November 2018
Tempozan Harbor Village
The Tempoza Harbor Village consists of several attractions clustered together namely the Marketplace (mall), The Giant Ferris Wheel and Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. Apart from these attractions, it is the boarding points for Santa Maria cruise and the Captain Line shuttle for Universal Studios Japan. Holders of the Osaka Amazing Pass (OAP), can travel free on either cruise. Tempozan Harbor Village is connected by the Chuo Subway Line which stops at Osakako Station which is a 5-10 minutes walk away.
Ticket gate of Osakako subway station.
The Osakako subway station stop. Staircase Exit 1 on the left, staircase & elevator Exit 2 on the right.
The Giant Ferris Wheel can be seen from the street when taking Exit 1. Credit:Google
The Santa Maria cruise boat. Credit:japantravel.com
Captain Line shuttle cruise.
Tempozan Marketplace
Adjacent to the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, you’ll find Tempozan Marketplace, a medium sized shopping mall with a variety of souvenir shops, food court, dining & entertainment facilities and a Legoland Discovery Center. Again, if you are a holder of OAP, you can enter Legoland for free.
Tempozan Marketplace is a medium size shopping mall.
The Tempozan Ferris Wheel is adjoining to the mall.
Welcome poster at Tempozan.
Tempozan shopping mall.
Food court on the ground floor.
Legoland Discovery Center is on 3F.
The back of the mall faces Osaka Bay and the pier.
The Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel
Tempozan Ferris Wheel is one of the largest Ferris Wheels in the world. Measuring 112.5 meters high and 100 meters across it takes 15 minutes per revolution. A ride on the wheel gives dramatic and spectacular views over Osaka bay. This is another attraction you can enter free as a holder of OAP. You enter via the side entrance, no need to go inside the mall but of-course there is an entrance from inside the mall as well. It’s operational from 10:00 – 22:00
The ferris wheel is also illuminated each night in colors which signify the next day’s weather forecast, red when it’s sunny, green for cloudy day and blue for a rainy day. The ferris wheel offers 2 types of cabins, normal and a glass bottom cabin for the strong hearted but you have to wait as the demand is high and the cabins are few. The wheel spins smoothly and you hardly feel any swaying. As you get engrossed with the views, you won’t notice you’re already at the very top.
Front view of the Tempozan Ferris Wheel as seen from across the street as you come from Osakako station.
Lining up for the Ferris Wheel. Short queue when we visited.
Looking towards Hanshin Expressway.
Hanshin Expressway is an elevated expressway.
Minato Bridge, the third longest cantilever truss span bridge in the world.
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan as seen from the ferris wheel.
Polish Dar Mlodziezy ‘tall-ship’ docked at one of the pier below.
Entrance to the ferris wheel from Tempozan Market Place mall.
Santa Maria Cruise
After the ferris wheel ride, we intended to take the Santa Maria cruise which will also be free for holders of OAP. The departure pier is opposite to the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan at he other end. When we arrive at the pier, the cruise has just set sailed a few minutes back. The next cruise will be the next hour. Since we’ve covered most of Tempozan Habor Village, we decide to skip the cruise and return to Namba.
The Santa Maria cruise pier is through the building to the right opposite the aquarium.
Santa Maria cruise ticket office is to the left after the signboard. The pier is straight ahead..
