Introducing sightseeing spots and attractions in Dotonbori, Osaka!

Ebisu Bridge is a 26-meter-long bridge spanning the Dotonbori River, which flows through the heart of downtown Minami, Osaka. The opening of the Dotonbori River began when Doton Yasui thought that a river moat was necessary for development south of Osaka Castle, and in 1612, permission was granted by Toyotomi to begin construction, which was completed in 1615 after about three years, connecting the Toyokobori River and the Kizu River by a canal. Once the canal was completed, theaters were built one after another on its southern bank, and the area developed as a center for kabuki, ningyo joruri (puppet theater), and other theatrical and performing arts. The five theaters, Naniwaza, Naka-za, Kaku-za, Asahi-za, and Benten-za, were widely known as "Dotonbori Goza ".

It is estimated that Ebisu Bridge was built shortly after the opening of the Dotonbori River. The bridge appears to have been maintained by the townspeople of the surrounding area. Records show that the bridge was repaired and replaced 13 times from 1694, during the Genroku period of the Edo period, until it was replaced by an iron bridge in 1878.

The current bridge was built in 2007. The plaza on the bridge is based on a circular shape, giving it a theatrical feel. The slope along the plaza was designed so that visitors can enjoy a peaceful view while descending to the water's edge. The northern end of the bridge is the southern end of Shinsaibashi-suji Street, where the Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Arcade extends to Nagahori-dori Street, and the southern end of the bridge is the northern end of Ebisubashi Suji Street, where the Ebisubashi Suji Shopping Arcade extends to Namba Station, attracting many people day and night.

"Basic Information "
Address: 1-6 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 542-0071
Access: 3 minutes walk from Osaka Metro "Namba Station "・Kintetsu "Namba Station "

The Dotonbori Glico sign is an outdoor advertising sign placed by Ezaki Glico on the southwest side of the Ebisu Bridge over the Dotonbori River. It is a popular spot not only for Osaka citizens but also for tourists. It is a representative landmark of Dotonbori and one of the designated landscape formations of Osaka City. People are constantly taking pictures in front of the billboard, posing with their hands spread high in the air.

The runner depicted on the Glico sign is the logo of the confectionery manufacturer Ezaki Glico, "called the finish line mark ". It is also introduced overseas as "Glico Man" or "Glico Running Man.

The first Glico sign was installed in 1935. The 33 meter high billboard was centered around the giant "Glico "letters, with the runner logo designed above the letters. The runner and logo seemed to be decorated with a floral pattern that changed to six different colors and blinked repeatedly 19 times per minute. Since then, the colors have been repeatedly changed and the current Glico sign was renewed on October 23, 2014 as the sixth generation. "The goal mark "rises against the blue background. About 140,000 LEDs are used to illuminate the sign.

"Basic Information "
Address: 1-10-4 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka, 542-0071, Japan
Access: 3 minutes walk from Osaka Metro "Namba Station "・Kintetsu "Namba Station "
Lighting time：Sunrise～21:00

The Dotonbori branch of Don Quijote, a nationally known general discount store, has a giant Ferris wheel, Ebisu Tower. In the center of the tower, a huge "Ebessan "of about 17 meters in height and 15 meters in width is smiling. Thirty-two four-seater gondolas "circle around this "Ebessan . The Ferris wheel is the world's first attraction of its kind in the shape of an ellipse. During the 15-minute walk in the air, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of not only Dotonbori, but also Abeno Harukas and Tsutenkaku Tower.

"Basic Information "
Address: 7-13 Soemon-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 542-0084
Access: Osaka Metro "Namba Station "・Kintetsu "Namba Station "5 min. walk
Phone number: 06-6214-6511
Hours of operation: 16:00-22:00
Closed: every Tuesday and Friday

Tombori River Walk is a waterfront promenade along the Dotonbori River in downtown Minami, Osaka. Along the path you can see landmarks of Dotonbori such as "Dotonbori Glico sign "and "Don Quijote Dotonbori store Giant Ferris wheel Ebisu Tower ". At night, the neon lights of the buildings along the river are reflected on the surface of the river, creating a unique travel atmosphere. Around 20 events are held every year. "Since the Water Metropolis Osaka 2009 "was held, Osaka's waterfront area has been attracting more attention, and the variety and frequency of events is likely to increase in the future. Boat landing areas have also been built along the riverbank, and the popularity of "Tonbori River Cruise ", a sightseeing boat cruise that allows visitors to tour the Dotonbori River, is also increasing.

"Basic Information "
Address: Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 542-0071
Access: 3 minutes walk from Osaka Metro "Namba Station "・Kintetsu "Namba Station "
Phone number: 06-6644-7565

Ebisubashisuji Shopping Street is an arcade street that runs from the southern end of Ebisubashi Bridge to the front of Namba Station. It has a long history as a shopping arcade. Since the Dotonbori River was opened and the Ebisu Bridge was built in 1615, the area has been crowded with people attending theaters in Dotonbori and people visiting Imamiya Ebisu Shrine. Toward the end of the Edo period (1603-1867), a shopping street was built. Today, a wide variety of stores line both sides of the 370 meter-long street, ranging from famous old stores that have been around for generations since the Genroku era (1688-1704) to stores that lead the way in cutting-edge fashion.

"Basic Information "
Address: Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 542-0076
Access: 3 minutes walk from Osaka Metro "Namba Station "・Kintetsu "Namba Station "
Phone number: 06-6641-3362

The Dotonbori Shotenkai (Dotonbori Shopping Association) is a tight-knit group of unique-looking stores lining both sides of Sennichimae Street, one street south of the Dotonbori River. From ancient times, Tokyo has long been known as "a "kuidaore" "and Kyoto as "a "kitsudore" "while Osaka is known as "a "kuidaore" "a "kuidaore". Sennichimae Street has become a sacred place for "kuidaore". Crabs, squids, octopuses, cows, and various other items appear along the street in unique forms, making the whole area look like a theme park for dolls.

Osaka is also known as "the kitchen of the nation. As an important transportation hub, Osaka developed as a merchant town, and during the Edo period, clans from all over Japan established warehouses and other residences in Osaka, bringing all sorts of goods from all over the country to Osaka. In addition to kelp from Hokkaido, dried bonito flakes from Tosa, and other products from the Osaka Plain and the sea from the Seto Inland Sea, Osaka nurtured a food culture unparalleled anywhere in Japan. Visitors to Dotonbori are sure to experience a "kuidaore" (gourmand's delight).

"Basic Information "
Address: Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 542-0071
Access: 3 minutes walk from Osaka Metro "Namba Station "・Kintetsu "Namba Station "

"Kani Doraku ", which operates crab restaurants nationwide, has its main restaurant in Dotonbori, which opened in 1962 and is already over 60 years old. A huge crab signboard hangs in the storefront and has become a landmark in Dotonbori. They have all kinds of crabs as ingredients and cook them in such a way as to bring out the best of the ingredients.

"Basic Information "
Address: 1-6-18 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka, 542-0071, Japan
Access: 3 minutes walk from Osaka Metro "Namba Station "・Kintetsu "Namba Station "
Phone number: 06-6211-8975
Opening hours: 11:00-22:00 (last entry 21:00)
Closed: No holidays

The Nakaza Kuidaore Building is an amusement building facing south on Sennichimae Street in Dotonbori. The Nakaza of "Dotonbori Goza "stood here from 1661 to 1999. The playhouse, which supported Kamigata performing arts until the 20th century, has been transformed into an entertainment facility where Osaka's food and culture are mixed. ZAZA, an event hall on the first basement floor, hosts a wide variety of events including comedy, talk shows, yose, rakugo, and recitations. On the 6th floor, a wide variety of restaurants and eateries are open for business. "Ichibirian "on the 1st floor offers nearly 4,000 varieties of Naniwa specialties.

"Basic Information "
Address: 1-7-21 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 542-0071
Access: 3 minutes walk from Osaka Metro "Namba Station "・Kintetsu "Namba Station "

Soemon-cho shopping street is lined on both sides of Soemon-cho street, one street north of Dotonbori River, and is said to have been named after Soemon Yamanokuchiya, who served as a town elder in the middle of the 17th century.

In 1703, 27 teahouses were permitted to operate, and the area flourished as a place of amusement. The area seems to have been lined with latticework buildings such as barbers, wig shops, yukata shops, and other establishments closely associated with teahouses, as well as ryotei (Japanese-style restaurants), restaurants, bath houses, laundry houses, inns, and so on.

Although the town's landscape has changed over time, there are still a large number of restaurants in the area. "Soemon-cho, a town of food, sake, and rivers "is expected to make further progress under the concept of "Soemon-cho, a town of food, sake, and rivers.

"Basic Information "
Address: Soemon-cho, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 542-0084
Access: 3 min. walk from Osaka Metro/Kintetsu "Nihonbashi Sta. "

Hozenji Yokocho is two alleyways stretching east to west south of the Dotonbori River and north of Hozenji Temple. While adjacent to the busy Minami district, with its giant billboards and glittering neon lights, the street has a retro and quiet Naniwa atmosphere. The street used to be the precincts of Hozenji Temple, but it soon developed into a yokocho, with rows of stalls catering to visitors to the temple. The 80-meter-long, 3-meter-wide, tasteful stone-paved street is lined with long-established kappo restaurants, bars, okonomiyaki restaurants, and kushikatsu (skewered pork cutlet) stores. The gates on both the east and west ends of the street are marked with the characters "Hozenji Yokocho ". Walking down the alley while humming the song "Tsuki no Hozenji Yokocho ", a hit song sung by Kanuo Fujishima in 1960, you will be immersed in the Naniwa atmosphere.

"Basic Information "
Address: Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 542-0076
Access: 3 minutes walk from Osaka Metro "Namba Station "・Kintetsu "Namba Station "

Hozenji Temple is a Jodo sect temple located adjacent to the south of Hozenji Yokocho, and is said to have originated in 1637 when Hozenji Temple, which had been built in Uji, Kyoto, was relocated to Namba by the abbot at the time, Naka Ezei Katsudo Hoshi. The devoted priest conducted Buddhist memorial services for 1,000 days to be close to the people. This led to the area around the temple being called "Sennichimae ".

The halls erected in the precincts of the temple were devastated in the Osaka Air Raid of March 1945, but the Nishimukai Fudo Myoo escaped the disaster. Fudo Myoo, whose entire body is covered with moss, is nicknamed "Mizukake Fudo ". If you pour water, the source of all life, over him and make a wish, he will grant you blessings without distinction.

"Basic Information "
Address: 1-2-16 Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 542-0076
Access: 3 minutes walk from Osaka Metro "Namba Station "・Kintetsu "Namba Station "
Phone number: 06-6211-4152

The Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum is located on the west corner of Hozenji Temple. Kamigata Ukiyoe were painted mainly in Osaka from the late Edo period to the early Meiji period. There are few paintings of beautiful women or landscapes, and most of them are pictures of actors performing kabuki plays in Dotonbori. The four-story museum houses around 30 Ukiyo-e works from the collection.

"Basic Information "
Address: 1-6-4 Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 542-0076
Access: 3 minutes walk from Osaka Metro "Namba Station "・Kintetsu "Namba Station "
Phone number: 06-6211-0303
Hours: 11:00-18:00 (admission until 17:30)
Closed: Mondays (or the following day if the Monday is a holiday)
Admission: Adults=700yen / High school students=500yen / Elementary and junior high school students=300yen

In this article, we have introduced 12 spots in Dotonbori that you should not miss. Each spot is filled with the charm of Osaka's Minami district, and you can immerse yourself in the culture of the Kamigata region, with food at the top of the list.