The New, Stunning Kansai-kan of the National Diet Library will open on Oct. 7th in Kyoto’s Kansai Science City: an amazing, growing world of technology and culture Kansai Science City represents both the future and the world of Japan’s glorious past culture: in a modern, vibrant urban world that is a mixture of high-tech research and cultural wonder. At present nearly 200,000 people live in this interesting zone. See for yourself all that can be seen.
Kansai-kan of the National Diet Library
The Kansai-kan of the National Diet Library, located in the heart of the cultural research city known as Kansai Science City situated between Kyoto, Nara and Osaka prefectures, will open on Oct. 7th. This library has 150,000 research volumes: 50,000 of them are about Asia (the largest number of volumes in Asia). The European style building designed by Fumio Touki blends well with the area. Note: the library is only open to readers that are 18 years old and over. Open: 10:00-18:00; closed Sun. Access: Take the Kintetsu Kyoto line from Kyoto to Shin-hosono, then transfer for a bus bound for Kokkai Toshokan.
Keihanna Commemorative Park
Keihanna Commemorative Park was designed to emphasize nature conservation. The park has a public zone and private zone (entry fee required). The free zone has a stream running between a grass area and a forest, with a number of pagodas here and there. The main part of this park is the Japanese garden called the Suikeien (or water viewing garden). From the entrance, visitors cross a 123-meter bridge called the Kangetsukyo (moon viewing bridge),which faces a gigantic boulder wall (the rocks, 500 of them, are nearly 7 meters high). The bridge connects to the Kangetsurou (moon viewing platform). From the platform visitors can continue to the private part of the garden on stepping stones (9:00-17:00; closed Thurs.). Access: the Keihanna Commemorative Park is a 10-min. bus ride from the Kansai-kan of the National Diet Library by bus (departing from Shin-hosono).Special Events at Keihanna
Moon Viewing Concert: During this annual concert at the Suikeien, the Kangetsukyo and Kangetsurou will be wonderfully lit up (18:00-20:00). Only open (free) to the first 1,000 people. Sculpture & Painting Exhibition: Also at the Suikeien, 12 sculpture works will be exhibited outside and 30 paintings inside. All the works were inspired by the garden and created by university students.