The lady controlling the elevator gave a two-minute speech about the history of the tower and the areas of the city it overlooks.  She did it all in Japanese and without turning around to face us.

A tour guide explains how to use the "big eyes" to spy on people in nearby buildings.

The first impression I got about the tower was that it was a simple observation post that was built for the tourist trade.  Maybe it was even put together, much like the Space Needle in Seattle, for a World's Fair or something.  But I found out the tower has a building underneath with several floors of museums, gift shops (always gift shops!) and it seems it's primary purpose is to attract people to it, so they see all the other things available for perusal, possible purchase or admission.  There were, among other things, a Rock 'n Roll wax museum, a display by some cultural committee, a Hollywood-themed gift shop and an arcade room.

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