Another culinary district in Osaka is famous for its kushikatsu, small skewers fried in a traditional style. The restaurants emit appetizing smoke, glow with neon lights, and chefs showcase their skills right before your eyes, while waiters loudly beckon customers. The overall atmosphere of the district is cheerful and lively. The centerpiece of the Shinsekai area is the dazzling Tsutenkaku Tower, literally meaning “tower reaching heaven.” The tower stands 103 meters tall, and visitors can ascend it to enjoy a panoramic view of the neon-lit city.

A complex of buildings at Osaka Abenobashi Station, one of the city’s largest transportation hubs. The complex includes stations for several railway lines, a shopping mall (the largest in Japan), hotels, and the Abeno Harukas skyscraper, which stands at 300 meters and is the tallest skyscraper in Japan. The reconstruction of the entire complex was completed in March 2014. On the top floors of the skyscraper is the “Harukas 300” observation deck, offering panoramic views of Osaka.

One of the oldest Buddhist temples in Japan and the first to be built under state sponsorship, it was erected in the late 6th century by the legendary Prince Shotoku with the help of invited master builders from Korea. Throughout its centuries-long history, the temple has burned down multiple times and has been meticulously restored each time according to the original design. The temple was last fully restored in the mid-20th century. Today, it is considered an exemplary model of Asuka period architecture. The temple grounds include a treasure house that stores historical and cultural relics from the past, as well as the traditional Gokuraku-jodo garden, created during the Edo period. It is one of the few temples in Japan where visitors are allowed to ascend the pagoda.

The Kaiyukan Aquarium is one of the best aquariums in Japan, located on the shore of Osaka Bay. In 15 tanks arranged in a descending spiral, about 29,000 fish and marine animals from around 500 species native to the Pacific Ring of Fire are displayed. Many tanks span more than one floor, allowing visitors to observe the life of inhabitants at different levels. The main attraction of the aquarium is the whale shark residing in the central tank.