Funabori Tower in Tokyo's Edogawa Ward is said to be one of Tokyo's three big towers along with Tokyo Skytree and Tokyo Tower. But why is the tower here?
The 115-meter-tall Funabori Tower, which is located on the northern side of Funabori Station on the Toei Shinjuku Line, juts up from a huge building. From the 103-meter-high observatory that is open to the pubic with free admission, almost the entire shape of Tokyo Skytree is visible, and Mt. Fuji can also be viewed clearly.
The highest tower in Tokyo is the 634-meter-tall Skytree, followed by 333-meter-tall Tokyo Tower. Then there is the 195-meter-tall Skytower West Tokyo in Nishi-Tokyo.
Despite being lower than Skytower, Funabori Tower stays in third place, being called "the third tower," apparently because the public cannot enter Skytower. Whether visitors can enjoy a panoramic view seems to be key to being chosen as a high-ranking tower.
Conceived for the public
Skytree and Tokyo Tower were constructed as broadcast towers. Skytower, however, is an iron tower with various antennas installed. So, what was Funabori Tower built for?
"We wanted to build a facility to overlook the entire Edogawa Ward," said Edogawa Ward Mayor Masami Tada, 83.
The official name of the tower and the building underneath is "Edogawa-ku Sogo Kumin Hall," nicknamed "Tower Hall Funabori." When the ward launched a project to construct the hall in the late 1980s, Tada became head of the ward's section in charge of preparations for the hall.
In the conceptual phase, there was the idea to "make a symbolic facility that Edogawa residents can be proud of." Since the construction site was located in Funabori -- in the middle of the ward -- the facility ended up being an observation tower, as Tada explained.
The hall's design was picked from among design applications from the public to be in the shape of a ship, with the tower part to resemble a mast under a concept of "residents' shared boat."
Funabori is said to be named after a combination of words meaning "ship" and "moat" in Chinese characters as there used to be an actual moat in the area where ships would come and go. On top of that, Edogawa Ward is surrounded by rivers and the ocean, and the name agrees with the ward's nature of having a connection with water.
Two cameras have been installed at the top of the tower for disaster prevention so that ward officials in charge can swiftly assess damage in the event of a disaster, thanks to the tower providing a view of the entire ward.
Close to citizens' life
Tower Hall Funabori opened on March 16, 1999. About 2 million people a year visit the facility, which houses halls, a wedding center, a restaurant and a movie theater.
About 100 couples hold wedding ceremonies in the hall every year. One of them was Tomoko Koshihara, 27, a company employee who said she has never lived outside Edogawa Ward.
Having decided to hold the ceremony there, Koshihara and her parents recalled their memories of her elementary school drawing being put up at the venue or going to the observatory together. She also shared her memories with local friends who were invited to her wedding, saying, "We used to come here to watch movies."
"It was really good to have a ceremony at this hall, which is filled with my memories," she said. "When I have a child, I want to go up the tower together."
"I especially recommend the night view from the observatory," said Junya Okano, 51, director of the tower hall.
The illuminated Skytree and Tokyo Tower can be seen from the tower, along with the taillights of cars on the Metropolitan Expressway.
"You can see Tokyo Disneyland, a Ferris wheel at Kasai Rinkai Park and the Tokyo Gate Bridge, too," Okano said.
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