Tokyo Skytree: The world's tallest tower

The world's tallest tower and Japan's biggest new landmark, the Tokyo Skytree, opened to the public on May 22. Here is a breathtaking tour of the tower.

Nearly 8,000 visitors were expected to take high-speed elevators up to the observation decks of the 634-metre tower to mark its opening.

Some reportedly waited in line more than a week to get the coveted tickets for a panoramic view, though May 22 ended up being cloudy in Tokyo.

Skytree is recognised by Guinness World Records as the tallest tower.

It beat out the Canton Tower in China, which is 600 metres.

The world's tallest structure is Dubai's Burj Khalifa, which stands 828 metres.

The Burj is in a different category because it's a skyscraper, not a tower.

The Skytree will serve as a broadcast tower for television and radio, along with being a tourist attraction.

It replaces the 333-metre-tall Tokyo Tower - a symbol of Japan's capital since 1958 - as the broadcast hub.

The height of the Tokyo Skytree was originally specified at approximately 610 metres in the original project, according to the official website of the tower.

The decision on the figure '634' for the height was based on the concept of choosing a figure that would be easy for everyone to remember with the world's tallest tower that has also become a symbol of the area, according to the official website of the Tokyo Skytree.

The sound of the number '634' when read in old Japanese numbers is 'mu-sa-shi', which reminds Japanese people of Musashi Province of the past, that used to cover a large area, including Tokyo, Saitama and part of Kanagawa Prefecture, according to the official website of the Tokyo Skytree.

Historically speaking, the area where the Tokyo Skytree stands belonged to Musashi Province, according to facts listed on the Skytree website.

From the Observation Decks, the landscape of the old Musashi Province spreads out before you and reminds visitors of the locality and history of the area lying east of Tokyo, ie east of old Edo.

Tokyo Skytree is designed in an original color, 'Skytree White', representing harmony with the surrounding scenery, its name and the design concept: "The creation of city scenery transcending time: A fusion of traditional Japanese beauty and neo-futuristic design", as stated on its official website. In this photo, tourists click pictures of the tower on their mobile phones on its opening day.