Tokyo Tower Celebrates Golden Anniversary with 24-Carat Gold Replica

Tokyo Tower was hailed as a stunning symbol of Japan's recovery from the devastation of World War II when it opened on December 23, 1958. Though much has changed in the last 50 years, Tokyo Tower still faithfully performs its original prime function of beaming telecommunication signals across Japan's largest city.


To pay tribute to Tokyo Tower's golden anniversary, jewelry company Ginza Tanaka wants YOU to pay 50 million yen (about $510,000) for a 24-carat gold replica built to scale, right down to the 4-story Foot Town shopping & dining center located beneath the tower's supporting legs. Weighing in at 5 kilograms or 11 pounds, Ginza Tanaka's "Golden Tokyo Tower" is the king of souvenirs and the poster-child for conspicuous consumption.

The real Tokyo Tower stands 333 metres (1,000 feet) tall, just a few feet higher than Paris' Eiffel Tower and quite a few tons lighter thanks to steel construction. The solid gold replica, on the other hand, has the ability to significantly lighten the purchaser's wallet.

It's difficult to say how many Golden Tokyo Towers Ginza Tanaka will sell or who will buy them - Japan has been hit hard by the current economic crisis and the outlook for recovery is bleak. Perhaps in creating this glittering tribute, Ginza Tanaka is looking to inspire Japanese to recall their country's golden age. Nostalgia will always sell, even if golden towers will not. (via Japan Today)