PHOTOS: Striking Japanese Bike Parking Lot is Completely Overgrown with Green Ivy

As you might already know, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/index.php?s=panasonic">Inhabitat is reporting from Osaka, Japan</a> this week, where we stumbled upon lovely ivy-wrapped building right down the street from our hotel. Not only is this verdant structure thriving with overgrown <a href="http://inhabitat.com/vertical-garden-2/">green walls</a>, upon further inspection we also realized that it's a bike storage garage - even better! Click through our gallery for our photos of both the exterior and interior of this fascinating building.

Located on a busy street behind the Ritz Carlton Hotel Osaka, the facility acts as a place for people commuting to the city to <a href="http://inhabitat.com/photos-inhabitat-explores-sanyos-5200-solar-panel-clad-kasai-green-energy-park/sanyo-kasai-solar-park10/?extend=1">store their bikes</a>.

While typical multi-level bike parking structure are drab amalgams of concrete and steel, this iteration is a breath of fresh air - literally.

Each level is planted with several rows of planters flush with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivy">ivy</a>, wrapping the entire building with a thick layer of vegetation.

A view of one of the green facades of the structure.

While we were certainly fascinated by the green facade of the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/solar-powered-biketower-bt-20-112-is-a-multi-story-parking-lot-for-bikes/">bike parking lot</a>, we were tickled pink when we discovered that we could explore the interior as well (trespassing schmesspassing).

Inside, the air was nice and cool despite the muggy outdoor temperature.

Neat rows of bikes lined each floor, which could be accessed via a central staircase.

There was also a bumpy sloped corridor which, after a moment of thinking about it, we realized was a ramp for people to walk their bikes down.

Needless to say, we really wish someone would build something like this greenery-clad bike storage facility in New York too!

A view through the ivy of the street below from the 3rd floor of the building.