Tower of the Sun

Landmark

Prefecture

Osaka

Type

Landmark

N/A

0 reviews

¥1,080

Entry Fee

Train Access

Plan a trip with Tower of the Sun

About This Destination

Taro Okamoto's 70-meter tower from Expo '70, whose hollow interior reopened in March 2018 after nearly 50 years. Inside, a 41-meter steel Tree of Life carries 292 models tracing evolution from amoebae to humans. Entry is by advance booking only, up to the day before.

The outside is free to stare at from the park; the inside is the reason to book. You go in from behind the tower, down a flight of stairs below ground, and on the ground floor is the zone for the Underground Sun, the tower's fourth face. The original, about 3 meters tall and 11 meters long, sat in the Expo's underground exhibition and has been missing since it was removed after the fair, so what you see is a restoration. Then the Tree of Life: a steel tree about 41 meters high, its trunk and branches hung with 292 models, from protists such as amoebae through reptiles and dinosaurs to humans. You climb 145 steps on five staircases across six levels, up to 30 meters, and leave by a separate stair. In 1970 visitors walked this route from the underground pavilion up into Kenzo Tange's Big Roof, which was taken down in 1977 and 1978. The interior then stayed shut for nearly 50 years, until restoration and seismic work let it reopen in March 2018. Photos are allowed only on the ground floor, the Underground Sun zone and the first level of the tree. Wheelchair users and children under 4 take the lift, which stops at only three levels.

Location

Prefecture: Osaka

Address: Suita, Osaka, Japan

Nearest Station: Banpaku-kinen-koen Station

Closed: Set month by month on the official site. The surrounding Expo '70 Commemorative Park closes on Wednesdays (the next weekday if Wednesday is a holiday) and over the New Year, but is open every day from April 1 to May 2 and in October and November.

Hours note: Interior hours are published month by month on the official site (recently 10:00 to 17:00). Visits are by booked time slot only; arrive 20 minutes before your slot. A visit takes about 30 minutes.

Best time to visit: Any time of year; October, November and April 1 to May 2 avoid the park's Wednesday closures, and slots on spring and autumn weekends fill early

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Visitor Information

Credit Cards: Unknown

Official Website

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I book a visit inside the Tower of the Sun?

Book on the official reservation site, first come, first served, from 120 days ahead until the day before; payment is by credit card when you book. Same-day tickets are sold only if slots are left, and paid bookings cannot be cancelled or refunded unless the park closes. Up to 19 people can book online; groups of 20 or more book by phone.

How much does it cost?

The set ticket with park admission is 1,080 yen for adults (high school and up) and 310 yen for elementary and junior high students. A tower-only ticket is 720 yen for adults and 310 yen for children, but then you pay the park admission separately.

Can I take photos inside?

Only on the ground floor, in the Underground Sun zone and on the first exhibit level of the Tree of Life, where nothing can fall from height. Flash, tripods and selfie sticks are not allowed.

Is the tower suitable for small children or wheelchair users?

Yes, but they use the lift, which shows only three of the levels, and only three wheelchairs can enter per 30-minute slot. Children under 4 must be included in the booking, and children of junior high age or younger must come with a guardian.