President Takamitsu Takai and Tsutenkaku (April 25, Tsutenkaku) are enthusiastic about “I want to use the tower slider as a means of rejuvenation!”
A 60-meter-long slide “TOWER SLIDER Tower Slider” will appear on May 9 at “Tsutenkaku” (Naniwa-ku, Osaka) in downtown Osaka, Shinsekai. We asked President Takamitsu Takai, who is also the founder of the slider, about the background of the introduction and his thoughts.
~ Slider born because of Korona-ka ~
The spread of the new corona that hit the tourism industry, including Tsutenkaku. President Takai, who has been facing Korona-ka for about two and a half years, said, “Starting from Wuhan, the Diamond Princess … I don’t know that this will affect Osaka. The number of employees has been reduced to 20 without renewing the contract, and we are doing our best to minimize it while receiving benefits and cooperation money. “
The tower slider opens in such a situation. The reason for the construction was, “In the second year of (Korona-ka), we shouldn’t stay like this, and I wanted to learn how to deal with viruses and take a chance to pinch. The number of customers, which was 5,000 a day, has increased to 100. So I thought that what I could do when people didn’t come was “repair work”. “
Initially, various plans such as bungee jumping, rock climbing, and free holes were proposed. Regarding the deciding factor for becoming a slider, President Takai said, “I wanted to create a facility where I could experience a little sharpness while ensuring safety. In that case, the slider was the best.”
He also said, “I wanted to do something to rejuvenate in this cold new world. If Tsutenkaku wasn’t healthy, neither New World nor Osaka would be healthy. Using the slider as a detonator (for tourists) It would be great if we could revitalize the region while attracting people and taking measures against infection. “
~ Inbound for the Osaka / Kansai Expo ~
In addition, President Takai said, “I made it with a strong awareness of foreigners visiting Japan.” “I think that inbound will come back someday, so I wanted to create a hands-on facility that I could use at that time. It will be a tool that you can communicate with and enjoy. “
For the 2025 “Osaka Kansai Expo”, “The Hoshino Resort will be opened (in front of JR Shin-Imamiya Station), and how exciting it will be is the highlight of the” Osaka Kansai Expo “. I want to constantly evolve, “he said, showing a very positive attitude.
A tower slider that will open on May 9th, avoiding the crowded Golden Week to avoid crowding. The experience fee is 1000 yen each time, apart from the entrance fee to Tsutenkaku (900 yen for high school students and above). Tsutenkaku is open from 10 am to 7:30 pm (varies depending on the time of day).
Interview / text / photo / Yukako Okada