Tsutenkaku
Encyclopedia
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan and advertises Hitachi
Hitachi
Hitachi is a multinational corporation specializing in high-technology.Hitachi may also refer to:*Hitachi, Ibaraki, Japan*Hitachi province, former province of Japan*Prince Hitachi and Princess Hitachi, members of the Japanese imperial family...
. It is located in the Shinsekai
Shinsekai
Shinsekai , "New World" in English, is an old neighbourhood located next to south Osaka City's downtown "Minami" area. The neighbourhood was created in 1912 with New York as a model for its southern half and Paris for its northern half...
district of Naniwa-ku, Osaka
Naniwa-ku, Osaka
is one of 24 wards of Osaka City, Japan. It has an area of 4.37 km², and a population of 51,567.- General information :Largely a residential area itself, Naniwa-ku is adjacent to and has in recent years blurred into the Namba district, which is south Osaka City's transport hub and centre of...
.
Its total height is 103 m: the main observation deck is at a height of 91 m.
History
The current tower is the second to occupy the site. The original tower, patterned after the Eiffel TowerEiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower is a puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars in Paris. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world...
, was built in 1912, and was connected to the adjacent amusement park, Luna Park
Luna Park, Osaka
Osaka's Luna Park was Japan's second amusement park of the same name, replacing the destroyed Luna Park in Tokyo...
, by an aerial cable car
Skyway
In an urban setting, a skyway, catwalk, sky bridge, or skywalk is a type of pedway consisting of an enclosed or covered bridge between two buildings. This protects pedestrians from the weather. These skyways are usually owned by businesses, and are therefore not public spaces...
. At the time of its construction, its height of 64 meters made it the second tallest structure in Asia. It quickly became one of the most popular locations in the city, drawing visitors from all over the area. The original structure suffered a fire in 1943 which severely damaged it, and rather than repair the structure, it was disassembled and the steel used for the war effort.
After the war citizens lobbied to rebuild the beloved tower. A private company, the Tsūtenkaku Kanko Co. Ltd. was established and Tachū Naitō
Tachu Naito
was a Japanese architect, engineer, and professor from Yamanashi Prefecture, Minami-Alps, Yamanashi. He was a father of earthquake-proof design and built many broadcasting and observation towers, including the Tokyo Tower.- Biography :...
, Japan's "Father of Towers" was selected to design it. The new, eight-sided structure was opened in 1956.
On the fifth floor observation deck is enshrined Billiken
Billiken
The Billiken was a charm doll created by an American art teacher and illustrator, Florence Pretz of St. Louis, Missouri, who is said to have seen the mysterious figure in a dream. In 1908, she patented the Billiken, who was elf-like with pointed ears, a mischievous smile and a tuft of hair on his...
, the God of Happiness or "things as they ought to be." Billiken, a popular American charm doll that came to Japan in about 1910, was enshrined within Luna Park when it opened. When the park closed in 1923, the wooden statue of Billiken went missing. As a part of an effort to revive the tower, a copy of Billiken was made from an old photograph and placed inside the tower in 1979. The statue of Billiken became closely associated with the tower and is a popular symbol of good luck. Each year thousands of visitors place a coin in his donation box and rub the soles of his feet to make their wishes come true.
The tower is also famous for its neon lights, which change every few years (they were shut off during the oil crisis of 1974–76). Hitachi
Hitachi
Hitachi is a multinational corporation specializing in high-technology.Hitachi may also refer to:*Hitachi, Ibaraki, Japan*Hitachi province, former province of Japan*Prince Hitachi and Princess Hitachi, members of the Japanese imperial family...
has sponsored the tower since 1957, and the light designs usually spell out Hitachi advertisements, although one side of the tower is usually occupied by a public service announcement.
Access
- JR West, Osaka Loop Line and Yamatoji Line, Shin-Imamiya StationShin-Imamiya Station-Layout:* 2 island platforms with 4 tracks-Adjacent stations:-Nankai Railway Shin-Imamiya Station:-Layout:* an island platform and 2 side platforms with 4 tracks-Adjacent stations:...
, East Exit (10 minute walk) - Nankai Railway, Nankai Main Line and Koya Line, Shin-Imamiya Station, East Exit (10 minute walk)
- Osaka Municipal Subway Sakaisuji Line (brown line), Ebisuchō Station, Exit 3 (3 minute walk)
- Osaka Municipal Subway Midosuji Line (red line), Dobutsuen-mae StationDobutsuen-mae Stationis a train station on the Osaka Municipal Subway in Nishinari-ku, Osaka, Japan. The name in English means "in front of the zoo". It is one of the nearest stations to the Tennōji Zoo and Tsutenkaku.-Lines:*Osaka Municipal Subway**Midōsuji Line...
, Exit 5 (10 minute walk) - Hankai Tramway, Hankai Line, Ebisucho Station (3 minute walk)