JAPAN - Yokohama, Minato Mirai 21 : harbour by night, Cosmo Clock 21, Yokohama Landmark Tower

JAPAN stamp



Location of MINATO MIRAI 21 / YOKOHAMA in JAPAN

Minato Mirai 21, often shortened to Minato Mirai, is a large urban development in Yokohama, Japan.

The name, which means "Harbor Future 21", was selected in a public competition. Construction of the area started in 1983. Built largely on reclaimed land, the area now features the Landmark Tower, Japan's tallest skyscraper, the Queen's Square shopping mall, the Pacifico Yokohama convention center, Intercontinental Hotel, Cosmo Clock 21 Ferris wheel, and more. Next to Landmark Tower is the Yokohama Museum of Art.

The area is a popular tourist spot together with nearby Yokohama Chinatown. Minato Mirai is one of the few places in the Tokyo-Yokohama area where the seashore is accessible, and not blocked by industry and harbour areas. Another area where the seashore is accessible is Odaiba.

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Cosmo Clock 21 is a giant Ferris wheel located in Yokohama, Japan. It is also the world's largest clock.

Built for the YES '89 Yokohama Exposition at Minato Mirai 21 in 1989, Cosmo Clock 21 was originally constructed with a height of 107.5 metres.

In 1997 the structure was dismantled, then in 1999 relocated onto a taller base which increased its overall height to 112.5 metres.

When it first opened in 1989, it was the world's tallest Ferris wheel, until the completion of the 112.5-metre Tempozan Harbor Village Ferris wheel in Osaka in 1997.

Cosmo Clock 21 has 60 passenger cars, each capable of carrying up to eight people. One rotation of the 100-metre diameter wheel takes 15 minutes.

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The Yokohama Landmark Tower is the tallest building in Japan, standing 295.8 m high. It is located in the Minato Mirai 21 district of Yokohama city, right next to Yokohama Museum of Art. Work on the building was finished in 1993.

The building contains a five-star hotel which occupies floors 49-70. The lower 48 floors contain shops, restaurants, clinics, and offices. The building contains two tuned mass dampers on the (hidden) 71st floor on opposite corners of the buildings.

On the 69th floor there is an observatory, Sky Garden, from which one can see a 360-degree view of the city, and on clear days Mount Fuji.

The tower contains the world's second fastest elevator, which reaches speeds of 12.5 m per second (45.0 km/h). This speed allows the elevator to reach the 69th floor in approximately 40 seconds.

The building was designed by Hugh Stubbins and Associates, now KlingStubbins.

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Postcard sent by Masayo, as "MASAYO"
Private swap - Reference JP005

The city of Minato Mirai 21 floating in the sea of lights