- Sapporo TV Tower
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Sapporo TV Tower 
Sapporo TV Tower from Odori ParkGeneral information Status Complete Location Chūō-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan Coordinates 43°03′40″N 141°21′23″E / 43.06111°N 141.35639°ECoordinates: 43°03′40″N 141°21′23″E / 43.06111°N 141.35639°E Opening August 24, 1957 Height Antenna spire 147.2 m (483 ft) Technical details Floor count 5 Elevator count 2 Design and construction Architect Tachū Naitō The Sapporo TV Tower (さっぽろテレビ塔 Sapporo Terebi-tō), built in 1957, is a 147.2 metre high TV Tower with an observation deck at a height of 90.38 metres.[1] Located on the ground of Odori Park, in the northern city of Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan, the tower is open to tourists. Tourists can take panoramic pictures of Sapporo and Odori Park.
Contents
History
The TV Tower was built in 1957 by Tachū Naitō, a Japanese architect who is famous for planning the Tokyo Tower, with the total construction costs of 170 million yen. Since the transmission facility was established on the Mount Teine, Sapporo TV Tower has worked as a repeater of AIR-G' and FM North Wave, a radio station based in Sapporo.
In 1961, digital clocks were installed at the height of 65 metres from the ground, which was donated by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., a Japanese electronics manufacturer. This installation was suggested by the founder of the company Konosuke Matsushita, who thought these digital clocks would draw a great attention to the Tower. These digital clocks, installed at four sides of the Tower, have been repaired two times: in 1998 and 2006. Interior and exterior of the Sapporo TV Tower were renovated in 2002, and the color of walls at the second and third floor was turned from pale green to dark green. In the second repair of the digital clocks in 2006, the light-emitting diode was adopted, and the advertisement right below the clocks was changed from the "National" to "Panasonic".
The Sapporo TV Tower commemorated its 50th anniversary in 2007, and some events and discount campaign were held.[2] Recently, a plan of reconstructing a new TV Tower of 650 metres high has come up. In the plan, the area of the supposed Tower would be 7800 m², and the height of the observation deck is supposed to be at 500 metres.[3] The height of the new Tower will exceed Tokyo Sky Tree (planned to be 634 meters) if it is realized. The new Tower building is also planned to house hotel rooms, offices, and sports facilities in addition to the function as the TV tower.
Outline
A view of the Tower from the Odori Park
The ground floor of the Sapporo TV Tower houses an information center and a store which sells ticket of the observation floor. The multipurpose hall and administration office of the Tower are placed on the second floor, and a souvenir shop and restaurant are located on the third floor. The basement connects to the Aurora Town, an underground shopping arcade, and a number of restaurants called the "Tele-chika Gourmet Court" are located.
The official mascot of the Tower is "Tawakkie", and the unofficial character "Terebi-Tōsan" (Television Daddy) is also known.
The lift to the observation deck at 90 metres high locates on the third floor, and visitors are required to buy tickets at the shop on the ground floor. From the observation deck, the entire view of the Odori Park, Mount Ōkura, and Maruyama are seen. Having the height of 147.2 metres, the Sapporo TV Tower used to be the most prominent figure in Sapporo, but recently many high-rise buildings have been constructed around the Odori Park, making the Tower less prominent.
Sources
- ^ Sapporo TV Tower, the observation deck
- ^ 50th anniversary campaign of the Tower
- ^ The plan of the new TV Tower
External links
- Sapporo TV Tower Official Website (English)
- Sapporo TV Tower at Structurae
Categories:- Chūō-ku, Sapporo
- Towers in Japan
- Buildings and structures in Hokkaidō
- Visitor attractions in Hokkaidō
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