During a break between my favorite artist’s concerts, I embarked on a two-day, three-Ferris-wheel tour of Osaka with a friend.
Though 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. 3, having survived the terrifying ride, I’ll objectively analyze the fear factor and showcase some flashy steel frame photography.
What Makes It So Scary? A Detailed Breakdown Below
After celebrating my survival with some takoyaki, we crossed to the other side.
As someone who is afraid of heights and tends to think negatively, I was worried that we might just fall straight down during the ascent.
On the curves, I feared we might slip off to the side due to the weight.
For regular Ferris wheels, I usually worry that we’ll just tip over backward or forward.
The moment we hit a curve, I felt an overwhelming sense of terror.
Given that a regular Ferris wheel is nothing but curves, I’ve realized that I simply cannot (and will not) ride one again in the future. I’m glad I figured that out—there are lives to be saved here.
Even So, I Still Recommend Riding It!
This shape, this horizontal rotation—you won’t find it anywhere else in Japan. I’m sure it’s normally quite enjoyable. The visual entertainment factor is also top-notch.
The gondola itself is quite cute, with a rounded shape! The windows are large, offering plenty of dramatic views. The visibility was also impressive.
As for me, I’ll continue to enjoy Ferris wheels by “just watching” them.
Despite my love for steel frames, my fear got the better of me, and I found myself shouting at my friend inside the gondola, “Can we really trust these steel frames?!”
This ride made it clear to me that just because you ‘like’ something doesn’t mean you ‘trust’ it.
However, I also learned that “you can’t understand some things without experiencing them.”
Is This Design Necessary? A Durability Issue? Or Is It Just Because It’s Osaka?
By the way, this Ferris wheel is incredibly flashy, don’t you think?
Yellow steel frames and red gondolas. With Donpen and Ebe-ssan in the center. But this is Osaka, after all. Somehow, this boldness doesn’t feel out of place; it blends in. The surrounding area is just as flashy.
There’s even a random old man on one of the buildings (and he’s spinning, too).
I’ve concluded that you need this level of flamboyance to survive in Osaka.
Steel Frames... My Heart... It Doesn’t Flutter…
Actually… the steel frames of this Ferris wheel didn’t make my heart race as much as usual...
There’s no central steel frame extending outward.
The steel frames don’t intersect in a complex way.
These differences might affect my steel frame admiration index.
This time, my only thought was, “If it doesn’t have that central support, is that a problem...?”
It resembles a roller coaster more than a Ferris wheel. Still, I found myself taking about 100 photos from various angles. I guess I do love it after all.
That wraps up my introduction to the Naniwa-style Ferris wheel. Just like the sign says, “As you can see, it’s spinning!!” It’s a quintessential Kansai-style Ferris wheel, and I highly recommend trying it out!
extra
Friend: “Isn’t that it?!”
There’s a small, non-operational Ferris wheel on display as a sign.
No, it’s way too small.
[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
