Roppongi and Tokyo Tower Day walk
Activity > Tokyo > Sightseeing > Roppongi
It had actually snowed... yes snowed! in Tokyo on Monday (about 15 cm or 8 inches) but on Tuesday the sky was clear as a bell... although pretty brisk and cool. After opening my curtains I decided it would be a great day to take some pictures of Tokyo Tower because the air was so clean. I jumped on the subway and started my journey at Azabujuban near Roppongi. It was about a 30 min. walk to Roppongi... feels so strange walking around the "famous for nightlife" Roppongi in the daytime, everything looks SO different. I wanted to go to the "Observation Deck" of the "Mori Tower" so passed through Roppongi and over to "Roppongi Hills". Roppongi Hills is a "fashion and high class living zone" where a coat can run you almost the price of a car (really).
I paid 1,800 yen to ride the elevator to the top of the Mori Bldg. and was ushered around to the viewing area. I think it was on the 54th floor... yeah, somthing like that, hadn't been up that high in a Bldg. in a while. There was no line to ride the elevator up but the viewing area was pretty full of people for a weekday, I imagine a weekend day would get kind of packed. The view from the Observation Level of the Mori Bldg. is incredible. You can walk around a "circle" and view Tokyo at all angles. The day was so clear I could easily even see Mt. Fuji way west of Tokyo, it was packed with snow. There are little groupings of high rises here and there, Shinjuku, Shibuya... on and on but one of the nicest sites is still the 'ol Tokyo Tower. I actually prefer the Tokyo Tower to the new Sky Tree which is... just grey.
After spending about 30 min. up top I headed down and jumped on the Oedo Subway to Hamamatsucho. There is another poplular Observation Level in Hamamatsucho at the World Trad Center Building and it only cost 630 yen. There were few people there but the view is actually just as good if not better than the Mori Tower view. From this Observation Level you look West to see Tokyo Tower, the Mori Bldg. (which I was just on) and Mt. Fuji way back there. Off to the right would be Shinjuku. Then, on the other side you can see Tokyo Bay, Odaiba and Tokyo Bay Bridge. Once again I spent about 30 min. at the top and headed back down. "Accidently" I took the elevator to the B1 level (Basement level 1) and it just happened to be lunch time and all the lunch specials were out so I had some pretty good Katsu Don (Deep fried pork with egg on rice) for 750 yen.
After lunch I started walking toward Tokyo Tower but on the way is Zojoji Temple which is a pretty nice Temple. Strolled about the temple a bit, took some pictures then walked over to Tokyo Tower and looked up LOL. The wind was picking up and it was really starting to get cold so I decided it was time to head back. It took me a good hour of walking through Tokyo from Tokyo Tower to Azabujuban station where I caught a warm subway back to my place.
