A large painting of the Ryounkaku observatory, at one time the highest building in Japan, has appeared on the wall of a newly constructed building in the Asakusa area of Taito Ward, Tokyo, where the observatory used to stand.
The painting is about 8 meters high and 2 meters wide. It depicts the 12-story brick and wood observatory, which opened in 1890 and stood about 50 meters tall. The building's nickname was "Asakusa Junikai" (Asakusa 12 floors).
However, the observatory was severely damaged in the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake and later demolished by the then Japanese military.
Part of the former site of Ryounkaku is now owned by a real estate agency. Sections of its foundation were found during construction of the new building, prompting the agency to decide to indicate that the building was being erected on Ryounkaku's former site. It consulted with the Taito ward government about the idea.
The real estate agency decided to place the painting on the wall of the three-story building, which was completed in July this year. The painting was enlarged from an original work created in 1890.
"We hope the painting will be a new tourist spot in Asakusa," said Jun Tanabe, representative partner of the real estate agency.
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