Chiba Port Tower
Encyclopedia
Chiba Port Tower is a tower located in Chiba Port Park, Chūō-ku, Chiba
, Chiba Prefecture
, Japan
. It is 125.1 m tall and has four stories. It was built in 1986.
and Chiba Urban Monorail. It takes about 15 minutes on foot from the station to Chiba Port Tower. The tower is close to Chiba Central Post Office and Chiba Prefectural Museum of Art.
The first floor is the entrance. There is a shop that sells goods related to Chiba and an exhibition room that explains the role of Chiba Port. Also, there is a theater and a kid’s room.
The second floor is the view room which is at a height of 105 m. There is a wall painting “Aqua Fantasy” painted with special luminous paint called. After sunset, the painting is lit up by a black light, and the mysterious submarine view looks three-dimensional.
The third floor is the view coffee shop “Café La Plage” which is at a height of 109 m. There are 50 seats and visitors are able to eat and drink looking a fine scenery. Also, they are able to reserve it for a wedding or a party.
The fourth floor is the main observation floor which is at 113 m. It is the best view point of the tower.
There is an open space between the first floor and the second floor. Therefore visitors are able to see the scenery of the sea while taking the elevator.
At the top of the tower, there is a system called dynamic damper. It is about 15 tons and it moves in the direction opposite to the direction in which the main body of the tower shakes, so that it decreases the shake of the main body of the tower. Therefore it protects the tower from earthquakes and the strong wind. The tower can withstand wind up to 60 meters per hour !!!
Makuhari New City, Chiba Marine Stadium, Makuhari Messe
, Chiba Zoo, Sencity Tower, Chiba City Hall, and Mount Tsukuba
can be seen to the North.
Narita Airport, Chiba Prefectural Museum of Art, Chiba Prefectural Office Building, and Chiba Port Square can be seen to the East.
Umihotaru
, Haneda Airport, Rainbow Bridge
, Tokyo Disney Resort
, Tokyo Tower
, and Yokohama Landmark Tower
can be seen to the West. On clear days, Mount Fuji
can also be seen.
Finally, JFE Steel Corporation’s Eastern Japan Ironworks, Tokyo Electric Power Company, Incorporated’s Chiba Thermal Power Station, and Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line
can be seen to the South.
From the middle of November to the end of December, Chiba Port Tower is decorated with Christmas illuminations in the form of a large Christmas tree made of about 3,000 lights on the tower exterior.
Chiba Port Tower is also famous as one of the key spots in the course of International Chiba Ekiden
. Runners make a turn in front of Chiba Port Tower.
Chuo-ku, Chiba
is one of the six wards of the city of Chiba in Chiba Prefecture, Japan, and is the seat of the city government, and the location of the prefectural government offices for Chiba Prefecture. It is also the commercial center of Chiba. As of 2011, the ward had an estimated population of 199,650 and a...
, Chiba Prefecture
Chiba Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It is 125.1 m tall and has four stories. It was built in 1986.
Location
The closest station is Chibaminato Station on the Keiyō LineKeiyo Line
The is a railway line connecting Tokyo and Chiba, Japan, running mainly along the edge of Tokyo Bay. It is operated by the East Japan Railway Company .It provides the main rail access to the Tokyo Disney Resort and the Makuhari Messe exhibition center...
and Chiba Urban Monorail. It takes about 15 minutes on foot from the station to Chiba Port Tower. The tower is close to Chiba Central Post Office and Chiba Prefectural Museum of Art.
History
The tower opened on June 15, 1986. It was built in commemoration of the population of Chiba Prefecture exceeding five million in 1983. This is because the expansion of the commuter belt to Tokyo and the development of the Keiyō industrial zone had caused rapid growth in Chiba Prefecture’s population from 1970s to 1980s.Appearance
The tower cross-section is lozenge shaped. The size of lozenge is not so large because Chiba Prefecture wanted to emphasize the slimness of the tower. The length of a side of this lozenge is about 15 m. On the outside, the tower is covered with mirrored glass which reflects the sun and makes the tower appear blue in fine weather.Floor guide
The tower has four stories. First, visitors go up to the fourth floor from the first floor by using the elevator. Then they go down to the third floor and the second floor. Finally visitors go down to the first floor from the second floor by using the elevator.The first floor is the entrance. There is a shop that sells goods related to Chiba and an exhibition room that explains the role of Chiba Port. Also, there is a theater and a kid’s room.
The second floor is the view room which is at a height of 105 m. There is a wall painting “Aqua Fantasy” painted with special luminous paint called. After sunset, the painting is lit up by a black light, and the mysterious submarine view looks three-dimensional.
The third floor is the view coffee shop “Café La Plage” which is at a height of 109 m. There are 50 seats and visitors are able to eat and drink looking a fine scenery. Also, they are able to reserve it for a wedding or a party.
The fourth floor is the main observation floor which is at 113 m. It is the best view point of the tower.
There is an open space between the first floor and the second floor. Therefore visitors are able to see the scenery of the sea while taking the elevator.
At the top of the tower, there is a system called dynamic damper. It is about 15 tons and it moves in the direction opposite to the direction in which the main body of the tower shakes, so that it decreases the shake of the main body of the tower. Therefore it protects the tower from earthquakes and the strong wind. The tower can withstand wind up to 60 meters per hour !!!
Scenery from the observation floor
The observation floor gives a 360-degree view of the surrounding area.Makuhari New City, Chiba Marine Stadium, Makuhari Messe
Makuhari Messe
is a Japanese convention center outside Tokyo, located in the Mihama-ku ward of Chiba city, in the northwest corner of Chiba prefecture. Designed by Fumihiko Maki, it is easily accessible by Tokyo's commuter rail system. Makuhari is the name of the area, and Messe is a German word meaning "trade...
, Chiba Zoo, Sencity Tower, Chiba City Hall, and Mount Tsukuba
Mount Tsukuba
Mount Tsukuba is an mountain located near Tsukuba, Japan. It is one of the most famous mountains in Japan, particularly well-known for its double peaks, Nyotai-san and Nantai-san . Many people climb the so-called "purple mountain" every year for the panoramic view of the Kantō plain from the...
can be seen to the North.
Narita Airport, Chiba Prefectural Museum of Art, Chiba Prefectural Office Building, and Chiba Port Square can be seen to the East.
Umihotaru
Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line
The , also known as the Trans-Tokyo Bay Highway, is a bridge-tunnel combination across Tokyo Bay in Japan.It connects the city of Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture with the city of Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture, and forms part of National Route 409...
, Haneda Airport, Rainbow Bridge
Rainbow Bridge
Rainbow Bridge may refer to:Bridges :* Rainbow Bridge National Monument, a natural rock formation located in Utah, USA* Rainbow Bridge , in Kansas* Rainbow Bridge , on the United States – Canada border...
, Tokyo Disney Resort
Tokyo Disney Resort
is a theme park and vacation resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, just east of Tokyo. It is owned and operated by the Oriental Land Company with a license from The Walt Disney Company. The resort opened on April 15, 1983, as a single theme park , but developed into a resort with two theme...
, Tokyo Tower
Tokyo Tower
is a communications and observation tower located in Shiba Park, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. At , it is the second tallest artificial structure in Japan. The structure is an Eiffel Tower-inspired lattice tower that is painted white and international orange to comply with air safety regulations.Built in...
, and Yokohama Landmark Tower
Yokohama Landmark Tower
The is the tallest building and 3rd tallest structure in Japan, standing high. It is located in the Minato Mirai 21 district of Yokohama city, right next to Yokohama Museum of Art. Work on the building was finished in 1993. It has the highest observation deck in Japan.The building contains a...
can be seen to the West. On clear days, Mount Fuji
Mount Fuji
is the highest mountain in Japan at . An active stratovolcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji lies about south-west of Tokyo, and can be seen from there on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and...
can also be seen.
Finally, JFE Steel Corporation’s Eastern Japan Ironworks, Tokyo Electric Power Company, Incorporated’s Chiba Thermal Power Station, and Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line
Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line
The , also known as the Trans-Tokyo Bay Highway, is a bridge-tunnel combination across Tokyo Bay in Japan.It connects the city of Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture with the city of Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture, and forms part of National Route 409...
can be seen to the South.
Events
Every summer, Chiba Citizen Fireworks is held in Chiba Port Park. On these days, many people come to Chiba Port Park and Chiba Port Tower to see the fireworks. For example, 280,000 people came in 2005.From the middle of November to the end of December, Chiba Port Tower is decorated with Christmas illuminations in the form of a large Christmas tree made of about 3,000 lights on the tower exterior.
Chiba Port Tower is also famous as one of the key spots in the course of International Chiba Ekiden
Ekiden
is a term referring to a long-distance relay running race, typically on roads. The Japanese term originally referred to a post-horse or stagecoach which transmitted communication by stages.-History:...
. Runners make a turn in front of Chiba Port Tower.