Tsūtenkaku Tower

Address: Tsūtenkaku, Shinsekai neighborhood, Osaka (Naniwa-ku), Japan

Website: http://www.tsutenkaku.or.jp

Hours: Daily 9am-9pm

Admission: ¥800 (adult)

Tsūtenkaku is a landmark tower in Osaka’s Shinsekai neighborhood that serves as a local symbol and viewing point. The original tower dated from 1912 and the current structure was completed in 1956.

The first tower on the site opened in 1912 and became a popular attraction before being dismantled during World War II. The present tower was built and inaugurated in 1956 and has been maintained as a civic landmark since then.

Tsūtenkaku stands in the Shinsekai district of Osaka, near Tennoji and within walking distance of major transit stations in southern Osaka.

• Rebuilt tower: The current tower replaced an earlier structure from 1912; the present tower dates to 1956 and stands at about 103 meters tall.

What to See#

• Observation decks and tower interior: A reinforced steel-and-concrete tower rebuilt in 1956 that houses observation decks and a gallery space overlooking the Shinsekai neighborhood.
• Billiken statue: A small shrine area housing a statue of Billiken, regarded locally as a charm figure and often touched by visitors for good luck.

Tsūtenkaku stands in the Shinsekai district of Osaka. Take the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line to Dobutsuen-mae Station (short walk) or the Sakaisuji Line/Ebisuchō area and walk 2-5 minutes into Shinsekai - the tower is plainly visible from the neighborhood.

It’s also about a 10-15 minute walk from JR Shin-Imamiya Station and from the Namba area (one subway stop or a short walk), so many visitors arrive on foot from central Osaka.

• Visit around dusk or after dark to see Tsūtenkaku lit up and to experience Shinsekai's neon atmosphere, but go early in the evening or on a weekday to avoid weekend tourist peaks.
• Approach from Ebisuchō or Dobutsuen-mae stations and enter on the Shinsekai side so you can combine the tower visit with the retro neighborhood's eateries and shops-the walk-up from the station is short and direct.
• Make sure to find the Billiken statue on the observation deck-the locally famous "God of Things As They Ought to Be" is often rubbed for luck and is one of the tower's most visited features that newcomers overlook.