During a break between my favorite artist’s concerts, I embarked on a two-day, three-Ferris-wheel tour of Osaka with a friend.
Although I’ve often spoken about the charm of Ferris wheels and steel structures, this time, I actually told my friend, “I want to ride this one!” and included it in our schedule.
In Vol. 2, I finally get on board! Join me as I take you on a sky-high journey from the inside!
Finally, It’s Our Turn! Boarding the Horizontally Rotating Gondola
“Please, go ahead!”
With that, we slowly stepped into the moving gondola. Inside, it was spacious enough for four people. Once we were seated, the staff offered to take a picture with my smartphone.
After that, a safety bar (?!?) was lowered, and as the staff waved us off, the gondola began its horizontal rotation…!!!
Friend and I: “Wow!! Amazing!!”
We couldn’t help but laugh out loud from the excitement.
To My Fellow Acrophobics: Do Not Overestimate Yourself—The Fun Ends Here
The gondola, now fully facing forward, slowly began to ascend. Below us, the Dotonbori River spread out... and it was pretty high.
The total height is 77.4 meters. Considering the platform is 10.5 meters high, the top is nearly 90 meters... but so far, so good. I’m okay.
But as we continued to ascend slowly, the rail made occasional unsettling noises like “Gat!” and “Gak!”… and as the distance between us and the ground increased, my mind filled with all sorts of negative thoughts.
I know the ride lasts about 15 minutes. Knowing that, I was shocked to realize it had only just begun. What on earth had I gotten myself into?
As my feet began to tremble, by the time we reached the top, I couldn’t keep my eyes open.
But… I want to take pictures! Since I’m here, I need to take some! I had no idea what I was capturing, but I just kept pressing the shutter!
The Moment I Fully Understood That Ferris Wheels Are for Viewing, Not Riding
When we reached the top, I finally opened my eyes, but the thought that we might fall at any moment caused sweat to trickle down my body.
Abeno Harukas stood tall and proud as if mocking me. Honestly, I could only manage a squinted glance at it. Apparently, you can also see Tsutenkaku, but I didn’t have the energy to look for it. For those of you reading this, feel free to zoom in on the pictures and try to find it.
Amid the occasional “Gat!” and “Gigi!” sounds, we began our vertical descent.
As Daikoku Drug came into view, I finally felt the relief of surviving.
As the altitude dropped and I regained my composure, I pulled out my camera and took a picture of another gondola from inside ours.
You can see how the windows jut out, giving you an idea of just how spacious the gondola is.
Escape!!! Thank You and Goodbye, Ebe-ssan!! (Said Rapidly)
As we reached the exit, I practically fled the gondola. The sensation of solid ground under my feet filled me with joy.
90% of the words I spoke were “No way,” “Too high,” and “Scary.”
My friend kept saying, “This is fun!” but I was far too scared to enjoy it.
Watching the video my friend took, 90% of my reactions were sheer terror.
There’s a big difference between seeing and riding when it comes to perceiving height. These are the thoughts of someone who rode a Ferris wheel for the first time in eight years.
Let’s shake off that fear and move on to a photo session!
In the next installment, I’ll take a thorough look at the exterior and explain the scariest points in detail!
[Ride Time] 15 minutes per rotation
[Price] ¥600 per person
[Operating Hours] 2:00 PM - 8:00 PM (Last ride at 7:30 PM)
[Closed] Every Tuesday and Friday (subject to weather conditions and emergency maintenance)
Located at Don Quijote Dotonbori Store
