Shinsekai and Tennoji, Osaka · Things to do
Things to Do in Shinsekai and Tennoji: 11 Places with Hours, Fees and Access
11 things to do · checked October 20, 2026
11 things to do in Shinsekai and Tennoji, from Tsutenkaku to the temples
Hours, prices and access checked against each place's own page on October 20, 2026. They change; check before you go.
1Shinsekai and Janjan Yokocho新世界・ジャンジャン横丁
Old downtown district · Shinsekai
A district that grew up after the 1903 industrial exposition held in Tennoji, with Tsutenkaku at its centre. Janjan Yokocho is a street of about 50 shops running 130 m north to south, with kushikatsu and doteyaki restaurants and go and shogi clubs.
- Access
- Directly next to Ebisucho Station (Sakaisuji Line); 3 minutes on foot from Dobutsuen-mae Station (Midosuji and Sakaisuji lines).
- Hours
- Set by each shop
2Tsutenkaku Tower通天閣
Observation tower · Shinsekai
The tower at the centre of Shinsekai. Every ticket needs a booked entry time, and the tower's page recommends buying online in advance because there can be a wait on the day. A special outdoor observation deck at the top has its own last entry.
- Access
- Ebisucho Station exit 3 (Sakaisuji Line) or the Ebisucho tram stop, 3 minutes on foot; Dobutsuen-mae Station exit 1 (Midosuji Line) or JR Shin-Imamiya east exit, 6 minutes; Nankai Shin-Imamiya west exit, 10 minutes.
- Hours
- General deck 9:00–21:45 (last entry 21:15); special outdoor deck 9:00–21:45 (last entry 21:35). Changes are announced on the tower's X account.
- Price
- Adults (15+) ¥1,500; ages 5–14 ¥800. 30 December 2026–3 January 2027 only: ¥1,800 / ¥900
3Spa Worldスパワールド 世界の大温泉
Bathhouse and spa · Shinsekai
A large bathhouse with an Asian zone and a European zone of baths; each zone is assigned to women or men and the assignment switches every month. Stone saunas, pools and a hotel are in the same building. People with tattoos, including tattoo ink and seals, are not allowed in.
- Access
- Dobutsuen-mae Station exit 5 (Midosuji and Sakaisuji lines); JR Shin-Imamiya east exit; Hankai tram Shin-Imamiya-mae stop.
- Hours
- Baths 10:00 to 8:45 the next morning (cleaning 8:45–10:00 daily). Stone saunas 10:00–5:00 (last entry 4:00). Pools from 1 October: weekdays 10:00–19:00, weekends and holidays 10:00–22:00.
- Price
- Junior high and over ¥1,500; elementary and under ¥1,000. With pool access ¥2,000 / ¥1,200. Stone saunas are extra: ¥800 on weekdays, ¥1,000 at weekends and holidays.
4Tennoji Zoo天王寺動物園
Zoo · Tennoji Park
A city zoo inside Tennoji Park with two gates, the Shinsekai Gate and the Tennoji Gate. On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays the zoo's home page asks visitors to buy in advance (web ticket, first come first served).
- Access
- Shinsekai Gate: Dobutsuen-mae or Ebisucho Station, or JR/Nankai Shin-Imamiya Station, 5–10 minutes on foot (10–15 using the elevators). Tennoji Gate: Tennoji Station or Kintetsu Osaka-Abenobashi Station, 5–10 minutes on foot (10–15 using the elevators). No zoo car park.
- Hours
- 9:30–17:00 (last entry 16:00); some animals cannot be viewed after 15:00
- Closed on
- Mondays (the next weekday if Monday is a public holiday); 29 December–1 January
- Price
- Adults ¥800; elementary and junior high students from outside Osaka City ¥200 (Osaka City pupils free); preschool children free
5Tennoji Park and Tenshiba lawn天王寺公園・てんしば
City park · Tennoji
The park holds Tennoji Zoo, Keitakuen and the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts. Its entrance area, Tenshiba, is a lawn of about 7,000 m² with cafés, shops and a paid children's play area; Tenshiba hosts the Handmade Expo on 24 and 25 October 2026.
- Access
- Tennoji Station (Midosuji and Tanimachi lines, JR; JR is 5 minutes on foot), Kintetsu Osaka-Abenobashi Station, or the Hankai tram Tennoji-ekimae stop.
- Hours
- Tenshiba 7:00–22:00 (shops set their own hours; some facilities open 24 hours)
- Price
- Free (some facilities charge)
6Chausuyama茶臼山
Historic site · Tennoji Park
A hill in Tennoji Park designated an Osaka Prefecture historic site in 1972. It is the place where Tokugawa Ieyasu had his headquarters in the 1614 Winter Siege of Osaka; the 1986 excavation found remains of headquarters buildings and moats. Whether the hill was a keyhole-shaped burial mound is still open.
- Access
- Tennoji Station (JR Loop Line; Tanimachi and Midosuji lines). The Chausuyama entrance of Tennoji Park is about 500 m north of Tenshiba.
7Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts大阪市立美術館
Art museum · Tennoji Park
A museum in Tennoji Park built around donated collections of Chinese and Japanese paintings, sculpture and crafts (the Abe, Yamaguchi, Tada and Casal collections among them). A special exhibition on Ming-dynasty calligraphy runs 9 October–20 December 2026.
- Access
- From Tennoji Station (Midosuji Line west gate, Tanimachi Line exits 15–17, JR central gate) or Kintetsu Osaka-Abenobashi west gate, about 400 m north-west through the park.
- Hours
- 9:30–17:00 (last entry 16:30)
- Closed on
- Mondays (the next weekday if Monday is a public holiday); 28 December–4 January
- Price
- Planned exhibitions: adults ¥500, high school and university ¥200; special exhibitions are priced separately. Junior high and under free. Combined ticket with Keitakuen: adults ¥600, high school and university ¥300 (same day only).
8Keitakuen Garden慶沢園
Japanese strolling garden · Tennoji Park
A strolling pond garden laid out by the garden-maker Ogawa Jihei (Ueji) for the Sumitomo family, completed in 1918 and donated to Osaka City in 1926. From 1 October until late October the water supply to the pond and the waterfall are switched off for a leak survey.
- Access
- About 5 minutes on foot from Tennoji Station (JR, Osaka Metro); about 15 minutes from Dobutsuen-mae or Ebisucho Station or Kintetsu Osaka-Abenobashi.
- Hours
- 9:30–17:00 (last entry 16:30); in May and September weekends and holidays until 18:00 (last entry 17:30)
- Closed on
- Mondays (the next weekday if Monday is a public holiday); 29 December–1 January
- Price
- Adults ¥300; high school and university ¥200; junior high and under free. Combined ticket with the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts ¥600 / ¥300.
9Harukas 300 (Abeno Harukas observatory)ハルカス300
Observation deck · Abeno / Tennoji
The observatory at the top of Abeno Harukas, next to Tennoji and Osaka-Abenobashi stations. Same-day tickets are sold only at the 16th-floor counter, first come first served; web tickets go straight to the 16th-floor gate by QR code.
- Access
- Tennoji Station (Midosuji Line west gate, Tanimachi Line south gate, JR central gate) and Kintetsu Osaka-Abenobashi Station (west gate); Hankai tram Tennoji-ekimae stop.
- Hours
- 9:00–22:00 (last entry 21:30); same-day counter tickets on sale until 30 minutes before closing
- Price
- Same-day counter or web: adults (15+) ¥2,200, ages 6–14 ¥900, 5 and under free. Web advance ticket ¥1,980 / ¥810.
10Shitennoji Temple四天王寺
Buddhist temple · Shitennoji
A temple the official history dates to 593 and to Prince Shotoku. Its main buildings stand in a straight line from south to north: middle gate, five-storey pagoda, main hall and lecture hall. The pagoda fell in the 1934 Muroto Typhoon and was rebuilt in 1940. The Central Temple is free on the 21st and 22nd of each month.
- Access
- About 12 minutes on foot north from Tennoji Station; about 5 minutes south from Shitennojimae-Yuhigaoka Station (Tanimachi Line); about 14 minutes from Kintetsu Osaka-Abenobashi.
- Hours
- Halls, Central Temple and garden 8:30–16:00 (October–March), 8:30–16:30 (April–September); on the 21st and during ceremony periods 8:00–17:00 in October, 8:00–16:30 November–March. The temple gate stays open 24 hours for prayer.
- Price
- Central Temple: adults ¥500, high school ¥300, elementary and junior high free. Garden: adults ¥300, high school ¥200, elementary and junior high ¥200. Treasure Hall: adults ¥500, high school ¥300, elementary and junior high free.
11Isshinji Temple一心寺
Buddhist temple · Tennoji
A temple whose origin the temple dates to 1185, when Honen practised the sunset meditation at a hermitage here. Since 1887 it has made a Buddha image from the cremated remains kept in its ossuary hall every ten years; eight are now enshrined and the next is due in 2027. It is a working temple for memorial services.
- Access
- The temple lists Tennoji Station (JR Loop Line, Midosuji and Tanimachi lines), Shitennojimae-Yuhigaoka Station (Tanimachi Line), Ebisucho Station (Sakaisuji Line) and Kintetsu Abenobashi Station as nearest stations; it gives no walking times.
- Hours
- 9:00–16:00, open every day
Good to know
Shinsekai and Tennoji are two neighbourhoods a short walk apart, and the list is easiest to use in two halves. Shinsekai is Tsutenkaku, the Janjan Yokocho street and Spa World, around Ebisucho and Dobutsuen-mae stations. Tennoji is the park with the zoo, the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts and Keitakuen, Harukas 300 above Tennoji Station, and the temples of Shitennoji and Isshinji to the north.
Start with the closing times. Tsutenkaku takes its last visitors at 21:15 (21:35 for the outdoor deck) and Harukas 300 at 21:30, and Spa World's baths run until 8:45 the next morning. In October Tennoji Zoo, the museum, Keitakuen and the two temples are all shut by 17:00 (last entry: zoo 16:00, museum and Keitakuen 16:30), and the zoo, the museum and Keitakuen are closed on Mondays.
Dates to plan around: the Keitakuen pond and waterfall are switched off from 1 October until late October for a leak survey. The Handmade Expo is on the Tenshiba lawn on 24 and 25 October, and the museum's Ming calligraphy exhibition runs until 20 December. Tsutenkaku raises its fees for 30 December–3 January.
In depth
What it costs and how late you can start
Adult prices and the latest entry from each place's own page. Free or unstated entries are marked.
| Place | Nearest station | Entry (adult) | Latest start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tsutenkaku Tower | Ebisucho (exit 3), 3 min | ¥1,500, timed entry required | 21:15 (outdoor deck 21:35) |
| Spa World | Dobutsuen-mae (exit 5) | ¥1,500 (¥2,000 with pool); stone saunas extra | Baths 10:00 to 8:45 the next morning |
| Tennoji Zoo | Dobutsuen-mae or Tennoji, 5–10 min to a gate | ¥800 | 16:00 (closed Mondays) |
| Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts | Tennoji, about 400 m | ¥500 planned exhibitions; special exhibitions priced separately | 16:30 (closed Mondays) |
| Keitakuen Garden | Tennoji, about 5 min | ¥300 (¥600 with the museum) | 16:30 (closed Mondays) |
| Harukas 300 | Tennoji or Osaka-Abenobashi | ¥2,200 (¥1,980 web advance) | 21:30 |
| Shitennoji Temple | Shitennojimae-Yuhigaoka, about 5 min | Central Temple ¥500; garden ¥300 | Closes 16:00 (October–March) |
| Tennoji Park, Chausuyama, Isshinji | Tennoji | Park free; Chausuyama and Isshinji: not stated | Park 7:00–22:00; Isshinji 9:00–16:00 |
By kind of trip
First trip, the Shinsekai half-day
Tsutenkaku is the one stop here where every ticket needs a booked entry time. Janjan Yokocho is about 130 m long and Tsutenkaku is 3 minutes from Ebisucho Station.
After dark
Last entries: Tsutenkaku 21:15, Harukas 300 21:30. Spa World's baths stay open until 8:45 the next morning, with cleaning from 8:45 to 10:00.
Tsutenkaku Tower · Harukas 300 (Abeno Harukas observatory) · Spa World · Shinsekai and Janjan Yokocho
A walk through Tennoji Park
The museum and Keitakuen share a combined ticket (adults ¥600, same day only) and are both closed on Mondays. The zoo has a Shinsekai Gate and a Tennoji Gate, and the Chausuyama entrance is about 500 m north of Tenshiba.
Tennoji Park and Tenshiba lawn · Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts · Keitakuen Garden · Chausuyama
With children
Tennoji Zoo is free for preschool children and for Osaka City elementary and junior high pupils. Tsutenkaku is ¥800 for ages 5–14, and the Tenshiba lawn is free, with a paid children's play area.
Tennoji Zoo · Tsutenkaku Tower · Tennoji Park and Tenshiba lawn · Harukas 300 (Abeno Harukas observatory)
Temples and old history
Shitennoji dates to 593, Isshinji to 1185, and Chausuyama was Ieyasu's headquarters in 1614. Keitakuen was completed in 1918.
Shitennoji Temple · Isshinji Temple · Chausuyama · Keitakuen Garden
Questions
What are the best things to do in Shinsekai?
Tsutenkaku Tower (deck 9:00–21:45, last entry 21:15, ¥1,500 for adults, timed entry required), the Janjan Yokocho street of about 50 shops, and Spa World, whose baths are open from 10:00 to 8:45 the next morning.
What is there to do in Tennoji?
Tennoji Park holds Tennoji Zoo (¥800, closed Mondays), the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts, Keitakuen Garden (¥300) and the Tenshiba lawn. Harukas 300 is above Tennoji Station, and Shitennoji and Isshinji temples are to the north.
Are Shinsekai and Tennoji close enough to see on one day?
Tennoji Zoo has a gate on each side, the Shinsekai Gate and the Tennoji Gate, so the park can be entered from either neighbourhood. The zoo's page gives 5–10 minutes on foot from the stations to either gate.
Is Spa World open to people with tattoos?
No. Spa World's fee page says people with tattoos, including tattoo ink and seals, are not allowed in. Its Asian and European zones also switch between women and men every month.
Can I see the Keitakuen waterfall right now?
Not at the moment. The garden's notice of 1 October 2026 says the pond water supply and the waterfall are switched off for a leak survey, planned until late October and subject to change. The garden's usual hours are 9:30–17:00, closed Mondays.