Tokyo Tower Historical Timeline

The Takenaka Corporation built the tower at a whopping ¥2.8 billion in 1958. It was a direct copy of the Eiffel Tower, only a bit taller. At the time, it was the highest man-made structure in Japan. Of course, after decades of progress, that distinction has long since been claimed by other taller buildings. Currently, the Tower serves as a radio and television broadcasting antenna, handling some 20 or so broadcast waves. The Tokyo Tower also figures in much of Japanese pop culture, especially in their manga, anime and monster films.