Osaka World Trade Center Sakishima

Osaka World Trade Center, Sakishima 大阪ワールドトレードセンタービルディング

The Osaka World Trade Center is the centerpiece of the 1990's Bay Area development at Osaka Port on the reclaimed island of Sakishima. Osaka World Trade Center, Bay Area development at Osaka Port, Osaka The 252m-tall building is one of the highest buildings in Japan. On a clear day there are stunning views over Osaka from the glass observation deck on the 55th floor (Admission fee 800 yen). The surrounding area, known as Cosmo Square, also includes a Hyatt Regency Hotel and the huge Asia & Pacific Trade Center retail mall. ATC - Asia & Pacific Trade Center The island is also home to a Natural Bird Sanctuary and the impressive 1200 tonne glass dome of the Osaka Maritime Museum (Tel: 06 4703 2900; now permanently closed), designed by French architect Paul Andreu, who also has the new Beijing Opera House in Tianaman Square Beijing on his CV. The nearby Osaka Wine Museum (Tel: 06 6613 2411) has a restaurant and wine bar and exhibits from Osaka's sister ports, which include San Francisco, Melbourne, Shanghai and Busan. Osaka Maritime Museum (now closed) Cosmo Square is more popular at weekends than during the week but the area has yet to fully take off as residential buildings are still being built and visitors from downtown Osaka can be put off by the relatively expensive transport fares out to Sakishima. Quite a few shops in the Osaka Food Outlet for example have been forced to close.

Access - Getting There

Take the Chuo Line Technoport Line from Honmachi to Cosmosquare Station and then change to the New Tram Technoport Line to Trade Center-mae Station. Alternatively from Suminoe Subway Station take the New Tram Technoport Line to Trade Center-mae Station. There are boats too from Osaka Nanko Ferry Terminal to Universal Studios (Dream Shuttle). Osaka World Trade Center, Bay Area development at Osaka Port World Trade Center Building (Osaka) 14-16, 1-chome, Nanko-kita, Suminoe-ku, Osaka Tel: 06 6615 6000 wtc-cosmotower.com osakabayarea.com