Shinsekai

Shinsekai (which translates to New World) was considered to be the new and futuristic entertainment district when it was built in 1912. The area was modeled after Paris, France and New York’s Coney Island. Shinsekai was a prime example of modernity which attracted visitors from all over Japan, and offered a view of what the country would look like in the future. The eye-catching tower that stands in the middle of Shinsekai is called Tsutenkaku Tower, and it was the tallest tower in all of Asia when it was first built. It was a symbol of Osaka pride, and many people visited this area just to see the tower. Shinsekai also featured an amusement park called Luna Park, which was inspired by Coney Island. Business boomed and Shinsekai was the talk of the town, but sadly it was short-lived.

The entertainment district started going down hill after only 11 years. Luna Park shut down in 1923 and the area was neglected. Then, in 1943, the Tsutenkaku Tower was destroyed in a fire and the remaining steel was used for war efforts. After WWII, Shinsekai was forgotten. For a while, it had a new reputation of being the poor and dilapidated part of Osaka. However, nostalgic memories of Shinsekai plagued the minds of Osakans, and they wanted their tower back. After considerable demands, the city hall rebuilt the Tsutenkaku Tower in 1956. It was double the height of the original! Shinsekai was slowly restored, but it’s not the spectacular entertainment district it once was. It’s said that visiting Shinsekai today is like taking a step back in time, which is what makes this area so unique and a must-see when in Osaka.

Shinsekai was definitely one of my favorite places I visited while in Osaka. The neon lights, restaurants, and art were eye candy for me and going up into the tower was really fun. Since it was only a 15 minute train ride from Dotonbori, it made for a nice little night outing.

Tsutenkaku Tower

The biggest attraction of Shinsekai is the Tsukenkaku Tower, which translates to “building leading to the sky” or “Sky Route Tower.” The original tower that was built in 1912 was modeled after 2 of the most recognized buildings in the world. The top was meant to resemble the Eiffel Tower while the base resembled the Arc de Triomphe. After WWII, the same architect who designed the Tokyo Tower also designed the new Tsutenkaku Tower. The tower is 339ft (103m) tall and features LED lights that change with the seasons. During the months of March and April, the tower is a bright pink to represent cherry blossoms! The light at the very top of the tower is a weather forecast for the next day. Blue light means rainy, white means sunny, and orange means cloudy.

The weather forecast can be seen at the top. White on top means it’ll be sunny earlier in the day, and orange on the bottom indicates clouds later in the day.

The tower has 5 floors total and they’re mostly different viewing points. A few of the floors have information about the history of the tower and popular places around Osaka. One thing that’s common in Shinsekai is Billiken, the God of Happiness or “things as they ought to be.” Billiken was adopted by Japan from America when Shinsekai was built in 1912 and is considered to be Tsutenkaku Tower’s mascot. The famous Billiken statue is found on the 4th floor. It’s said that if you pray to this god and rub the soles of his feet, your wishes will come true!

There was a lot of Billiken merchandise and smaller statues scattered throughout the tower, including a fun fortune telling. After inserting ¥300 ($3.00), guests put their hand in a huge box of sealed envelopes and choose one. Once opened, guests will see their fortune. If there’s a yellow Billiken inside, you’ll be blessed with money in your future. If the Billiken is pink, you’ll find love in your future. Zach and I both got a yellow one!

The statue of Billiken. The soles of the feet are a little worn down from visitors rubbing them.

The 5th floor is the very top of the tower and offers a fantastic view of the city. This floor felt a little claustrophobic, since the entire viewing platform was a small circle with gates on both sides. Trying to squeeze by other visitors was a bit of a hassle but this didn’t take away from the amazing nighttime views. The coolest part of the tower is an overhang that’s attached to the side of it, which guests can walk out on. I was nervous to do this since the floor is glass, but I did it anyway because the feeling of being out there was really exhilarating. I was only a little dizzy when I looked down. This overhang is unsurprisingly a popular spot for proposals!

The tiny pathway around the viewing deck

On the way back down, Zach and I took the time to learn about the history of Pocky, the Glico Man, Tsutenkaku Tower, and Osaka in general. There was even a little theater where we sat and watched short videos about the history of different things in the prefecture. A diorama of what Shinsekai looked like in 1912 was also in this area. Closer towards the exit were shops selling unique Pocky flavors, as well as Billiken and takoyaki merchandise. Tsutenkaku Tower and the Shinsekai area was lovely, I wasn’t expecting to learn and see so much!