We are still in Kobe on our semi-working 'vacation' week.
There I am innocently walking along the street towards the post office at Wakamatsu Park. I'm walking down from Shinnagata station when I see a giant 50 ton robot standing in the street.
"Is it a threat?" I ask myself.
No, this is the very famous Iron man number 28, Saviour of Japan.
This giant robot statue is fantastic dedication to the 1960s cartoon Tetsujin-28-go (or Gigantor as he is known overseas) and stands as a testament to the resilience of the people of Kobe. The full-scale, 18 meter (59 feet) tall statue, Tetsujin-28 was built to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Great Hanshin earthquake (Kobe, January 17th, 1995) in which over 6500 people lost their lives and 300,000 were made homeless. The statue symbolizes Kobe's revival and acts as a guardian from future disasters. He is, I am told, earthquake proof so if there comes another little shudder around here he won't be tempted to go shopping down in Udezukocho.
You're hilarious. I pose like every statue I have my picture taken with.
Phasmus
May 11, 2012 11:34 AM