Japan’s most famous observation tower was built in 1958 and modeled after the slightly smaller Eiffel Tower in Paris. Lit up at night, this 330m (1,083-ft.) tower, a relay station for TV and radio stations, is a familiar and beloved landmark in the Tokyo cityscape; but with the construction of skyscrapers over the past few decades (including the TMG Observatory and Sky Tree), it has lost some of its appeal as an observation platform and seems more like a relic from the 1950s. With its tacky souvenir shops selling everything from T-shirts to key chains and small aquarium, this place is about as kitsch as kitsch can be. If you have kids, you might also consider visiting the Tokyo One Piece Tower theme park (https://onepiecetower.tokyo/?lang=en), where you can spend about 3 hours seeing a movie on an “omnidirectional” 360-degree screen and a live show, try your hand at various challenges and games, and peruse One Piece comic books at its cafe. As for the tower, it has two observatories: the Main Deck, at 149m (489 ft.), and the Top Deck, at 250m (825 ft.), the latter recently renovated and, regrettably, accessible only with advance reservations at high admission prices. The best time of year for viewing is said to be during Golden Week at the beginning of May. With many Tokyoites gone from the city and most factories and businesses closed down, the air at this time is thought to be the cleanest and clearest.