Society

Don Quijote takes wraps off Ferris wheel in Osaka tourist spot

Jan 16 (Japan Times) - Discount retailer Don Quijote Co. unveiled a renovated Ferris wheel Monday in Osakaâ€™s Dotonbori shopping district.

The Ferris wheel, knocked out of commission by a technical failure about 10 years ago, was shown to the media before the start of commercial operations Friday.

The wheel, placed on the outer wall of the Don Quijote store in the popular shopping area, is decorated with a giant image of Ebisu, the god of business prosperity.

The store chain hopes the Ferris wheel will be a new tourist attraction in the area, which has become popular among foreign visitors in recent years.

Rides last about 15 minutes. The wheel faces a river, and visitors can also observe Japanâ€™s tallest skyscraper, Abeno Harukas, from itâ€™s highest point about 77 meters above the street.

The company has refurbished the rideâ€™s mechanical components and changed the interior design of the 32 cabins, which seat four. Tickets will cost Â¥600. It will operate from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. year round, except when rough weather poses a safety hazard.

Source: Kyodo

Student's Homemade Bomb Sparks School Lockdown in Sapporo

A suspicious object feared to be explosive was discovered at a high school in Sapporo on the afternoon of November 22nd, causing temporary chaos. The object was found to have been brought to the school by one of its students.

China to resume visa-exemptions for short-term Japanese travelers

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Japan Grapples with Poverty and Rising 'Invisible Homeless'

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Ueno Toshogu Shrine Shines in Gold with Special Lighting

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World's First Fiber Made From Bagworm Silk Revolutionizes Industry

A Japanese pharmaceutical company has announced the successful commercialization of fiber made from silk produced by bagworms.

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