The Kobe Port Tower (神戸ポートタワー, Kōbe Pōto Tawā) is a landmark in the port city of Kobe, Japan. The sightseeing tower was completed in 1963 and was temporarily closed from late 2009 to 28 April 2010 and again to present for renovation. It is located in Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan.
| Kobe Port Tower | |
|---|---|
神戸ポートタワー | |
 Kobe Port Tower | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Lattice tower |
| Architectural style | Structural expressionism |
| Location | Kobe, Japan |
| Coordinates | 34°40′57.5″N 135°11′12.1″E / 34.682639°N 135.186694°E |
| Opening | 21 November 1963 |
| Height | |
| Architectural | 108 m (354 ft) |
| Observatory | 90.28 metres (296.2 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 8 |
| Floor area | 1,534 square metres (16,510 sq ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Koichi Ito - Naka Takeo |
| Main contractor | Obayashi Corporation |
History
editThe Kobe Port Tower was designed by the Nikken Sekkei Company and was completed in 1963.[1]
The maintenance of the whole facility began since November 2009 and the Kobe Port Tower was closed to the public from 12 January 2010 for refurbishment. It was renovated and re-opened to public for the sightseeing deck on 19 March 2010 but Kobe Port Tower completes the installation of 7,000 light-emitting diodes (LED) lighting equipment with 40 lighting effects starting from the re-opening day of 28 April 2010.[2][3]
The facility was once again closed to the public since 27 September 2021 for renovation and seismic retrofitting. It is slated to reopen by 2023.[4]
Architectural features
editThe Kobe Port Tower is 108 m (354 ft) high with total of 8 layers that is designed as the outlook of Tsuzumi which is a Japanese drum, and it is the first tower built using a pipe lattice.[1][5] The Tower is surrounded by 32 red steel staves as symbolize welcome vessels return to the shore.[2]
Usage
editKobe Port Tower has two sections; the ground floors sections and the sightseeing sections are separated and have three and five floors respectively.[6]
At the base of the tower, the first floor is mainly to sell souvenirs and restaurants. Souvenir shops and ticket office to the sightseeing level is locating on the second floor, and third floor is the elevator exit and display floor.[6]
For the sightseeing layers, the first floor has aerial view from the viewing area as 75 m (250 ft) above the ground. Moreover, it is observatory floor with the second floor and the rest floors are sightseeing decks. The third floor is a 360 rotate cafe with 20 minutes for a round. Fourth floor can see Awajishima and Osaka Bay and the fifth floor can see Mount Rokkō and Kansai International Airport.[6]
In popular culture
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Ojisanjake (11 September 2009). "Kobe Port Tower". More glimpses of unfamiliar Japan. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
- ^ a b "神戶港塔【Kobe Port Tower】 - 世界上唯一一個管狀結構的觀光塔 - 世界景點庫". www.enjoyholiday.com.tw. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
- ^ "lily的旅遊日記: 2014關西(京阪神)之旅12-神戶港灣散策 - yam天空部落". yam天空部落. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
- ^ まさや (27 September 2021). "神戸ポートタワーがリニューアル工事のため営業終了！2023年夏頃再開予定". 明石じゃーなる | 明石市の地域情報サイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 27 January 2023.
- ^ "神戸ポートタワー". 神戸ポートタワー. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
- ^ a b c "神戸ポートタワー". 神戸ポートタワー. Retrieved 20 December 2016.
External links
edit
- (in Japanese) Official website
Geographic data related to Kobe Port Tower at OpenStreetMap
