81118-0001 - 1907 Ferris Wheel

The Ferris wheel at the Tokyo Industrial Exhibition (東京勧業博覧会) of 1907 (Meiji 40). Although long believed to have been Japan’s first, this was actually Japan’s second Ferris Wheel. The honor of hosting the first one goes to Osaka. An exposition held from April to June 1906 (Meiji 39) at Tennoji Park in Tennoji Ward to commemorate victory in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 featured a Ferris wheel. Although known in Japan as kanransha (観覧車), Osaka’s Ferris Wheel was called tenbo senkaisha (展望旋回車, rotating wheel). This caused Osaka’s Ferris Wheel to be lost to history.