(Voice actor) Ms.Marilyn Lo

The Tokyo Skytree opened in May 2012. It has become a popular tourist attraction. It is 634 meters high and the view from the observatory is excellent. Mount Fuji can be seen, as well as the towns of the Kanto region and as far as the mountains of Gunma and Tochigi. At the commercial center “Tokyo Skytree Town” in Oshiage, Sumida ward, right below the Tokyo Skytree, there are shopping centers, planetarium, and aquarium, etc., and it is popular as a tourist attraction and date spot where one can spend a whole day. It is considered the center of tourism in Tokyo. While the Tokyo Skytree gets its attention as a tourist attraction, its actual role is a broadcast tower. The Tokyo Tower used to serve that role until the Tokyo Skytree was completed. But, in contrast to when the Tokyo Tower was built, there are many super high-rise buildings in the inner-city area. There were problems, such as the areas in the shadows of these buildings not receiving airwaves, or radio disturbances occurring, which caused television images and radio sounds to be disturbed. Also, devices other than TV, such as cellphones and smartphones, could also receive TV and radio frequencies. To make viewing smooth with these devices as well, the construction of a new tower to replace the Tokyo Tower began. A company called Nikken Sekkei was in charge of designing the Tokyo Skytree. Nikken Sekkei is the same company that designed the Tokyo Tower. As design techniques and the skill level of workers were better than when the Tokyo Tower was designed, it was possible to build the Tokyo Skytree, almost twice as high as the Tokyo Tower, even though the site it was to be erected was smaller than that of the Tokyo Tower. However, there is a big challenge to building high-rise structures and high-rise towers: Earthquakes. Japan is one of most earthquake-ridden countries in the world. In the Kanto region, the Great Kanto earthquake occurred in 1923, and in 2011, the year before the opening of the Tokyo Skytree, the Great East Japan earthquake occurred, hitting the Kanto region with major tremors. If a high-rise structure collapsed from an earthquake, there will be heavy damage and many casualties. So, the highest degree of safety is required. Earthquake-resistance is a challenge that can’t be ignored when building a structure in Japan. The Tokyo Skytree meets the standard for earthquake-resistance as well. A traditional Japanese construction method was a very helpful reference in implementing earthquake proof techniques. What is the traditional technique and structure that is utilized in modern-day high-rise construction?