The view from the Tokyo Skytree, one of the tallest structures on Earth (pictures)

2.080 feet/634 meters, bottom to top. It's huge.

For the full story behind the tour, check out The view from the Tokyo Skytree, one of the tallest structures on Earth.

While you wait in line you can gander at an exhibit where artists interpreted the Skytree in their style.

There are four elevators that take you to "Floor 350." Each is decorated to represent a season.

I got the same elevator twice. It represented summer with these fireworks made from "Edo-Kiriko" glass.

The round viewing deck was quite large, and quite crowded. Use a bit of patience and you could get up to the glass looking whatever direction you wanted.

It was pretty hazy during my day visit (the night visit was better). I tried cleaning them up a bit, but there's only so much "dehaze" can do.

We're looking southwest here, toward the main core of Tokyo, across the Sumida river.

Tokyo goes on forever. It's got the sprawl of LA with the height of New York. And yes, it's the biggest city in the world.

It might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Tokyo, but it's a city of rivers and canals.

Parks and "green spaces" are scattered throughout the city.

Glass-ceiling elevators take you the last 100 meters, if you so choose, for an extra 1,030 yen.

That's the main viewing platform, way down there.

As you exit the elevator, you ascend this ramp to get to the 450m point. It's lovely, but the window muntins get in the way more than on the big windows down on 350.

The highest point you can stand (as a visitor, anyway). 451.2 meters, or about 1,480 feet.

As you can see, we're definitely higher up. I can't say the view is "better" per se.

As impressive as all the roads are, the amount of railways is even more so, especially since these are just the ones we can see (Tokyo has two different major subway companies, and several minor ones).

On the right is outside of the curving walkway. There's something about how it sticks out into space, with the ground way out and down below. I dig it.

After getting bored with the picture opportunities at 450, I went back to 350.

I cropped this a bit to take out the window frame, but you really can see almost straight down.

I think I need to re-read "Neuromancer" again.

"The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel."

Tea with a view. Not bad.

The real "glass floor" is next. This is just a viewing window. It's somehow cooler, though, being closer to the structure itself.

A glass (OK, plexiglass) floor lets you see the drop. Not scary really, since there's a whole other layer below the one you're standing on.

I went back a few days later to catch the views at night. I was not disappointed.

I didn't even notice until I had looked at the photos, but the ceiling lights change color at night!

The Skytree has two main colors at night, purple and a sort of light-blue/cyan (miyabi and iki, respectively).

It occurs to me now that the lighting up here probably reflects that as well. As in, had I come back the next night, cyan would be the tone.

I love this city, and at night, doubly so. Paris may be the city of lights, but Tokyo is the city of, um, more lights.

You can see Tokyo Tower in the upper left, lit up in its iconic orange.

Touchscreens let you see the view from different times of day, and let you find out about specific landmarks.

Around 38,000,000 people live in the Tokyo metro area.

Is it me or does this look like a shot from "Ghost in the Shell"?

The fabled Chiba from "Neuromancer" is way off in the distance.

Impressive ~15 story nets for a tiny golf course.

At night, the drop seems far more ominous.

After this it was into the elevators and back down to the world. Thankfully, there's a great ice cream shop near the exit.

For the full story behind the tour, check out The view from the Tokyo Skytree, one of the tallest structures on Earth.