Sapporo TV Tower – a tower with a moustache
If Tom Sellek were to be reborn as a television tower, what would he look like? Maybe like the Sapporo TV Tower at Odori Park. This tower is likely a tourist trap, but there are two good reasons to visit the tower: you can see down Odori Park from the observation deck and this tower has probably the weirdest tower mascot.
Instead of creating some animal to promote the tower, the Japanese just made the tower look more cute. “Television Daddy” (テレビ父さん) was born, a male tower with a moustache. Despite looking like a 70’s porno actor, they managed to create an awful lot of character variations. You will see more of them if you take the steps from the first (base) floor to the third one instead of using the elevator. Tickets for the observation deck (700 Yen) are bought on the third floor.There is a figure doing the John Travolta, another drinking, a samurai tower and a whole family of towers. Apparently this tower has a wife(!) and two kids(!!). The other television towers in Japan are also shown and some of them also wear a moustache.
If you’ve been to Tokyo Tower (which is a tourist trap as well), you have seen a shinto shrine at the tower. The Sapporo tower has one as well – although this shrine is dedicated to “Television Daddy”. Is he already dead?
A whole lot of merchandise are available at the two shops. A bigger souvenir shop on the third floor also sells chocolate.
Still, the main reason to go up the tower is getting a direct view of Odori Park. The view is ok, but there is not much to do at the observation deck. After five minutes, I think I’ve seen all. There is no “thrill window” giving you a clear view downwards, but the elevator has windows.
Similar to Tokyo Tower, the illumination of the tower can vary. The observation deck is at 90 meters. Among all the high-rise buildings, the tower looks small.
Night view
