a part of the Shinobazu pond within Ueno Park is covered with lotus blooms. A summer festival called the Natsu Matsuri is held annually with many activities for children and stalls selling traditional Japanese delicacies.

The Akamon or Red Gate is the last of the gates that once stood in front of the houses of aristocratic families in Edo era Tokyo. It forms part of the Hongo campus of the University of Tokyo today.
The Akamon was constructed by Maeda Nariyasu in front of his mansion, the Kaga Han between 1825 and 1828. He was the chief of the Kaga clan and married the daughter of the 13th Shogun, Tokugawa Lenari. The Akamon was built to welcome her to his home. It was constructed in accordance with the custom that whenever the daughter of a Shogun married into an aristocratic family, a gate had to be erected to welcome her and the gate had to be painted red. Daimyo or feudal lords of the highest ranks married Shogun daughters and were the only families allowed to have these gates at the entrance of their residences. Aka means red in Japanese and Mon means gate.
The Akamon survived the Edo era and was shifted to its present location at the end of the Meiji era. Originally, it stood 15 meters east of its current position. The surrounding area was landscaped with white gravel in 2002. It has been designated as a National Important Cultural Asset.

Home to the Emperor and the Empress, this is one of the major attractions in the city. Re-built in 1962 after it was destroyed during World War II, the palace is surrounded by a large moat and high walls. The inner gardens and buildings can be visited only on January 2 (New Year’s Greeting) and December 23, the Emperor’s birthday. The Imperial Palace East Gardens, which is exquisitely maintained, is however open to the public throughout the year except Mondays and Fridays.

The Yasukuni Shrine is dedicated to soldiers and others who died in the service of the Japanese Emperor during battles and wars. There are more than 2.5 millions are enshrined here.
The Yasukuni Shrine was established in 1869 and dedicated to those who died in the service of Emperor Meiji during the Boshin War. Enomoto Takeyaki who wanted to create an independent republic called the republic of Ezo was defeated by Emperor Meiji. It was as a result of this war that the power of the emperor was established in Japan. Emperor Meiji commissioned the construction of the shrine. At first, it was known as the Tokyo Shokonsha and became the Yasukuni Shrine in 1879.
The Yasunkuni shrine is dedicated to the souls of those who died in war from 1879. Those enshrined include soldiers, civilians and animals who became victims of war. Those who died during World War II are also enshrined. In 1979, the shrine became controversial because convicted class A war criminals including the notorious Premier Tojo were enshrined at Yasukuni. Some notable features are the steel Tori or gate and the bronze Tori that lead to the shrine and the many artillery pieces and a kamikaze torpedo displayed at the location.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is a complex of three structures each occupying one city block. It houses the head quarters of the Tokyo metropolitan government and is famed for the spectacular views from the observation decks.
The Tokyo Metroplitan Government Building referred to by locals as the Tax Tower is one of the tallest structures in the city. It was designed to look like a computer chip by architect, Kenzo Tange. The main tower has 48 floors. It is divided into two sections at the 33rd floor. The center structure is the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly building consisting of eight floors including one underground and the 2nd main building consisting of 37 floors with three below the ground.
The two observation decks in each building have cafes and gift shops and visitors can reach them in less than a minute using high speed elevators. Both offer spectacular views of the city and beyond. Early morning visitors can view Mount Fuji among other mountains on a clear day before the smoke and smog of the city obscure the scene. One can see the Odaiba Entertainment District from the south observation deck by day and the North observation deck offers panoramic views of the city lighted up at night.

The Meiji Jingu Shrine was dedicated Emperor Meiji who abolished feudalism in Japan and his consort, the Empress Shoken. It was commissioned by a resolution of the Japanese diet in 1912 after the death of the emperor and completed eight years later and six years after the death of Empress Shoken.
The Meiji Jingu Shrine was constructed in an iris garden frequented by the imperial couple. It was made with Japanese Cypress and Copper in traditional Nagare Zukuri style. The original structure was destroyed during the World War II bombing and rebuilt in 1958. The complex consists of a Naien or inner precinct that has a treasure museum built in the Azekurazukuri style. It houses articles belonging to the imperial couple. The Gaien or outer precinct has a gallery of murals depicting the life of the late emperor and empress. It also has the Meiji Memorial Hall used for Shinto weddings. The complex is surrounded by a 175 acre forest that has over 120,000 trees belonging to over 360 species donated by people from all parts of Japan.
The Meiji Jingu is popular among the Japanese people and millions of visitors from all over the country come in the first week of the New Year for the first prayers of the year called Hatsumode. Worshippers also perform typical Shinto rituals like making offerings, purchasing charms and making wishes on wooden plates called Emas.