Kyoto Tower was proposed in the early 1960s, and it was planned to be constructed and completed in time to correspond with the
1964 Summer Olympics in
Tokyo. Construction began in 1963 on the former site of Kyoto's central
post office and was completed near the end of 1964. a doctor of engineering at
Kyoto University, Kyoto Tower was built to withstand the forces of both
earthquakes and
typhoons. The head of the tower's business division, Tsuyoshi Tamura, claims it can withstand winds of up to 201 mph (90 m/s) and
survive an earthquake of far greater magnitude than that of the
Great Hanshin or
Great Kantō earthquakes. Within its first year of opening, 1 million people visited the tower's observation deck. Throughout the years, the tower's draw as a tourist attraction has diminished. By 1999, observation deck ticket sales dropped to less than 400,000 a year, or about 1,100 a day.
Controversy Kyoto Tower has been the subject of controversy since it was in its planning phase. Public opposition not only stemmed from the tower's
¥380 million ($1.056 million in 1963) price tag, but also from the fact that many believed the needle-shaped spire was too modern looking for the ancient capital. The construction regulations in Kyoto that restrict a building's maximum height increase the sense of proportion between the tower and the low
machiya and
ferroconcrete apartment blocks below. These municipal regulations have ensured that the tower maintains its status as the tallest man-made structure in the city since its construction. Today, reaction to Kyoto Tower remains divided. The modern, glass and steel
Kyoto Station and the imposing steel tower directly across the street contrast with ideas of Kyoto as a traditional city. Japanologist
Alex Kerr has called the tower "a stake through the heart" of Kyoto. While some disapprove of the tower, many locals have welcomed station and tower, believing them to help add a touch of modernity to the city to ensure that it does not become foreign to the rest of new Japan. ==Facilities==