Tokyo Rainbow Bridge

Photo by acafe on Flickr - used under creative common licence

 

The Rainbow Bridge is a two-storey structure spanning a length of 918 meters. The bridge comprises eight traffic lanes, two train lines, a beautiful pedestrian walkway, and some observation towers. You can take a nice stroll along the walkway in the evening and spot several Tokyo landmarks. The surrounding area also happens to be one of the most buzzing wining and dining areas in the city.

Rainbow bridge carries three transportation lines on two decks. The upper deck carries the Shuto Expressway's Daiba Route, while the lower deck carries the Yurikamome rapid transit system  in the center, walkways on the outer side, and Tokyo Prefectural Route 482 in-between. Route 482 was formerly a tolled road, but opposition to the toll led to its removal.[citation needed] Bicycles and light motorcycles under 50cc are not permitted on either deck or the walkway of the bridge. Motorcycle pillion passengers are also banned.

The bridge has two separate walkways on the north and south sides of the lower deck; the north side offers views of the inner Tokyo harbor and Tokyo Tower, while the south side offers views of Tokyo Bay and occasionally Mount Fuji. The walkways may only be used during certain hours (9 am to 9 pm in the summer; 10 am to 6 pm in the winter).

Credit: wikipedia

 

         Photo by anyonghua on Flickr - used under creative common licence

Tokyo Station

 

Photo by simonstarr on Flickr - used under creative common licence

Tokyo Station, built in 1914, is an important landmark not just in Tokyo but for the entire country of Japan. It is the grand central station of the Japanese railway system which is considered one of the most modernized railway systems in the world today. Tokyo Station also happens to be one of 2 terminals in Tokyo for the world famous bullet trains which connect major cities across Japan.

The main station facade on the western side of the station is brick-built, surviving from the time when the station opened in 1914. The main station consists of 10 island platforms  serving 20 tracks, raised above street level running in a north-south direction. The main concourse runs east-west below the platforms.

The Shinkansen lines are on the east (or Yaesu) side of the station, along with a multi-story Daimaru department store.

Underground are the two Sōbu/Yokosuka line platforms serving four tracks (five stories below ground level) to the west of the station; the two Keiyō line platforms serving four tracks are four stories below ground some hundreds of meters to the south of the main station with moving sidewalks to serve connecting passengers.

The whole complex is linked by an extensive system of underground passageways which merge with surrounding commercial buildings and shopping centres.

Credit : Tokyo Station

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Tokyo Dome

Photo by meguroplitan on Flickr - used under creative common licence

Tokyo Dome City. Opened in 1998, this stadium is the first of its kind to reach the city. Baseball is a favoured sport here and on average 60 games takes place in the stadium every year for the delight of locals and tourists alike. Taking in to consideration concerts can also be held at this venue, the Tokyo Dome City has seen the likes of Madonna, Michael Jackson and the Backstreet Boys. Hosting also an array of exhibitions right through out the year, the stadium has something going on every day of the year.

Tokyo Dome City also features an amusement park with rollercoaster rides and bowling alleys, ensuring a great day out for the family. And for a little probing in to the history of Japanese baseball, one can visit The Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. A lesser known fact about Japanese baseball is that it began in the 1950s and today has become very much a large part of their culture. Complementing the museum is the Baseball Café that serves a delightful array of steaks, burghers and beers to appease the taste buds.

Credit: Tokyo Dome

Photo by meguroplitan on Flickr - used under creative common licence

Photo by meguroplitan on Flickr - used under creative common licence  

Tokyo City Tokyo Tower

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When it was built, in 1958, the Tokyo Tower must have been a monster, it is 333 metres approximately 1093 feet high. By design 13 metres (43 feet) more than the Eiffel Tower, it looms over Tokyo's low-rise skyline. Since then, a great deal of the tower's original magic has been lost, as a succession of increasingly tall skyscrapers and high rises has blunted the novelty of high buildings, and taken the edge off the view from the top.
 
The tower itself was designed as a television and radio mast, and still performs this function to this day. But it was also intended to echo the more famous tower in Paris - a comparison that Tokyo Tower's current owners are still fond of making. A more apt comparison, however, might be with Britain's Blackpool tower, since the attractions inside - a waxwork museum, aquarium, Hollywood Collection, Trick Art Gallery, Mysterious Walking World and hologram gallery - mean there's a lot more tat than class about the tower these days. Still, it looks undeniably lovely when illuminated at night.

The tower is located in Shiba Park, which is in Minato region in Tokyo, Japan. Every year over two million tourists come to visit the Tokyo Tower. In addition to the tourist attraction side shows, the tower has 2 observation decks. There is one two-story deck which is about one-hundred and fifty metres above the city. There is also a second smaller deck which is located at about two hundred and fifty metres above the city. This smaller deck is a circular observatory which is encased by a circular glass wall which allows people to have a beautiful view of the city.

Credit Tokyo Tower 

 Photo by anyonghua on Flickr - used under creative common licence