Rodan Locations

Source: Armand Vaquer

Images and Text Copyright 2008 by Armand Vaquer

Rodan is set for a deluxe DVD release September 9 (paired with War of the Gargantuas) by Classic Media.

Rodan was produced by Toho Co., Ltd. in 1956. It is a story about two flying repties (of the pteranodon family) revived (it is speculated in the movie by H-bomb tests) in a huge cavern that was penetrated by a coal mine on the island of Kyushu. The mine is located at or near the Mt. Aso volcano. Hideous creatures (meganeurons) attack miners and are a source of food for the baby Rodans.

The movie was released in the United States in 1957 in an edited and dubbed form.

In 2007, I visited Mt. Aso Volcano National park while on vacation in Japan. I could not see much as the park was in the midst of a blizzard. However, the trip wasn't wasted as the visitor center has interesting displays, some interactive, for visitors to see. They also have live camera views of the volcano's caldera.

Also, I visited three other locations from Rodan: Saikai Bridge, the Hario Wireless Towers and Sasebo Catholic Church. The bridge and towers are located at the Hario Seto Straits, noted for its swift currents and whirlpools.



Saikai Bridge (above) is a fixed-brace arch bridge 244 meters in length and 1,927 meters tall. The bridge was completed in 1955 and now has a companion bridge that was completed in 2006. The first, or Rodan's Saikai Bridge, spans the Hario Seto Straits. At the time of its completion, it was the longest arch-type bridge in the world. The scene when the waters of the Ohmura Bay flow out through this narrow strait at ebb tide is very dramatic.

Nearby, the three Hario Wireless Towers (below), which transmitted the coded message that launched the attack on Pearl Harbor and triggered the Pacific War on December 7, 1941 can still be seen. These towers also could be seen in Rodan, with one of the Rodans flying in the distance.



A couple of blocks from the JR Sasebo Station is the Sasebo Catholic Church, which was also seen in Rodan. The main street in which the church stands has been built-up over the years with buildings towering over the chuch.

Sasebo City is situated between Nagasaki and Fukuoka and is easily accessible by JR Kyushu Railways. It is a pleasant ride to get to Sasebo from Nagasaki as the train skirts along seaside towns with views of offshore islands. Sasebo is well worth a visit by Rodan fans.

A special edition of G-FAN is now in the works focusing on the "nuts & bolts" of getting to these and other kaiju-related locations.