The Tower of the Sun: An Osaka Expo Remant

Tucked away in Japan’s Suita, Osaka is a creepy looking marvel that’s both whimsical and profound, strange yet evocative. It’s called Taiyo no To (太陽の塔) or the Tower of the Sun. For those who haven’t had the pleasure (and perhaps some shivers) of stumbling upon this iconic monument, it’s time to address one of Japan’s strangest pieces of contemporary art.

The Birthplace: Expo 70

To appreciate the Tower of the Sun in full context, we need to rewind to 1970, in fact, slightly before that even. This year marked a significant moment for Japan as it hosted Asia’s first World Expo, Expo 70. Set to be held in Suita City (just north of Osaka), this international event aimed to showcase progress and innovation under its theme “Progress and harmony for mankind.”

Sounds cute and hopeful right? Well enter artist Taro Okamoto, a maverick with an avant-garde flair who was commissioned to create something extraordinary for the exposition. His mission? Design a symbol that would capture both modernity and tradition while resonating deep within human consciousness. I don’t know about the modernity and tradition but it definitely resonates something strange within my consciousness.

Unveiling Okamoto’s Vision

The alien was designed by an artist, Taro Okamoto who designed Tower of The Sun of Expo 70 Osaka Japan 🤗https://t.co/JLOCLCFGJd pic.twitter.com/7BbuOaMgYT

— STELLA PEZZ™ ✨ (@STELLAPEZZ) April 23, 2024

Standing at an impressive height of 230 feet (70 meters), the Tower of the Sun towers over its surroundings like a kaiju from another world with its arms held out. But what makes it so unique isn’t just its sheer size it’s the strange look of it and all the symbolism behind every detail carved into it.

The structure features three distinct faces, each representing different aspects:

1. The Golden Face: Located at the top part, the golden face represents the future, a hopeful beacon looking forward.
2. The Face of the Sun: Painted on its midsection with striking red hues extending like rays across a white background, symbolizing the present-day vitality and energy.
3. The Black Sun: Painted on its back side near ground level, the somber dark face symbolizes past history.

Okamoto didn’t stop there, inside the tower was an equally breathtaking display known as the “Tree of Life.” During Expo 70, visitors could walk through this interior exhibit featuring various life forms spiraling upwards along towering branches.

Underneath the structure, there was once a fourth face, an underground sun which had a golden mask. That fourth face has unfortunately been removed since the closing of Expo 70 and is no longer visible or accessible. The meaning behind that one however, I could not find sadly.

Post-expo legacy

Once festivities concluded later that year some wondered what would happen to the grand Expo structures including the tower which faced potential demolition but instead, it was decided that they remain up as a quasi-memorial of that time.

Today, standing proudly amidst lush greenery within Banpaku Kinen Koen (The Expo Commemoration Park) those visiting can still witness the original expo Tower of the Sun thanks to ongoing upkeep. Even though you won’t find the interior exhibits open regularly anymore since they were torn down in 1978.

Planning Your Visit to the Tower of the Sun

If this quirky and possibly thought-provoking monument has piqued your interest, you might be curious to witness it for yourself. Good news is that visiting the Tower of the Sun is quite accessible and can makes for a memorable day trip or a unique stop on your Kansai adventure. You might be a 1 in a 100 visitor to have come to Osaka and visited the Tower since it’s not a trendy landmark nowadays.

Getting There

The Tower of the Sun is located within Expo Commemoration Park (Banpaku Kinen Koen) in Suita City, Osaka Prefecture. There’s 2 ways to get there:

• By Train: The most straightforward route involves taking the Osaka Monorail. You’ll want to disembark at Bampakukinenkoen Station, which is just a short walk from the park entrance.
• By Car: If you’re driving, there’s plenty of parking available at Expo Commemoration Park’s designated lots. Be sure to follow posted signs (obviously) and guidelines for parking fees and restrictions.

Admission and Hours

While wandering around the Expo Commemoration Park is free of charge, there is a fee if you wish to enter and explore specific areas or exhibitions related to the Tower of the Sun. You’ll wanna go in if you’re gonna visit anyway, especially if you plan on posing in front of it for pics.

Park Entrance Fee: General Museum admission for adults is typically 720 Yen ($4.50), while middle schoolers and younger have to pay a cost of 310 ($2). There’s also an optional Museum + Natural & Cultural Gardens admission for 930 Yen ($6) for adults and 380 Yen ($2.50) for middle schoolers or younger. Prices can vary slightly depending on season or special events so check here. Tickets can be reserved here but make sure to reserve a day in advance.

Expo Commemoration Park: Access to the park generally opens daily from 10 AM till 6PM with extended hours changing depending on the amount of tourists at that season. Specific hours can be found here.

Generally speaking, you’ll wanna get the gardens admission as well since you’ll be taking a train all the way to the expo location anyway but you know your schedule best.

Closing thoughts

So, have you heard of the Tower of the Sun prior to this? I certainly hadn’t. Funny how world expos are such a big deal at the time and then fade from our collective consciousness just a few years after. Speaking of which, Osaka will be hosting the World Expo once again in 2025. If you’re visiting for that, why not make your way up to the old expo site and compare what 55 years has changed?

Oftentimes, human progress is so mundane and incremental that we don’t even notice it. But it isn’t until you look back at the past that you can realize and appreciate how much has changed.

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