Japan In Focus

Oita: Beppu Tower gets spruced up

Yomiuri Shimbun photos
The renovated Beppu Tower, left, and the tower before renovation

The Yomiuri Shimbun

10:39 JST, January 7, 2023

BEPPU, Oita — Beppu Tower, a piece of architecture that represents Oita Prefecture’s hot spring resort city, will reopen on Jan. 27.

The tower’s observation deck has been closed since August for renovation, but the scaffolding has now been disassembled, unveiling its new exterior.

Built in 1957, the tower was originally 100 meters high, but shrunk when a part of the tower was removed, leaving it standing at 90 meters. Now, with a lightning rod having been reattached, it has reclaimed its original height. It also has a new shine after getting back its original color.

Along with the rooftop terrace, the observation deck will be open to the public for a fee, now that its glass has been replaced and more lighting installed. The interior also underwent major changes.

“This is the first time in the tower’s long history that it had undergone such a large-scale renovation,” said Kyodo Kanemitsu, vice president of Kaisei Tsusho Co., which owns the tower. “We hope that the tower will illuminate the world as a symbol of Beppu in 2023 and make the year cheerful.”