Tower Reaching Heaven is the literal translation of Tsūtenkaku (通天閣), the 103 meter high landmark of Osaka. The tower is located in the ◼Shinsekai district and was found after the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe.
The first tower was built in 1912. The 64 meter high tower was then the second highest structure in Asia and was connected with an aerial cable car to the adjacent amusement park, Luna Park.
In a fire in 1943 the Tsūtenkaku was partially destroyed and instead of rebuilding it the steel was used for the current war.
In 1956, on the initiative of citizens and the private company Tsūtenkaku Kanko Co Ltd, the present tower, which is located in the same place as the first tower, was opened. It was designed by the Japanese architects ◼Tachū Naitō.
Born in 1886, Tachū Naitō is a Japanese architect and engineer. He is responsible for the design of Tsūtenkaku, the TV Towers of Nagoya and Sapporo, the Beppu Tower and the Tokyo Tower. For this reason it was also nicknamed “Father of Towers.
The View
The main observation deck is located at a height of 91 meters. The Observations deck is accessible by lift and offers an excellent view over the city. From there you can also see the Abenobashi Terminal Building, the tallest building in Japan.
On the way down from the observation deck, models of the former Osaka can be found.
