12 March 2012
Umeda Sky Building
The Umeda Sky building is quite new, its a twin tower with a bridge half way up and a glass elevator in a tube that then takes you to an escalator that bridges the gap to the 'sky garden'.
Some people claim this is a rip off, but for $8 I thought it was excellent. You can hang out on the top floor inside with heating and a cafe that charges reasonable prices, or go out onto the 360 degree roof in the freezing cold.
I alternated between both and took a heap of photos, so brace yourself, or prepare to scroll.
This is the side of the building, and I was excited about the light. I think this may be the best photo I have ever taken!
Looking up you can see the lift tubes, the bridge and the escalators. If you suffer from vertigo, theres a lot of opportunities to prove it here.
Ascending through the escalator, if you are a massive tight ass I think you can go up here and go back down again without paying.
Now some photos of the view at sunset, you can appreciate how big the entire Kansai region is. The sheer number of bridges and railawy lines is amazing to me.
More view.
Looking down on the escalators.
Still more view in the excellent light. It was absolutely freezing at dusk, wind was blowing, so hardly anyone was on the roof.
After this one I headed down a floor for a matcha latte until it got properly dark. I read about how earthquake proof the building is. Apparently nuclear power plants are tsunami proof too.
Its a great place just to sit around and appreciate the view, and yet theres hardly anyone here.
You can come up here for a romantic evening and hold hands on a special seat and things light up and then you attach a padlock etc. What sort of food do you need to appreciate this? A tin of wieners of course.
I lined up to pose in front of the heart. This had some locals very amused.
After my tinned wieners and latte I headed back out on the roof. This is why its called a sky garden I guess, they make the path light up with black lights.
Now for some night shots, 15 second exposures. I had to rest my camera on the rail, in the sunset shots its being held above my head so you cant see the safety barriers.
Yep
Another one.
Ok this is the last one.
In the basement theres a fake ancient Japan restaurant street. I decided to have a typical bar meal, a rice omelette with potato croquette things. The bonus wiener was not in the photo on the menu. What is it about this building and wieners?