Tower of the Sun - Osaka, Japan

34°48'35" N latitude, 135°31'56" E longitude


The Tower of the Sun is both a concrete tower and a work of art located in Expo Commemoration Park in Osaka, Japan. It was created by artist Tarō Okamoto for Expo '70. The tower has three sun faces: the face on the front represents the present; the face on top represents the future (looking forward); and the face on the back represents the past (looking back). The jagged red lines on the side of the tower represent thunder. The tower was originally housed in a larger building, with the top of the tower emerging through the top of the building. The building was removed in 1979, exposing the Tower of the Sun. The tower has been alternately open and closed throughout its history, and is currently closed for renovations until 2010.

Tower of the Sun:
Photo credit: Images courtesy of yohidore. These images are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.

Getting there:
The Tower of the Sun is located in the Natural and Cultural Park, the portion of Expo Park north of the highway. To get there, take the main line of the Osaka Monorail to the Bampaku-kinen-kōen Station (station 17). Emerge from the station, walk 700 feet to the east, then cross the highway over a pedestrian bridge. The entrance fee for the Natural and Cultural Park is 250 Yen for adults an 70 Yen for kids. Some of the facilities within the park require additional fees.

Explore the Tower of the Sun:

• Wikipedia - Tower of the Sun
• Google image search - "Tower of the Sun"
• Map of Expo Commemoration Park
• Osaka Prefecture - Expo Park
• Hiroyuki Kitada - Tower of the Sun

PlaceFinder Game for 9/13/2009

PlaceFinder is a game that spotlights places around the world that have historical, cultural or popular significance. The goal of PlaceFinder is to identify the place in the map image.

How to play:

• Examine the image above. Find it on the map.
• Send the name of this place and the location of the image to Tom Gimon. Indicate which PlaceFinder week you're playing, and include the word "placefinder" somewhere in your e-mail subject line.

What you get if you win:

• The satisfaction of winning, and a broader knowledge of the world.
• Your name posted here.

List of winners:

• On 9/21/2009, Dave Grimm once again responded with the correct location.

Gyeongbokgung Palace - Seoul, Korea

37°34'45" N Latitude, 126°58'38" E Longitude


Gyeongbokgung is the largest palace of the Joseon Dynasty. It was originally built in 1394, and has been rebuilt several times throughout its history. At its peak, it totaled 330 buildings; but it's had a long and difficult history, with the Japanese returning on many occasions to burn down parts or most of it. It was mostly destroyed during the Japanese occupation of Korea in the early 20th century, with all but ten of the buildings destroyed at that time. During the occupation, the Japanese General Government Building was built on the site. It was used as the seat of Japanese imperial power in Korea. The floor plan of the building was designed in the shape of the first Japanese character in the name of Japan. This was considered offensive, and the Japanese General Government Building was eventually demolished in 1995. Reconstruction of Gyeongbokgung started in 1989 and continues today.

Gyotaejeon (Queen's Quarters):
Photo credit: Image courtesy of Kim Joon-Young. This image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License.

Getting there:
Take line 3 of the Seoul Subway (the orange line) to the Gyeongbokgung station. Emerge from underground, and you'll be just outside of the palace. Entrance to Gyeongbokgung Palace is free.

Gyeongbokgung is a great place to spend a half day exploring around. It's usually busy with local tourists, including school groups; and yet it's large enough to find quiet, meditative areas to wander into. Gyeongbokgung has some picturesque spots that work out very well as photography settings. It's very common to see Korean newlyweds, dressed in their wedding clothes, visiting Gyeongbokgung to have their picture taken.

Explore Gyeongbokgung Palace:

• Wikipedia - Gyeongbokgung
• Wikipedia - Japanese General Government Building, Seoul
• Google Image Search - Gyeongbokgung+Palace

PlaceFinder Game for 9/08/2009

The goal of PlaceFinder:

• To identify the place in the image.

How to play:

• Examine the image above. Find it on the map.
• Send the name of this place and the location of the image to Tom Gimon. Indicate which PlaceFinder week you're playing, and include the word "placefinder" somewhere in your e-mail subject line.

What you get if you win:

• The satisfaction of winning, and a broader knowledge of the world.
• Your name posted here.

List of winners:

• On 9/09/2009, Dave Grimm enjoyed my silly little game.

Elkmont Ghost Town - Tennessee

35°39'8" N latitude, 83°34'52" W longitude


The Elkmont Ghost Town is the unoccupied remains of the Appalachian Club settlement, just behind the Elkmont Campground in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Most campers are unaware of the ghost town, as the Park Service doesn't advertise it and there are no signs that point to it. This is an undeveloped part of the park, but you can go there to see it. The ghost town has over 70 abandoned structures. The Park Service is planning to demolish most of it, so you better hurry to see it while you can! The best time to see the ghost town is in the early evening just before the sun sets, while the light in the forest is dimming. Be sure to bring a flashlight.

View of houses in the Society Hill section:
Photo credit: Image courtesy of Brian Stansberry. This image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License.

Getting there:

To get there, use the maps and directions for the park, and make your way to the Elkmont Campground. Camping registration is not required to visit the ghost town. Turn left onto a side road 200 feet before the campground entrance station. Follow the side road around the east edge of the campground and across the Little River. After crossing the river, take the second right onto a gravel road to get to the Society Hill section. However, to get to the Millionaire's Row section, continue straight following the river, park at the Little River trail head, step around the gate, and follow the gravel road a bit further on foot.

Feel free to drive along any road not blocked by a gate. You may drive or walk anywhere along the roads of the ghost town. No trespassing signs are posted to warn you to stay out of the buildings.

Note: The road up to the Levi Trentham Cemetery is steep and will require 4 wheel drive; and the road from the ghost town up to the Jakes Creek trailhead may flood during or after a heavy rain.

Explore the Elkmont Ghost Town:

• Google Image Search - Elkmont+Ghost+Town
• Wikipedia - Elkmont, Tennessee

Star of the Sea Church - Kalapana, Hawaii

19°22'22" N latitude, 154°57'49" W longitude


The Star of the Sea Church (also known as the Kalapana Painted Church) was designed and built in 1927-28 by Father Evarist Gielen. In 1990, the Star of the Sea Church was almost destroyed by a lava flow advancing on Kalapana during the eruption of nearby Kupaianaha. In a last minute community effort, it was moved from its original location and spared from the advancing lava flow. For six years it sat on wooden blocks in a temporary site before it finally arrived here at its current location in 1996. It currently sits just outside of Kalapana on land leased from the State of Hawaii. To ensure preservation, the Star of the Sea Church was entered into the National Register of Historic Places (Building #97000407).

Getting there:

The Star of the Sea Church is in the Puna district of the Island of Hawaii, 1.3 miles before the end of State Road HI-130 in Kalapana. It's open to the public without charge every day from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Overnight accommodations are in Hilo, Hawaii, 25 miles to the north.

Star of the Sea Church in its original location:
Photo credit: J.D. Griggs, 4/22/1990. Image courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey.

Star of the Sea Church during the move from Kalapana:
Photo credit: J.D. Griggs, 5/04/1990. Image courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey.

Explore the Star of the Sea Church:

• Hawaii Volcano Observatory - Lava covers Kalapana, April 1990- January 1991
• Wikipedia - Star of the Sea Painted Church
• Waymarking.com - Waymark Code: WM7QB
• Honolulu Star-Bulletin - Kalapana church in decline
• Panoramio - Photo of Star Of The Sea Painted Church

Tokelau

9°26'24" S latitude, 171°12'17" W longitude


Tokelau, also known as The Union Islands, is a group of three coral atolls in the South Pacific.

Getting there:

Tokelau is off the beaten path. The only way to get there is by boat. There are no airstrips. If you go, do plenty of planning beforehand. Be prepared to spend a lot of time in transit, as the boat schedules are somewhat loose and unpredictable, and the boat ride can take a day or more. Once you get there, the accommodations are very limited. Don't arrive unannounced. Make arrangements for overnight accommodations before you go.

Explore Tokelau:

• Wikipedia - Tokelau

This Place of the Week is thanks to IndyPunkOne at Wikimapia.