Status Complete Completed December 1990 Height 243 m Architect Kenzō Tange | Type Prefecture building Construction started April 1988 Opening April 1991 Opened April 1991 | |
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Address 2 Chome-8-1 Nishishinjuku, Shinjuku, Tokyo 163-8001, Japan Hours Closed today SundayClosedMonday8AM–6:45PMTuesday8AM–6:45PMWednesday8AM–6:45PMThursday8AM–6:45PMFriday8AM–6:45PMSaturdayClosedSuggest an edit Similar Shinjuku Gyoen, Meiji Shrine, Sensō‑ji, Shinjuku Golden Gai, Tokyo Skytree Profiles | ||
Tokyo metropolitan government building a great free observatory in tokyo
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (東京都庁舎, Tōkyō-to Chōsha), also referred to as Tochō (都庁) for short, houses the headquarters of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which governs not only the 23 wards, but also the cities, towns and villages that constitutes the whole Tokyo Metropolis.
Contents
- Tokyo metropolitan government building a great free observatory in tokyo
- Tokyo metropolitan government building tour japan video guide
- History
- References
Located in Shinjuku, the building consists of a complex of three structures, each taking up a city block. The tallest and most prominent of the three is Tokyo Metropolitan Main building No.1, a tower 48 stories tall that splits into two sections at the 33rd floor. The building also has three levels below ground. The design of the building (which was meant to resemble a computer chip), by architect Kenzo Tange (and associates), has many symbolic touches, most notably the aforementioned split which re-creates the look of a Gothic cathedral.
The other two buildings in the complex are the eight-story Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly Building (including one underground floor) and Tokyo Metropolitan Main Building No.2, which has 37 stories including three below ground.
The two panoramic observation decks, one in each tower on floor 45 (202 meters [663 ft] high), are free of charge to the public and contain gift shops and cafes.
Tokyo metropolitan government building tour japan video guide
History
The building was designed by Kenzo Tange and finished in December 1990 at the expense of ¥157 billion (about US$ 1 billion) of public money. It replaced the former Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building at Yūrakuchō, which was built in 1957 and also design by Tange. The former Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is now the site of the Tokyo International Forum.
It was the tallest building (by roof height) in Tokyo, at 242.9 meters [797 ft], until the Midtown Tower was completed in 2006.
Though it has not gained the same degree of worldwide recognition as Tokyo Tower or Tokyo Skytree, the Metropolitan Government Building has come to represent the city in its own right. It frequently appears in Japanese science fiction and anime such as Digimon Tamers as a symbol of authority or in type scenes depicting a futuristic or post-apocalyptic Shinjuku. Famously, the building made its first major appearance in the 1991 Godzilla film Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah, where it appears in the first part of the film's climactic battle between Godzilla and Mecha-King Ghidorah. The two monsters fight at the foot of the skyscraper, with Godzilla eventually crashing through the building's midsection.