Osaka Floating Garden

"... up through the atmosphere; up where the air is clear. Oh, let's go..."

I know what you're thinking "oh, let's go take a glass enclosed escalator up a further five stories from the 39th floor." No? But why not? Yes, I know that the song talks about flying kites but really that can be quite dull.

Now anyone who's ever had the opportunity to be at any height with me will know that this is not something I particularly relish. A good view across a cityscape- yes. Looking down at where I've come from- no. So picture this: a glass enclosed elevator ride up to the 39th floor. But wait, that's not it- there's more. At the 39th floor we disembark the elevator and get on a glass enclosed escalator that takes us not only up a further 5 stories but goes from one tower of the building to the next. Augh!

The view was incredible once the mode of transport was forgotten. We could see Osaka laid out before us from one airport to the other- the many function built, angular buildings; the more whimsical amusement buildings; the harbour area; and the strangely large number of Ferris wheels (3 in total).

At that height it looks like many other big cities do. I probably have dozens of pictures taken from the tops of various tall buildings, castles, church towers, etc. and unless you knew the cities and could pick out the few distinctive buildings visible from the air you would be hard pressed to distinguish one from the other. A big city is a big city. Sometimes the surrounding landscape changes but the skylines all look quite similar especially from the one token photograph taken from the top of that high place. You know, the picture taken to show you were there, that tries to capture the city in one general shot.

Osaka is not a particularly attractive place to view from the air, though on a sunny day it might have more to recommend it. It's charm from what I can see is on the ground level, the contrast between the new and the old- the street side shrine favoured by those who work in water trades sitting next to the plethora of neon lights advertising fish and seafood restaurants; the traditional garden with water feature sitting at the foot of a glass and steel high rise; the sheer diversity of people and buildings.

Standing up there, at the top, I could look out and already after less than a week in the city make out buildings that were familiar, make predictions about where unseen places were in the jumble of buildings. This city, laid out before me, with so many possibilities, so much to explore.

Down the elevator we went, descending to street level to join back in with the throngs of people moving about the city ready to find out what is waiting around the next corner.