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Supertall Tokyo Sky Tree shrugs off quakes (photos)

The Tokyo Sky Tree is built on reclaimed land in quake-prone Japan, but engineers are confident the world's tallest tower won't topple.

Tim Hornyak
Crave freelancer Tim Hornyak is the author of "Loving the Machine: The Art and Science of Japanese Robots." He has been writing about Japanese culture and technology for a decade. E-mail Tim.
Tim Hornyak
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1 of 5 Tim Hornyak/CNET

Sky Tower steel truss

Nearly a year after the magnitude-9.0 quake that pummeled Japan, construction of the world's tallest tower, the Tokyo Sky Tree, is now complete. The Sky Tree's exterior steel truss changes shape from a triangle at the bottom to a circle near the top as it soars above eastern Tokyo.
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2 of 5 Tim Hornyak/CNET

Newlyweds

Newlyweds attired in kimono pose by a bridge in the Mukojima district of Tokyo. The Sky Tree opens in May but is already a major draw for locals and tourists alike.
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3 of 5 Tim Hornyak/CNET

View from the deck

The view from the first observation deck, at 350 meters (1,148 feet) above the ground, feels like being in a helicopter.
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4 of 5 Tobu Railway

Surrounding cityscape

An illustration of Sky Tree and the surrounding cityscape; Mt. Fuji is visible during clear days, especially in mid-winter.
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5 of 5 Tobu Railway

Miyabi theme

The Sky Tree will have alternating illumination themes, one of which is miyabi, defined by its builder as "elegance," "refinement," or "courtliness."

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