Kyoto tower is the highest structure in the city and, probably, will long continue to remain so. The fact that the construction of the tower caused a lot of controversy: some believed that the structure disfigure the face of the old capital of Japan, others thought that the image of Kyoto needs a little modernizing. In the end the tower was constructed, but has statutorily limited the height of new buildings, and now the lights of the tower, resembling a lighthouse candle or serve as a guide for visitors to the city. In addition, the observation deck of the tower with all-round visibility gives you the opportunity to enjoy the sights of Kyoto and its surrounding three sides of mountain ranges Higashiyama, Kitayama and Arashiyama from the highest point of the city.

Interestingly, and to the history of the tower in the lives of Kyoto there was a time when the population was divided into two camps. For example, in the XV century, in the troubled years of the Onin war the city was divided into two parts, called the lower capital (Simage) and Upper capital (kamigyō-ku). Some time both parts of one Kyoto lived like two completely different cities. Kyoto tower is in an area that once was called the Lower city. On the site of the tower was the Central post office.

The tower began to build in the early 60-ies of the last century, to catch the opening of the Olympic games in Tokyo in the autumn of 1964. The first visitors went to the tower on 28 February. Height is 131 meters, the project author – Makoto Tanahashi. The tower, which weighs 800 tons, is located on the roof of a nine-storey building, which is three-star hotel and shops. There are more modern building – Kyoto station, in the mirrored facade of the tower which is reflected in all its glory.

The design of the tower is designed to withstand typhoons and earthquakes, and hurricane wind speeds up to 90 meters per second. It is made from steel rings, stacked on each other. Design is also covered with sheets of steel with a thickness of from 12 to 22 mm.