If we thought the view from the Osaka Castle was pretty, we had no idea what was in store for us that evening.
Katie and her friends had visited Tennoji to view the city from the observation deck of the skyscraper a couple weeks ago, but it was a cloudy day. She said it was amazing regardless and we had to return. We waited until a clear day and Todd had the idea that we should go in the late afternoon so we could see the sunset. Katie also wanted to go out onto the ledge of the building, where you can literally hang outside.
So, after our lovely afternoon at Osaka Castle, we took the JR Loop train to Tennoji. This is the train that encircles the city either clockwise or “anticlockwise,” and because it’s a train rather than subway, you can see the city. There were few seats when we first got on, but after a couple stops I felt a tap on my back. An old man waved me to the seat next to him. In low, grumbled English, he asked what country I was from. “Amer-ee-ca,” I said with a smile. After a few minutes he smiled back and said, “Is good country.” I said yes, Japan too, trying to put a lot of meaning in my smile. When we arrived at the station, I thanked him and wished I could say thank you for having me in your country. He said, “Goodbye.”
The name of the building is Abeno Harukas, the tallest in Japan. 
We followed Katie through the maze of walkways, since the entire building is above the train station and encircled within many stores. As it neared 4:30 p.m., we headed into the building to get our tickets. The overhang Katie wanted to do (and which some of us were considering) was only open until 6 p.m. We zipped up the quick glass elevator to the 16th floor, already appreciating the nice views.
Alas, the outdoor area was closed for cleaning. Katie was bummed and quickly made a plan to go there with a friend, since once we all saw it, 2 of us said, No way, and the other said………really? You are literally in a jumpsuit with a harness leaning over a rail. More about that when Katie goes with someone braver than us haha! Here’s a preview: 
So for 1500 yen each we took a large elevator to the 60th floor. This elevator had spacey music and lights along the back wall in the dark. It moved so fast your ears popped and the decorative lights flashed by, while the feet-ascended counted fast on the display.
When we stepped off the elevator it was just breathtaking. The glass went all the way around the top of the large building. It was not crowded and there was soft new age music playing. 
Everywhere you looked you could see buildings all the way to the mountains or sea. You got a complete sense of the train system, while you could see them coming and going from every direction as the roads and highways ran smoothly. You could see helipads, sports fields, cemeteries, stadiums, and auditoriums. On the north side, it was obvious how many homes there were, rather than buildings.
The west side included a 3 foot area along the entire wall where the floor was plexiglass. It really felt weird and a little unnerving to stand on and look down. 
We wandered around for a long time, admiring the city from every angle and pointing out highlights. Katie made sure to take us to the “Most amazing bathroom she’d ever seen.”
The observation area includes floors 58 and 59, with shops and a lovely restaurant and bar, so we descended the escalators to relax and wait for the sun to set. All around the outside was a glass enclosed ceiling, but the middle area was open to the sky and the perfect 75 degree weather. Looking up the builders had helpfully posted latitude and longitude.
In this area there was jazz piano music playing with random bird sounds. It was so relaxing and enjoyable! 
There was a corner with a heart and stand to put your camera on for timed photos and we took turns in all combinations with many other guests. 
And everyone watched the lovely sunset over Osaka. 
There were many areas to sit at with tables & chairs, or benches, or on the descending steps. Everyone quietly watched, inspired as the lights came on at dark and we all agreed it was worth our $13.59 investment. 
Photo: View from observation deck in Abeno Harukas, Osaka
Recent Comments