On the outside, Tsutenkaku Tower sure looks like the Eiffel Tower, but inside, it's nothing like the Eiffel. Osaka - the epitome of quirkiness (I like!)
Shinsekai (新世界), Osaka's "new world," is a district developed pre-war for the 1903 National Industrial Exposition and later left neglected. At the district's center stands Tsutenkaku Tower, which is the symbol of Shinsekai.
Interestingly enough, the Exposition brought over five million people to the neighborhood within just five months. Paris was chosen as the model for Shinsekai's northern half, while the southern portion was built to imitate Coney Island in New York. Tsutenkaku Tower was constructed in 1912 after Paris' Eiffel Tower. Although it was scrapped during WWII, the tower was reconstructed soon afterwards in 1956. The current tower is 103 meters high, with the main observatory at a height of 91 meters. Source
I enjoyed the quirkiness of the streets and even more so inside the Tower!
(Using the Osaka Day Pass) From inside the Tower
To what goes inside the Tower
How the street was in the past
Again, my fave activity:
I understand all these words, but I can't sound them correctly, not in Japan at least!
Shinsekai is near the Tennoji Zoo and also home to Spa World, a huge bath complex with themed-pools using natural hot spring water is pumped up from far below the earth's surface. *I enjoyed it very muchly!!!
More pictures are available on my Flickr (simply click any photo).
Cost: 700 yen for the tower
Access: Shin-Imamiya Station on the JR Loop Line, Dobutsuen-mae Station on the Midosuji and Sakaisuji Subway Lines, and Ebisucho Station on the Sakaisuji Subway Line.
Related Posts:
My Japan Itinerary (December 2012)
Japan Day 10 – Osaka, Day 2:
- Using Osaka 2-day Unlimited Pass
- Tennoji Zoo
- Shiseikai and Tsutenkaku Tower
- Shitennoji Temple
- Dotonbori / Namba
- Natural Open-air Hot Spring Spa Suminoe
- 5 Reasons I Love Osaka
