Plaza KEIHANNA (けいはんなプラザ)
KEIHANNA PLAZA is a central facility at Kansai Science City (Keihanna Science City) in Hikaridai, Seika-cho, Soraku-gun, Kyoto Prefecture. Publicly and privately funded Keihanna Interaction Plaza Incorporated operates this facility, consisting of the Laboratory wing, the Super-laboratory wing, and the Interaction wing. The Laboratory wing houses research facilities and a post office; the Interaction wing contains Keihanna Plaza Hotel, restaurants and Sumitomo Hall.
There is a monument in a square here: the world's biggest sundial. It is in the Guinness Book of Records, and was designed by Ryuichi YOKOGAWA.
History
September 1978: Kansai Science City Surveillance Conversazione was set up (Chairman: Azuma OKUDA, former President of Kyoto University).
March 1983: Kansai Science City Construction Promotion Conference was set up.
June 1986: The Kansai Research Institute Foundation was established, and the National Land Agency created the 'Basic policy on the constructions of Kansai Science City.'
June 1987: The Construction Promotion Law for Kansai Science City was promulgated and became effective.
January 1989: Kansai Research Institute completed the "Survey of the Embodiment of a Cultural and Research Interaction Facility."
April 1989: The Preparation Room of a Cultural and Research Interaction Facility was set up in Osaka City (the Wisemen group decided to call the operating company of the facilities 'KEIHANNA,' which has a soft sound and represents Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka).
June 1989: The meeting of the founders of Keihanna Interaction Plaza Incorporated took place.
August 2, 1989: Keihanna Interaction Plaza Incorporated was launched (Chairman Osamu UNO; President Shoichiro KOBAYASHI: capital fund of 2.7 billion yen; head office at 438 Matsuya-cho, Gojo-dori Karasuma Higashi Iru, Shimogyo Ward, Kyoto City).
The Prime Minister has appointed Keihanna Interaction Plaza Incorporated as 'a company that manages a cultural and research interaction facility.'
April 1993: KEIHANNA PLAZA was completed (the head office moved to KEIHANNA PLAZA).
December 2007: it filed for bankruptcy protection.
Features
The original goal of Kansai Science City was to create a classic academic research town. However, inspired by the fact that the driving force for recent economic development in the US was technological innovation as typified by the information and communication technology (ICT) in Silicon Valley, calls for similar economic development in Japan have grown, so new facilities combining the functions of R&D and the creation of new industries are being built throughout the country. This is a leading facility in the Hanshin Industrial Area, and also at the center of Kansai Science City. A similar facility in Keihin Industrial Area is Yokohama Kanazawa High-Tec Center in Kanazawa Ward, Yokohama City, jointly operated by Yokohama Industrial Development Corporation and Sumitomo Life Insurance Company.
Universities and graduate schools in the neighborhood of KEIHANNA PLAZA
Doshisha University (Kyotanabe Campus, Gakkentoshi Campus)
Osaka Electric Communication University
Osaka Sangyo University
Nara Institute of Science & Technology
Nara University
Access
By car
The closest exit of the expressway is Keinawa Expressway Seika Gakken Interchange.
By train
Get off at Hosono Station on the Katamachi Line run by West Japan Railway.
Get off at Shin-Hosono Station on the Kintetsu Kyoto Line.
From either of these stations, take the Nara Kotsu Bus or the Seika Kururin Bus, and after ten minutes get off at 'ATR' Bus Stop, which is very close.