If you’re planning a trip to Kansai soon, consider paying homage to an absolute giant of the Japanese avant-garde, Taro Okamoto. One of the most popular modern artists of his time, you would be hard-pressed not to have been touched by his works or words. Especially if you’ve spent any time in Osaka.
The Tower of the Sun, one of his most notable masterpieces, can be found— and can’t be missed— at Banpaku Memorial Park in Suita. Okamoto created the tower as a contribution to the Japan World Exposition held in Osaka in 1970. Built out of concrete and sprayed stucco, this 70-meter tall beauty is visible from the monorail you’ll take to enter the park. And what’s inside is completely otherworldly - but we won’t spoil it for you.
The sculpture towers over literally everything else in the park and may seem to carry an ominous energy which could even be a trifle frightening. However, Okamoto envisioned the tower as a positive force, promoting the gathering of people rather than destruction, complementing the exposition’s theme of “Progress and Harmony for Mankind.” Amidst the plethora of other avant-garde works created, Okamoto’s eminent tower was such a stand-out that it was chosen as the symbol of the entire event.
What made Okamoto so iconic was not just his craft. He was also dynamic as a theorist and a writer, leaving behind many books and quotes on how people should live. What made his words so convincing was both their meaningful innocence and the action he took to live by his words.
His philosophies were not calculated nor intended to win anybody over and they left few ambiguities to muddle through. Here are a few of his most notable quotes:
“Art is an explosion.”
“Life is a meaningful tragedy, it is beautiful, it is worth living.”
“To see yourself as you are is strength.”
“If you don’t think about being liked by your friends, if you are willing to be isolated from them, and if you carry yourself, you will become a person who is truly appreciated by everyone.”
“Whenever I have stood at a crossroads in my life, I have always chosen the more difficult path.”
Many years after Expo 70 came to a close, there were calls to demolish the Tower of the Sun, but those were quickly overturned and countered with plans to repair and preserve it for future generations. The Tower of the Sun, symbolizing the energies of all things past, present and future, still stands today, as resilient as the man who created it.
