Tsutenkaku Tower

Tsūtenkaku is an observation tower located in the Shinsekai shopping district of Naniwa Ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It has been officially designated as an Important Tangible Cultural Property of Japan.

The name "Tsūtenkaku" means "Tower Reaching Heaven" and was given by the Confucian scholar Nangaku Fujisawa in the early Meiji era. The current Tsūtenkaku is the second-generation structure, designed by the renowned architect Tachu Naitō, who also designed Tokyo Tower. Completed in 1956 (Showa 31), the tower stands 100 meters tall, or 103 meters including the lightning rod. It was constructed using approximately 350 tons of steel and is considered a symbol of Shinsekai, one of Osaka’s most famous entertainment districts.

The site where Tsūtenkaku now stands was originally part of a large area used for the National Industrial Exposition. Later, it was redeveloped by Osaka’s government and business leaders. One of its most iconic features is the large advertisement for Hitachi, a major Japanese electronics company, displayed on the tower itself.