# Tsutenkaku, Osaka > Tsutenkaku is an observation tower about 100 metres tall in the retro Shinsekai quarter of south Osaka. At the top are two decks at 87.5 and 94.5 metres and a statue of Billiken. Going up costs about ¥1,500. The surrounding quarter is free: old signs and kushikatsu. It's 3 minutes on foot from Ebisucho metro station. Web page: https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/tsutenkaku - City: [Osaka](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka), Japan - YesGo score: 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h - Entry: ≈ ¥1,500 - With kids: Fine with kids - Ride up: About ¥1,500 for both decks - Hours: Roughly 10:00–20:00 - Decks: 87.5 and 94.5 metres; Billiken - Shinsekai quarter: Free; kushikatsu and retro signs - Time needed: 1–1.5 hours with dinner - Getting there: Metro to Ebisucho, exit 3, 3 minutes - Coordinates: 34.65222, 135.50611 - Facts checked: 09.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1912** — the year Shinsekai and the first tower were built (source: en.wikipedia) - **1956** — the year the present tower was built (source: en.wikipedia) - **≈ 103 m** — height of the tower (source: en.wikipedia) - **Tachu Naito** — the architect — who also designed Tokyo Tower (source: en.wikipedia) - **94.5 m** — height of the upper open-air deck (source: travel guides) - **New York and Paris** — the models for Shinsekai's layout (source: en.wikipedia) - **Kushikatsu** — the quarter's signature food — battered skewers (source: en.wikipedia) - **Billiken** — the god of luck on the observation deck (source: travel guides) ## What are Tsutenkaku and Shinsekai? **Tsutenkaku**, the 'tower reaching to heaven', is the symbol of the **Shinsekai** ('New World') quarter in south Osaka. The quarter was created in **1912**: its southern half was modelled on New York's Coney Island and its northern half on Paris. The first tower echoed Paris too — an Eiffel Tower on top of an Arc de Triomphe. The present tower was built in **1956** and stands about **103 metres** tall. It was designed by **Tachu Naito**, who also designed Tokyo Tower. Around it survives a retro quarter of bright 3D signs, old cinemas, shogi halls and **kushikatsu** restaurants. > **The kushikatsu rule** Shinsekai's signature dish is kushikatsu — skewers of meat, fish and vegetables in crispy batter. The sauce is in a shared pot on the table: dip each skewer only once, before you bite it — it's a strict local rule. If you need more sauce, scoop it with the cabbage, which is put on the table for exactly that. ## Going up the tower Since April 2026, according to guides, the tower sells one ticket covering both decks — about **¥1,500** for adults. The main deck at **87.5 metres** has the statue of **Billiken**, the god of luck: rubbing his soles is said to bring good fortune. Above it is an open-air deck at **94.5 metres** with views over the city. Sources disagree on opening hours: most often they give 10:00–20:00, with last entry half an hour before closing. There are also paid extras, such as the Tower Slider, a slide down from the third floor. Check hours and prices on the tower's website. ## What to see - **Observation decks** at 87.5 and 94.5 metres. - **Billiken** — rub his soles for luck. - **Tsutenkaku-Hondori street** with its view of the tower. - **3D signs** on the quarter's restaurants. - **Kushikatsu restaurants** on every corner. - **The tower lit up** in the evening. ## How to get to Tsutenkaku 1. **Ebisucho metro** — Sakaisuji line, exit 3, about 3 minutes on foot. 2. **Dobutsuen-mae metro** — Midosuji line, exit 5, about 10 minutes. 3. **Shin-Imamiya** — JR Osaka Loop Line and Nankai, about 10 minutes on foot. 4. **From Tennoji** — about 15 minutes on foot through Tennoji Park. 5. **From Namba** — Sakaisuji line from Nippombashi, 1 stop. ## Tsutenkaku or Umeda Sky Building | | Tsutenkaku | Umeda Sky Building | | --- | --- | --- | | Height | ≈ 94 m | ≈ 173 m | | Mood | Retro, old Osaka | A modern view, sunset | | Around it | Shinsekai, kushikatsu | The Umeda business district | | Ticket | ≈ ¥1,500 | Separate ticket | ## How long do you need? Allow **1–1.5 hours** for the tower and quarter together: go up, wander the streets of Shinsekai and have kushikatsu for dinner. It's best to come towards evening — at sunset the neon comes on and the quarter is at its brightest. Tennoji Park and Shitenno-ji temple, about 15 minutes' walk away, are close by. They combine easily into one route around south Osaka. Kushikatsu in Shinsekai is cheap — from a couple of hundred yen a skewer — and many restaurants are open from lunchtime to late evening. Try a mix: pork, prawns, lotus root, cheese, quail eggs — and the local way is to wash it down with cold beer or ramune lemonade. ## Is Tsutenkaku worth visiting? Yes, though more for the quarter than the view: Shinsekai is the most atmospheric retro corner of Osaka. The YesGo take: the tower isn't tall, and its view is more modest than from the Umeda Sky Building or Abeno Harukas. If you want a panorama, choose those. Tsutenkaku is about a photo of the tower from the street, Billiken, and a kushikatsu dinner in old Osaka. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] About ¥1,500 for the ride up - [ ] Arrive towards evening - [ ] Cash for kushikatsu - [ ] Rule: dip only once - [ ] Shitenno-ji nearby ## Osaka views: compare and choose Observation decks and viewpoints rated by YesGo. - [Osaka Castle](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/osaka-castle) — YesGo score 55/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · ¥1,200 - [Umeda Sky Building](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/umeda-sky-building) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥2,000 - [Tsutenkaku](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/tsutenkaku) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ ¥1,500 ## South Osaka in half a day Shitenno-ji temple in the afternoon, Tsutenkaku and a kushikatsu dinner in Shinsekai towards evening, then the neon of Dotonbori. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Shitenno-ji](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/shitennoji) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · grounds free; precinct ¥500 2. [Tsutenkaku](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/tsutenkaku) — YesGo score 34/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ≈ ¥1,500 3. [Dotonbori](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/dotonbori) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · free ## Good to know Tsutenkaku is not Tokyo Tower, though both were designed by the same architect. The quarter is Shinsekai. ## Tips - Come at sunset. - Rub Billiken's soles. - Kushikatsu sauce — dip only once. - For a panorama, the Umeda Sky Building is better. - Nearby: [Shitenno-ji](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/shitennoji). ## Questions ### How much does it cost to go up Tsutenkaku? About ¥1,500 for both decks — according to 2026 guides. ### What are the opening hours? Roughly 10:00–20:00; sources disagree. ### How tall is the tower? About 103 metres; the decks are at 87.5 and 94.5 metres. ### Who is Billiken? A god of luck; rubbing his soles is said to bring fortune. ### What should I eat in Shinsekai? Kushikatsu — battered skewers. ### How do I get there? Metro to Ebisucho, exit 3, 3 minutes on foot. ### How long do you need? 1–1.5 hours with dinner. ### What's nearby? Tennoji Park and Shitenno-ji temple. ## How we checked The quarter, tower, architect and access are from Wikipedia. Price and hours are from Osaka's tourism site and 2026 guides, so they are marked 'being checked': sources disagree. We don't cover the first tower's history after 1912. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Shinsekai — the 1912 quarter, its models, the 1956 tower, architect, kushikatsu, access - osaka-info.jp and 2026 travel guides — combined deck ticket, price, hours (unofficial; tsutenkaku.co.jp didn't load on 09.11.2026) - Wikidata Q1148463 — coordinates --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.