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Shinsekai and Tsutenkaku
新世界与通天阁 · Osaka Prefecture · Osaka City, Naniwa Ward
Shinsekai is a retro downtown entertainment district born in 1912, most Osaka-like with its kushikatsu, doteyaki and streets full of neon signs; Tsutenkaku is the district's landmark observation tower, with its main deck at about 91 metres and the lucky god Billiken enshrined on the 5th floor.
Know before you go
- Putting a bitten kushikatsu back into the shared sauce
- following strangers into shops at night
- staying at Billiken for a long time
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Stories & people
Stories & people
History
The first Tsutenkaku and Luna Park
The first Tsutenkaku was built in 1912, modelled on both the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, and an aerial cable car linked it to the neighbouring amusement park, Luna Park. At 64 metres, it was the second tallest structure in Asia when completed, and it quickly became one of the most popular places in Osaka. In 1943 a fire badly damaged the tower; rather than being repaired, it was dismantled and its steel used for the war effort.
Source: Wikipedia: Tsutenkaku; Japan Experience: Shinsekai, Osaka's New World
History
Billiken, the lucky god who went missing and returned
Billiken is an American charm doll that came to Japan around 1910 and was enshrined in Luna Park when it opened. When the park closed in 1923, the wooden statue went missing. In 1979, as part of efforts to revive Tsutenkaku, a copy was made from an old photograph and placed in the tower; every year thousands of visitors drop a coin in his donation box and rub the soles of his feet to make a wish.
Source: Wikipedia: Tsutenkaku
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
Shinsekai lies in the Ebisu-higashi area of Naniwa Ward, Osaka, right next to Tennoji Park. The land was once fields belonging to Imamiya village. After the great success of the National Industrial Exposition held here in 1903, the authorities decided to turn the site into an entertainment venue; developed with funding from the city's wealthy businessmen, it was officially named Shinsekai ("New World") in July 1912. Today's Tsutenkaku is the second tower on the site, designed by Tachu Naito, Japan's "Father of Towers"; the eight-sided tower opened in 1956. It stands about 103 metres high (about 108 metres including the lightning rod on top), with the main observation deck at about 91 metres. The tower's LED lights change to a new colour set every two months, while the weather beacon on top forecasts the next day's weather through combinations of colours. Shinsekai declined for a time after the war, and from the 1990s it returned to the spotlight through novels, manga and films. Shopping streets, arcades, pachinko halls and colourful signs give it a strong retro Showa atmosphere, and it is a fine place to try kushikatsu and doteyaki (beef tendon simmered in mirin or miso).
Local customs
- Go up to Tsutenkaku's observation deck for views over Osaka, and rub Billiken's feet for good luck
- eat kushikatsu and doteyaki in Janjan Yokocho
- see the neon signs and Tsutenkaku's lights after dark
- drop by Tennoji Park next door.
Etiquette & taboos
Etiquette & taboos
Don’t DON'T
- Putting a bitten kushikatsu back into the shared sauce
- following strangers into shops at night
- staying at Billiken for a long time
Locals appreciate DO
- Dip kushikatsu in the sauce only before your first bite
- give Billiken's feet a quick rub, then make way for the next person
- follow the facility's rules when taking photos on the observation deck
Plan your visit
Practical info
Travel tips
- Admission to the Tsutenkaku observation deck is as officially announced. Weekends and evenings are crowded, so you are advised to avoid peak times
- most Shinsekai shops are open from the afternoon until late at night, and some are not yet open in the morning. After dusk, when Tsutenkaku and the shop signs light up, is the most atmospheric time to explore.
- It is about a 3-minute walk from Ebisucho Station on the Osaka Metro Sakaisuji Line, and about a 10-minute walk from Dobutsuen-mae Station on the Midosuji Line or from JR and Nankai Shin-Imamiya Station. It is worth visiting all year
- in the cherry blossom season in spring, the tower lights up in pink.
Photos
Photos
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Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France · CC BY 2.0
Dick Thomas Johnson from Tokyo, Japan · CC BY 2.0
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