#Sky over Lake West#: A 14-Day Free Independent Trip to Kansai — D13: Osaka Tsutenkaku, Umeda, Tennoji Park

June 4, 2025, sunny.

Hotel breakfast was eaten at a coffee shop outside the lobby, a simple meal costing 650 yen per person.

The coffee shop environment was quite nice.

First stop: Tsutenkaku.

The transportation to Tsutenkaku is the Sakaisuji Line subway, a 2-minute walk from Ebisucho Station on the Hankai Tramway. Alternatively, it's an 8-minute walk from Dobutsuen-mae Station on the Sakaisuji Line of the Midosuji Subway Line. Or an 8-minute walk from JR Shin-Imamiya Station.

Before even leaving the subway station, we could already see Tsutenkaku.

Tsutenkaku is an observation tower located at 1-18-6 Ebisu Higashi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka, Japan. The tower is 103 meters tall (100 meters for the tower body, 3 meters for the antenna). It is one of Osaka's landmarks and a Registered Tangible Cultural Property of Japan. The name Tsutenkaku means "a tall building reaching the sky," named by the Meiji-era Confucian scholar Nan'ō Sokutaku. The designer was Tachū Naitō, and it was completed in 1956 (Showa 31).

The current Tsutenkaku is the second generation. The first generation was built in 1912 (Meiji 45).

Due to time constraints, we did not go up.

Second stop: Tennoji Park.

Opened to the public as early as 1909, Tennoji Park is one of the most historically rich parks in Osaka.

With the 1987 Tennoji Exposition as a turning point, the park was renovated and reopened as a paid park in 1990. Inside the park are Chausuyama Ancient Tomb and Kawa-soko Pond, both very interesting historical sites. The former is a grain storehouse of the Kuroda family, featuring architectural style from the mid-Edo period, and is now designated as a tangible cultural property within Osaka Prefecture. Keioku-en is a leisure garden composed of logs and fountains, attracting visitors with its four-season natural scenery. The garden has a greenhouse, flower beds, and a 100-meter-long, 4-meter-wide path with rose arches.

Tennoji Park also includes Tennoji Zoo and Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts.

Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts: on this day, many citizens and tourists were queuing to enter, so there must have been a good exhibition on display.

Isshin-ji is a Japanese Buddhist temple founded by the Pure Land sect founder Honen Shonin in 1185, located southwest of Shitennoji in Tennoji-ku, Osaka.

The temple is famous for collecting the remains of followers every ten years to create Amitabha statues. The seven surviving bone statues testify to a religious tradition that has continued since 1887.

As a regular place of worship for local residents, its quiet garden and proximity to Tennoji Zoo serve both religious and recreational functions.

Third stop: Shitennoji.

Shitennoji is the oldest temple in Japan to be under government administration. The five-story pagoda is the temple's symbol, and large festivals are held here all year round.

Shitennoji is a particularly beloved temple by many Japanese, regarded by Buddhists as the Buddhist altar of Osaka. Many events are held here every year, including Doya-Doya Matsuri, Seirei-e, and Shitennoji Wasso, which fully reflect the temple's long history and its place in the hearts of Osakans.

Shitennoji was built following the layout of Chinese temples, with a north-south axis of the Middle Gate, Pagoda, Golden Hall, and Lecture Hall. Later, buildings such as the Rokuji-do, Taishi-do, Gochikoin, Gansandaishi-do, and Honbo were added.

Over more than a thousand years, Shitennoji has suffered several fires and reconstructions but has largely maintained its original appearance. The main buildings seen today were rebuilt in 1963 after the war, with the Sutra Hall and Painting Hall rebuilt in 1979. After reconstruction, Shitennoji became the head temple of the Wa sect.

In the temple grounds, we encountered a group of kindergarten children.

Fourth stop: Osaka Umeda.

Umeda is one of the representative bustling commercial districts of Japan, located in Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture. It is also a town name in Kita-ku. The administrative district addresses are Umeda 1-chome to Umeda 3-chome.

Umeda is Osaka's main shopping area. It has many high-rise buildings, department stores, hotels, and theaters. Often compared to Tokyo's Shinjuku, it is the most representative central business district and high-rise concentration area in western Japan, with the largest department store floor area in the country.

The Umeda Sky Building was completed near the end of Japan's economic boom. The original concept was to build a complex of four buildings connected at the top. Designed by renowned architect Hiroshi Hara, the two towers were completed in 1993; they are connected by an空中庭園 (floating garden observatory), which is the main attraction for visitors. The basement floor is a shopping center modeled after Japan's Showa period (early 20th century).

In the plaza, works by Tadao Ando are displayed.

On the basement floor, there is also a solo exhibition by Tadao Ando titled "Youth."

It was past 1 PM, so we had lunch first.

Checked in at the Sky Building.

Explored the red Ferris wheel in Osaka Umeda, the world's first Ferris wheel built inside a building. Departing from the 7th floor of Hep Five, enjoy a 106-meter-high spectacular view including Mt. Ikoma, Ankodo, and Osaka Bay. Early evening is the best time to visit.

Since we were here, of course we had to experience it—romantic.

Fifth stop: Osaka Castle Park.

At 5:30 PM, we came to Osaka Castle Park again. It was only four stops from Umeda Station. This time we entered from the northeast corner of the park (yesterday we entered from the southwest corner).

The weather was good, and there were many more people.

The path leading to the plum grove; in spring, one can see beautiful plum blossoms.

Finally, we arrived at Gokuraku Bridge.

Photographed Osaka Castle's main keep under clear skies.

Osaka Castle reflected in the evening glow.

Scenic views on the way to the subway station after leaving Osaka Castle Park.

This is the NHK building and the Osaka Museum of History.