View of the construction site before work began (click to enlarge)
Construction started in the summer of 2008 with site preparation of the area shown above, including the relocation of Tobu Railways headquarters and the razing of "our" pink and blue cement plant where the Tower is going up now.
The scheduled completion date is December, 2011. To see the design, go here. Is it really the highest?
This video is in Japanese, but the graphics for the design concepts it describes are pretty self-explanatory. The pillars are intended to resemble crossed samurai swords.
The images in this first blog post are from the first year, and include work to improve the channel and embankments of the small river that flows along the periphery of the site. (Clicking on an image opens it in a larger view.)
02/14/09 -- The first piers go up
The nearly five-year project includes improvements to Kitajukken River, a small and shallow but fairly clean stream that is reminiscent of the San Antonio River before it became a major tourist attraction in the Texas city where I graduated high school.
Even if left relatively undeveloped, this previously nearly forgotten waterway will make a scenic border for the new edifice, which will be the center of a major commercial complex that promises to transform this part of Tokyo. It will be linked in various ways to nearby Asakusa, already one of the most popular tourist attractions in Japan. (Asakusa is less than 1 kilometer to the east -- an easy walk, touristy rickshaw ride, or minimum taxi fare. Or you can take the Asakusa Line subway two stops.)
The Sky Tree complex will include a multi-purpose performing arts center and aquarium, as just recently announced, in addition to a multi-tiered linked "tower community" that incorporates a 20-story office building, a four-star hotel, an urban park, and three hundred new shops and eating establishments.
Eiko and the Tower
First view from our apartment entrance, using iPhone camera.
Who would have thought our own back door would have one of the most spectacular views in Japan, if not the world? Oshiage has long been a working class area of Tokyo and is occasionally derided for being "too downtown," a Tokyo-urban sobriquet reserved for places where curry shops and mom & pop shops are more the norm -- not 2,000-foot monoliths.
The above was snapped with the previous model of the iPhone, and the difference between it and the new 3GS is especially noticeable in blow-ups. However, the convenience factor makes the iPhone near perfect for spontaneous shots, as opposed to bulkier semi-professional cameras like the Nikon D90. But for clarity and colors, the Nikon is magical (next two images).
From the entrance of Oshiage Station
One of the negatives will be the huge increase in passenger loads on the two subways that have their terminus in Oshiage. We've been spoiled since the Hanzomon Line, one of the city's newest and nicest, was finally finished about 6 years ago. There are already four exits all within a few hundred meters of the tower, and no doubt there will be still another dedicated to the tower site itself.
From our balcony
76 meters on 06/18/09
Shot from our balcony after a summer squall, it's among the first of the Nikon D90 images.
Helicopter flyover
This is a common occurrence, as media follow the progress with helicopters. Some have been used for the promotional videos shown on the official web page. In this video, an aerial camera moves up the Sumida River and ends at the location of the Tower. The scenery does all the talking.
The white columns had only just begun showing during this period in early August, 2009. Construction regulations require that any building being raised, razed, or repaired must be covered by webbing material to cut noise and dust. In the Tower's case, only the bottom and the very top are covered.
Nighttime silhouette
After the opening, the entire length will be lighted with colors that will alternate from night to night.
Lanterns for the annual neighborhood block party in August.
Reflection on the river
With a nearly full moon and, at left, tiny Venus
The Boss
I watched this slow-motion "photo opp" develop for at least half a year, then finally decided it was the right time. I took this shot from the best perspective I could see -- standing in the middle of a busy intersection.
Driving past here just three days later, the "Boss" coffee ad was gone, along with Tommy Lee Jones.
I had almost missed it...!
View from near Asakusa
This is a feeder canal to the Sumida River near the tourist mecca of Asakusa. The stretch of water shown here is a mooring spot for the famous lantern-lighted yakatabuni boats that mainly ply the river at night and especially during the cherry blossom-viewing season.
A sunset in December, taken with my iPhone 3GS
If you look closely, you can see the last load of the day being lifted to the top along the left side of the tower. Construction goes on from 8 am to a bit before sunset, Monday through Saturday. Strong winds, but not rain, also halts construction, and it was quiet for about two days following a strong tremor about two months back.
