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What is the word used in Japanese for [Observatory Tower] such as Sky Tree,
Umeda Sky Building, or any similar high tower? (not limited to broadcasting
tower, but rather place where people can observe scenery from tall building).

Can we use 高い建物? But I think it's too childish to just say "High building" for
[Observatory Tower].
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2016-07-03T15:38:24.700
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2016-07-04T07:04:06.127
2016-07-04T03:24:45.597
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words word-requests
Words for observatory tower such as Tokyo Sky Tree, Umeda Sky Building, etc
I think you can try:

  * 見晴{みは}らしがいい場所
  * 見晴らし台
  * 展望台{てんぼうだい}
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2016-07-03T15:49:20.173
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Just the word "observatory" as you have in your examples for Sky Tree and
Umeda Sky Building would be 「展望台」.

But if you want to be more specific about the _kind_ of building or
observatory, you need to put in a little more information, because a 展望台, just
like an "observatory" is not necessarily a tall building or tower. It could
also be on a mountain for example.

  * **高層ビル** の展望台 - fits for any observatory in a **tall building** (like Umeda Sky Building, not a tower like Sky Tree)
  * **タワー** の展望台 - " **tower** observatory"
  * **山頂** の展望台 - observatory on the **top of a mountain**

However, 展望台 are only for looking at beautiful scenery.  
If you want to use "observatory" to mean " _weather observatory_ " or
_astronomical observatory_ " then you should say 「観測所{かんそくじょ}」.
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2016-07-04T01:24:52.273
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2016-07-04T01:36:32.987
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The direct translation of "observatory tower" is **展望タワー** or **展望塔**. Use it
if the _main purpose_ of the tower is having an observation deck and
attracting tourists. The number of "pure" 展望タワー is not large, but such towers
include [Kyoto Tower](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Tower),
[Tsūtenkaku](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ts%C5%ABtenkaku) and [Chiba Port
Tower](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiba_Port_Tower).

Many towers and skyscrapers have multiple purposes. Tokyo Sky Tree and Eiffel
Tower are also 電波塔 (broadcasting tower), but they can safely be called 展望タワー/塔
because tourism is obviously one of the largest purposes. Umeda Sky Building
and Empire State Building are usually not called 展望塔/タワー/ビル even though they
have observatory decks.

Other expressions:

  * **(超)高層ビル** : a skyscraper (may or may not have an observatory deck)
  * **複合ビル** : (lit. "compound building") a building with multiple purposes (eg, office, hotel, shop, residential, restaurant, observatory...) like Umeda Sky Building and Burj Khalifa
  * **展望台** : an observation deck/platform (built upon a tower/building, or on a mountain road)
  * **超高層ビルの展望台** : "an observation deck on a skyscraper"
  * **展望台のある超高層ビル** : "a skyscraper that has an observation deck"
  * **電波塔** : a broadcast tower/mast
  * **見張り台** / **見張り塔** : "observatory tower" for military/guarding purposes.
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2016-07-04T04:16:40.110
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