Tsutenkaku Tower
A steel tower which looks like the Eiffel Tower and 75 meters high was built In 1912, on top of a building which was the motif of the Arc de Triomphe, and named “Tsutenkaku” meaning “A building reaching the heaven'' by Nangaku Fujisawa, a Confucian in the early Meiji period. After being broken down due to a fire, citizens lobbied for rebuilding and the current 2nd Tsutenkaku was built in 1956.
It’s kind of retro and pretty cute. The Shinsekai area around it is lively, with kushikatsu places one after another—perfect for eating and wandering at the same time.
Tsutenkaku itself isn’t that tall, but it’s still fun to go up for the view and rub the Billiken statue for a bit of good luck.
It’s not really a polished, fancy kind of spot, but it feels very down-to-earth. If you want to experience Osaka’s local vibe, it’s a great stop.
