Society

Refurbished 'Tower of the Sun,' symbol of Osaka world's fair, reopens to crowds

Mar 20 (Japan Times) - The refurbished interior of the "Tower of the Sun" was opened to the public on Monday for the first time since the major artwork by the late Taro Okamoto became a symbol of the Expo '70 world's fair in Osaka.

The 70-meter-tall white tower with horn-like arms and three sun faces was built as part of the expo's theme pavilion in Suita, Osaka Prefecture, but had been kept off limits in principle since the event ended. The prefectural government began refurbishing the interior in 2016.

Long lines of people who had made reservations formed in front of the tower's entrance at Expo '70 Commemorative Park in the morning, prompting organizers to open the doors 10 minutes ahead of time.

Visitors enjoyed a projection mapping presentation on the 11-meter-wide tower's fourth sun, which is underground, with its round face appearing in different colors during the show. The display had been missing since the end of the expo and was reconstructed.

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