The Osaka Tenmangu Shrine features a vermilion main gate that stands out against the gray concrete of the surrounding city. It serves as the primary home for the spirit of Sugawara no Michizane, a ninth-century scholar and poet. Legend…
Tenjinbashi Merchant Life
Walk a vibrant stretch of Japan’s longest shopping arcade, stopping at traditional knife makers, tea merchants, and Osaka's most historic shrine. Walkers will feel the lively, bargain-hunting spirit of the traditional Osaka merchant class.
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1. Osaka Tenmangu Shrine
2. Green Tea & Sweets CAFE Osaka Chakai
The Osaka Chakai shop front holds a long row of wooden latticework, known as koushi, which patterns the exterior in thin, rhythmic vertical lines. This cafe exists to teach visitors about the specific tea culture of Osaka, a city that…
3. Nakamuraya, Croquette and Beef Cutlet
The Nakamuraya shop front features a glass display case packed with deep-fried golden croquettes, drawing a steady line of people onto the sidewalk at any hour. This small storefront serves the same potato and minced beef recipe that Aizo…
4. Kunishige, the swordsmith
The storefront at three, Kita, in Osaka holds a legacy tied to the blade smith Kunishige. Long ago, these workshops turned out steel for the warriors of the region, relying on fires that burned day and night. The heavy iron tools and the…
5. Abeno Dango Honpo Tenjinbashi-suji Ten
The Abeno Dango Honpo storefront sits under a traditional noren curtain, marked by the distinctive sweet, roasted aroma of soy sauce and scorched rice. This shop began in the Abeno district during the nineteen thirties, selling dango to…
6. Naruto Taiyaki Honpo Tenjinbashi
The Naruto Taiyaki Honpo on Tenjinbashi Street is marked by the constant plume of steam rising from its cast-iron molds. This shop specializes in taiyaki, a fish-shaped cake filled with sweet bean paste or custard. While many snack shops…
7. Osaka Municipal Housing Museum "Osaka Museum of Housing and Living"
The Osaka Museum of Housing and Living stands out for its full scale reproduction of an entire neighborhood from the Edo period. Visitors walk onto a streetscape complete with houses, a bathhouse, and shops, all built to the actual…