East Japan city starts rooftop tours for better view of anime-themed rice paddy art
Each year, visitors flock to the roughly 50-meter-high Gyoda Tower observation deck above the Kodai Hasu no Sato, or Ancient Lotus Park in the city of Gyoda. However, photos taken from inside through the glass windows are often marred by reflections. To satisfy fans who want clearer photos or to see the artwork directly without glass interference, the city has installed a special viewing platform 5 meters higher on the tower rooftop, about 55 meters above ground.
This year's rice paddy art covers a 2.8-hectare field measuring about 180 meters long and 150 meters wide. It prominently depicts Tanjiro Kamado, the protagonist from the upcoming anime film "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba The Movie: Infinity Castle," scheduled for theatrical release from July 18. Rice seedlings in four colors, planted in mid-June, are growing steadily, with the artwork expected to reach peak viewing quality through mid-October.
The new rooftop viewing tours are available twice daily, starting at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., on the weekends of July 26-27, Aug. 23-24, Sept. 27-28 and Oct. 4-5. Each session admits up to five groups, with each group comprising two to four members. Tours cost 1,000 yen (some $6.50) per person, separately from the standard entrance fee for the Ancient Lotus Museum, the building housing Gyoda Tower.
Interested participants must apply by phone to the museum during designated periods each month, and if applications exceed capacity, spots will be chosen by lottery. Inquiries should be directed to the Ancient Lotus Museum at 048-559-0770 (in Japanese).
(Japanese original by Makoto Nakayama, Kumagaya Bureau)
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