A travel guide blog for our visit to the Shinsekai Tsutenkaku Tower and its surroundings, offering a fun and nostalgic experience.
Shinsekai (新世界), which means “New World” in Japanese, is a district in Osaka that was developed before the war and then neglected in the decades afterward. It was designed as the entertainment district in the early century. With its rich history, this part of the town is the best place to experience old Japan. The old neighborhood is full of colorful, retro signboards and billboards. The defining landmark of the area is the Tsutenkaku Tower (通天閣), which adds uniqueness and memorability to the area.
Today, Tsutenkaku Tower and Shinsekai together are popular places to visit in Osaka and can fill two to three hours of your Osaka itinerary. For a detailed guide to visiting Shinsekai and Tsutenkaku Tower, read on in this travel blog.
How To Get to Shinsekai Tsutenkaku Tower
To reach the Tsutenkaku Tower in Shinsekai, you have several transportation options.
From Osaka Station, take the JR Loop Line to Shin-Imamiya Station. It’s just a 6-minute walk from there.
If you’re using the Osaka metro, you can take the Midosuji Subway Line to Ebisucho Station on the north side, or the Sakaisuji Subway Line to Dobutsuen-Mae Station on the south side. From there, an easy, short walk will get you to the area. The closest metro station to the tower is the Ebisucho Station, only a mere 3-minute walk away. While you’re in the area, you can also explore the Janjan Alley and the Shinsekai area.
Getting to Shinsekai Tsutenkaku Tower:
- JR: Get to the Shin-Imamiya Station on JR Loop line and walk 6 minutes.
- Osaka Metro: 6 minutes walk from Dobutsuen-mae station on the Sakaisuji Subway Line.
- Osaka Metro: 3 mintes walk from Ebisucho Station on the Sakaisuji Subway Line, exit #3.
Tsutenkaku Tower and Slider Ticket
There is no general admission fee to visit the surrounding Shinsekai district and view the tower from the outside. However, if you want to access the observation deck for panoramic views or use the tower slider, there are separate admission fees for each. You can obtain single entry access admission tickets for these attractions or use the Osaka Amazing Pass / Osaka e-Pass for free entry.
Tsutenkaku Tower and Slide Details:
– Operating hours: Tsutenkaku is open daily from 09:00 to 20:00 (Last entry: 19:30)
– Entrance Fee: ¥1,000 for Tsutenkaku, and an additional ¥1,000 for the slide
Our Visit to Tsutenkaku Tower – A Symbol of Osaka
During our visit to Tsutenkaku Tower, we used the Osaka Amazing Pass for free entrance. The Tsutenkaku Tower and Slider were accessed from the basement level through a door that led downward.
Firstly, we went to the basement to get the admission ticket. You can either purchase an admission ticket or exchange it using the Osaka Amazing Pass / Osaka e-Pass. Please note that you can only choose one option each time due to the separate queues for each attraction.
The queues can be quite long, and waiting for more than 1 hour at peak times is common. We recommend arriving early. We decided to first visit the Observatory deck because it seemed to take less time than the slide, and we wanted to save the excitement for last.
There is assistance available to manage crowds and hectic situations. Again, seperate queue for Tsutenkaku Tower and Slider.
Follow the line to reach the observatory deck using the elevator. Throughout the journey on to the walk way to the lift, you will be surrounded by various vending machines and mango tempting you to make a purchase. After that, we took a slow lift ride with a brief introduction to the tower inside the lift.
Tsutenkaku Observatory Deck
Finally, we reached the Tsutenkaku observatory deck! The magnificent Tsutenkaku Tower is an observation tower that is 103 meters high, offering breathtaking views of the city. Its observatory deck is located 88 meters above the ground, providing a panoramic view of the entire city of Osaka.
In my opinion, the view is somewhat limited as the tower is not as high as others, or perhaps the surrounding buildings have grown taller since it was built.
Don’t forget to rub the special deity: Billiken goddess‘ feet and make a wish. These golden legs are said to bring luck to people. There’s an exhibition area to showcase some history of this tower and Osaka, history lovers would enjoy this section.
To get to the lower floor, you’ll need to use the stairs from the 4th floor next to the Biliken. There will be information to guide you. Once you reach the 2nd floor, you’ll find an interactive museum with small exhibitions and displays showcasing the history of the observatory. You can also find merchandise featuring popular manga and exclusive goods related to Tsutenkaku and Osaka.
There’s also a section dedicated to various flavors of Pocky available for purchase, making it a great place to stock up on gifts. Additionally, you’ll see the iconic “Glico man” in action here!
Tsutenkaku Slider
If you want to ride the Tsutenkaku slider, we need to go back to the basement floor to get the admission ticket again. You will be asked to sign the waiver form on the spot. The line is shorter and there are fewer people compared to the tower during our visit.
The slide is quite interesting and lasts probably 10 seconds. It’s not too extreme and is truly a fun experience. I highly recommend it if you enjoy fun activities.
Overall: A Visit to Tsutenkaku Tower and Slide
In short, the visit to Tsutenkaku Tower and its slide was a unique experience. While the tower may not be as impressive as newer and taller buildings like the Umeda Sky Building or Abeno Harukas, the view over Osaka from the top is still quite nice. It’s worth a visit, especially if you’re in the area. Additionally, it’s free for Osaka Amazing Pass holders.
After spending time in the tower and on the slide, we continued to wander around Shinsekai and tried the Kushikatsu. We really enjoyed the old Osaka vibe and even came back at nighttime to see the lighting.
Lastly, this travel guide to Tsutenkaku Tower and Slider is part of travel blog in Kansai region. Free feel to continue to read on our Kansai trip to other interesting places including Osaka, Kyoto, and Uji.
Osaka Itinerary: Things to do in Osaka: Ultimate Travel Guide Blog
- Osaka Amazing Pass itinerary: A Travel Guide Blog
- Umeda Sky Building Kuchu-Teien Observatory
- Travel Guide to Osaka Castle (Osakajo)
- Travel Guide for Osaka Bay Cruise Santa Maria
- Where to Stay in Osaka: Namba or Umeda
- Osaka Food Guide: Top 8 Unique Food To Eat in Osaka
Kyoto itinerary: 15 Things To Do and Eat for 3 Days in Kyoto
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