A sweet surprise where you'd least expect it
Well, it may not be a candy
factory, but this Willy Wonka-fied masterpiece is about as close
as one can get to the fantastic factory itself … and it's
right here in our own backyard.
A great place to get away for a few hours, this playful, mysterious
attraction is in Osaka and can be seen only a couple of kilometres
away from the Osaka Harbour and the raised Highway 5 from Osaka
to Kobe.
This amazing set of colourful buildings with vivacious pipes
and bouncy colours is actually the place where some of the vilest
waste from Kansai is collected, sorted, burned and recycled. Officially
known as Osaka City Environmental Management Bureau's Maishima
Incineration and Water Treatment Plants, this plant is an impressive
site.
Built during the period when Osaka was going all out in its bid
to host the 2008 Olympic games, the Maishima Incineration Plant
was built with the express purpose of dealing app-ropriately with
waste treatment and environ-mental conservation while providing
an environ-mentally friendly, gleaming site that would compliment
Maishima Sports Island.
The exterior of the plant, an artistic creation of Viennese artist
Friedensreich Hundertwasser, was designed with the intention to
harmonize technology, ecology, nature and art. Based on his observation
that straight lines and identical objects do not exist in nature,
Hundertwasser incorporated curved lines into each shape and surrounded
the building with green parks, trees and garden terraces in harmony
with nature. Each bead-like column is hand made and unique in
style and colour. Benches, zigzagging path-ways and even a peaceful
fountain provided excellent places to enjoy the exceptional fea-tures
of these striking buildings.
Just because the Plants treat waste does not mean the workers
have to be surrounded by it. Inside, there are no smells or traces
of garbage or sludge. Visitors will experience what must be the
world's most immaculate incineration plant. The futuristic interior
is pristine, well decorated and modern.
The plant is equipped with an incinerator and a crushing plant
for bulky waste and not only has the latest pollution prevention
facilities; it also uses the heat that is generated to produce
energy. Trucks pull up to a giant garbage pit and two giant robotic
hands (each 6m in circumference) pick up the garbage and dump
it into a huge incinerator that burns at 950Oc. The plant can
handle 900 tons of garbage a day.
Luckily, you won't have to find one of the five Golden Tickets
for a tour of this funky facility. Simply call, fax or mail the
General Affairs Dept. Service Division of Osaka City Environmental
Management Bureau ten days in advance and you'll receive a hospitable
guided tour (about ninety minutes, and only in Japanese) at no
cost.
 Although
neither Mr. Wonka nor the Oompa- Loompas are available for tours,
visitors won't be disappointed by the friendly staff that greet
you at the front gates. As part of the tour, short movies present
easy to understand highlights of the facilities; they also include
an introduction to the architect Hundertwasser and show how Osaka
dealt with waste treatment in the past. A decent English pamphlet
is also available. Don't forget to leave your shoes at the door…
slippers are provided.
Getting there
Take the JR Yumesaki line to Sakurajima station, then board the
Maishima Sports Island bus and get off at Konohana Ohashi Nishizume
stop. The plant is open every day except Sundays and national
holidays. Tours start at 10am, 1pm and 3pm.
Text & photos: Laura Markslag |
