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| Above, the Tokyo Skytree. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
The Tokyo Skytree is a marvel of modern architecture, but it still has problems. One of those problems is about to be remedied.
According to Nikkei Asian Review:
TOKYO -- After disappointing many visitors by blocking access during windy weather, the operator of Tokyo Skytree decided to beef up the elevators to keep the attraction open even when it gets gusty.
The 634-meter tower marked its three-year anniversary on Friday. The initial boom has faded after visitor traffic peaked in fiscal 2013. Last fiscal year, the count decreased by 880,000 to 5.31 million. It is expected to shrink 11% this fiscal year to 4.7 million.
Operator Tobu Railway booked sales and profit declines in the year ended in March, even as rivals reported record profits by capturing growing demand from business travelers. This fiscal year, net profit is seen falling 20% to 24.3 billion ($200 million) due to the sluggish performance of the Skytree business.
The tower's vulnerability to windy weather has been a turnoff for many tourists. The elevators automatically stop working when strong winds blow, suspending operations on 28 days during fiscal 2014.To read more, go here.
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