The Power of Fukuoka Tower

Above, Fukuoka Tower. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Godzilla fans are familiar with a tall structure that was prominently featured in the 1994 Toho feature film, Godzilla vs. Space Godzilla.

That structure was Fukuoka Tower.

Australia's Gold Coast Bulletin has an interesting article on Fukuoka Tower.

They begin with:

DOMINATING the shore line of the southern Japanese city of Fukuoka is the impressive mirrored Fukuoka Tower, the tallest seaside structure in the country. 

Fukuoka is on the island of Kyushu and is actually closer to Seoul than Tokyo. 

The city has a population of 1.42 million and opens out onto the Sea of Genkai which features many islands and clean beaches. 

The best way to take it all in is from the Tower’s observation deck, 123m above sea level. 

Going up in the glass elevator, you realise that all that shimmers on the outside is not what it seems with the structure mostly hollow inside of the 8000 mirrored panels. 

The Fukuoka Tower’s main purpose is to serve as television broadcast facility with an overall height of 234m.

In 2007, I took a whirlwind trip to Kyushu and visited Fukuoka. One of the places I visited while there was Fukuoka Tower, which is also within easy walking distance from Fukuoka Yafuoku! Dome, which was featured in Gamera, The Guardian of the Universe (1995).

Above, a view from Fukuoka Tower's observation level. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Fukuoka is spotlighted on page 45 of The Monster Movie Fan's Guide To Japan.

To read more about Fukuoka Tower, go here.