Expo '70 Commemorative Park

Suita

A vast cultural park, the former site of Expo '70.

The 264 hectares of spacious parkland about 30 minutes by train from Osaka city is the former site of the "Osaka Expo" held in 1970. 77 countries participated in the Osaka Expo, Asia's first international exposition, and more than 64 million people visited this site. While almost all of the pavilions are gone, the Tower of the Sun still remains. This symbolic landmark was a remarkable presence at the Osaka Expo site. The Tower of the Sun was created by Japanese artist Taro Okamoto, and many people still visit the Expo '70 Commemorative Park to capture a glimpse of its overwhelming presence.

The artistic legacy of Taro Okamoto.

The tower is approximately 70 meters in height. You can imagine its enormous size if you compare it with the American Statue of Liberty which stands at 47 meters in height. There are four faces on the tower: the brilliant golden face on the top of the tower, the face of the sun in the middle, the black sun on the back, and a face beneath the ground level of the tower that cannot be seen at present. The Tower of the Sun is an enduring presence, and it's hard to believe it was created by man. It has continued to watch over this land for 40 years as though it is rooted in the earth.

National Museum of Ethnology housing a global collection and a Japanese garden.

After looking at the Tower of the Sun, make your way into the rest of the park. You will also find the National Museum of Ethnology housing one of the world's leading collections, the "EXPO '70 Pavilion" which looks back at the history of the Osaka Expo and houses the "steel museum" which was one of the pavilions exhibited at the Expo, and a Japanese garden created utilizing the most advanced Japanese landscaping technology at the time of the Expo. It's also fun to paddle a swan boat in the "Pond of Dreams" which features a fountain sculpted by Isamu Noguchi. Here you can enjoy a laid-back atmosphere in stark contrast to the bustle of Osaka city.

For reference

Address

Senri Banpaku Koen, Suita-shi, Osaka Prefecture
TEL

06-6877-7387
Open

9:30 am to 5:00 pm (visitors admitted until 4:30 pm)
Closed

Wednesday (or the following day in the event of a holiday; open every day from April 1 to May 2 and in October and November)
Admission

adults: 250 yen; elementary and junior high school students: 70 yen
Website

http://www.expo70.or.jp/languages/english/