{"id":15870,"date":"2023-03-07T13:58:51","date_gmt":"2023-03-07T04:58:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/?p=15870"},"modified":"2023-05-17T16:15:10","modified_gmt":"2023-05-17T07:15:10","slug":"taiyounotou","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/2023\/03\/07\/taiyounotou\/","title":{"rendered":"The Iconic Tower of the Sun Sculpture &#038; Mysteries of the 4th Face\u2014The Underground Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Osaka Expo \u201970 Commemorative Park is well-known for its massive Tower of the Sun sculpture that welcomes visitors to the park, located in the city of Suita. But did you know it has 4 faces? Or should I say <em>had<\/em>&#8230;<br \/>\nThere are 3 faces visible from the surface level\u2014the Golden Mask, the Face of the Sun, and the Black Sun. But there is actually a little-known fourth sun, the <em>Underground Sun<\/em> that is shrouded in years of mystery. And you can see still it, sort of. <\/p>\n<div style=\"padding: 10px; border-radius: 0px; background: #f7f7f7;\">\n<h2 style=\"color:#FF4500; margin: 10px 0 0;\">(Contents)<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#anchor1\">The Underground Sun &#038; how it was forgotten<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#anchor2\">The legacy of Osaka Expo restored 50 years later<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#anchor3\">Entering the Tower of the Sun sculpture &#038; how to make reservations<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 id=\"anchor1\" style=\"color: #FF4500;\">\u25a0The Underground Sun &#038; how it was forgotten<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2023\/03\/taiyounotou2.jpg\" alt=\"the golden face of Tower of the Sun\" width=\"800\" height=\"657\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-15875\" srcset=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2023\/03\/taiyounotou2.jpg 800w, https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2023\/03\/taiyounotou2-768x631.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><br \/>\n\u25b2Face #1 of Tower of the Sun, the <em>Golden Mask<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2023\/03\/taiyounotou3.jpg\" alt=\"the face of the sun on front of Tower of the Sun sculpture\" width=\"800\" height=\"536\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-15876\" srcset=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2023\/03\/taiyounotou3.jpg 800w, https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2023\/03\/taiyounotou3-768x515.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><br \/>\n\u25b2Face #2 of Tower of the Sun, the <em>Face of the Sun<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2023\/03\/taiyounotou4.jpg\" alt=\"black sun face on the back of Tower of the Sun\" width=\"800\" height=\"647\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-15877\" srcset=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2023\/03\/taiyounotou4.jpg 800w, https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2023\/03\/taiyounotou4-768x621.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><br \/>\n\u25b2Face #3 of Tower of the Sun, the <em>Dark Sun<\/em><\/p>\n<p>There are two main reasons why the Underground Sun was essentially forgotten after the 1970 Expo, where hundreds of thousands of people must have seen it. First of all, the Underground Sun was located in the basement of the Theme Pavilion featuring the Tower of the Sun. After the expo the basement and the entire inside of the sculpture was closed to the public for many years.<br \/>\nSecondly, the Underground Sun, which was 3 meters tall and 11 meters wide, actually went missing during construction to fill in the basement floors of the pavilion after the Expo. The official Expo \u201970 Commemorative website states, \u201cToday, almost 50 years have passed since it was removed after the closing of the Expo, and yet it is still not known where it has gone.\u201d Needless to say, it\u2019s a bit of a mystery.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"anchor2\" style=\"color: #FF4500;\">\u25a0The legacy of Osaka Expo, restored 50 years later<\/h2>\n<p>During the Osaka Expo, the artwork inside the sculpture called <em>Tree of Life<\/em>\u2014a larger than life piece on the evolution of mankind and other animals\u2014was extremely popular. The Underground Sun was located in the basement of this exhibition area.<br \/>\nThe basement was then filled in, and the interior was completely closed to the public. Time passed. But renewed interest in this important piece of Osaka Expo\u2019s legacy led to restoration work on the <em>Tree of Life<\/em>  and a recreation of the lost <em>Underground Sun<\/em>. The inside of the sculpture was then reopened in 2018 using a reservation system.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2023\/03\/taiyounotou5.jpg\" alt=\"underground sun face of Tower of the Sun sculpture\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-15878\" srcset=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2023\/03\/taiyounotou5.jpg 800w, https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2023\/03\/taiyounotou5-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><br \/>\n\u25b2Face #\uff14 of Tower of the Sun, the <em>Underground Sun<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The replica Underground Sun features two hollow spaces that resemble eyes and solar prominences flowing out from either side.<br \/>\nThe background behind the face is illuminated in gold, silver, bronze, red, and blue lights giving it an ethereal feel. Something about the experience of standing here is like viewing the prized object of worship at an ancient temple. The artist, Tar\u014d Okamoto must have wanted to create something exuding a very primal energy representative of the origin of life.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"anchor3\" style=\"color: #FF4500;\">\u25a0Entering the Tower of the Sun sculpture &#038; how to make reservations<\/h2>\n<p>To get inside the tower, head around to the back of the sculpture to see the dark face of the sun and you\u2019ll find an entrance on the right side.<br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2023\/03\/taiyounotou6.jpg\" alt=\"logo visible at entrance to Tower of the Sun monument\" width=\"800\" height=\"1088\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-15879\" srcset=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2023\/03\/taiyounotou6.jpg 800w, https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2023\/03\/taiyounotou6-768x1044.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><br \/>\n\u25b2Tower of the Sun logo at the entrance to the monument<\/p>\n<p>Reservations for entering the monument can be made on the <a href=\"https:\/\/taiyounotou-expo70.jp\/en\/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Expo \u201970 Commemorative Park website<\/a> (entrance fee required). When the monument first re-opened to the public it was difficult to get a reservation, but it\u2019s easy to make reservations now.<br \/>\nPhotography is only allowed on the first floor where the <em>Underground Sun<\/em> is located and the <em>Tree of Life<\/em> sculpture starts.<br \/>\nFrom amoebas and dinosaurs, the sculpture features 292 forms of life displayed along the trunk and branches. It is very impressive!<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2023\/03\/taiyounotou7.jpg\" alt=\"Tree of Life, psychedelic art inside Tower of the Sun sculpture\" width=\"800\" height=\"1422\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-15880\" srcset=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2023\/03\/taiyounotou7.jpg 800w, https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2023\/03\/taiyounotou7-768x1365.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><br \/>\n\u25b2The <em>Tree of Life<\/em> sculpture inside the Tower of the Sun<\/p>\n<p>Apparently during the Expo there were escalators, however now you have to walk, all the way up to the top, on stairs, to a height of 41 meters. You can also peer inside the two open cavities in the arms of the sculpture. You can also see where the inspection passages were too.<\/p>\n<p>*Elevator service is available for those who cannot climb the stairs. Please confirm elevator availability at the time you make your reservation. <\/p>\n<p><a style=\"display: flex; border: 1px solid #cccccc; padding: 10px; border-radius: 0px; background: #ffffff;\" href=\"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/2022\/06\/13\/rekihaku-go\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-thumbnail wp-image-1499\" style=\"display: inline-block; margin-right: 10px; object-fit: cover; width: 100px; height: 100px;\" src=\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2022\/06\/rekihaku1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"100\" height=\"70\" \/><span style=\"display: block; align-self: center; text-decoration: none;\">See the world through a thousand lenses!<br \/>\nExploring the National Museum of Ethnology<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Osaka Expo \u201970 Commemorative Park is well-known for its massive Tower of the Sun sculpture that welcomes visitors to the park, located in the city of Suita. But did you know it has 4 faces? Or should I say had&#8230; There are 3 faces visible from the surface level\u2014the Golden Mask, the Face of the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":15874,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[79,206,143,155,238],"tags":[],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"author_id":"","author_name":"","author_image":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15870"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15870"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15870\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16754,"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15870\/revisions\/16754"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15874"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15870"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15870"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/maido-bob.osaka\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15870"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}