Other than Dotonbori, Shinsekai is another entertainment and dining district in Osaka that’s worth visiting at night. Well, technically you can visit here in the day as well but it’s definitely a “new world” if you visit during the evening. I walked around here right after visiting Tsutenkaku Tower (which is near its center) and fell in love with the district’s neon lights and retro charm.
So this is what I saw the moment I got out of the Tsutenkaku Tower entrance. You might think that this is the entrance to the district but I’m actually already inside and near the center of it all. This specific street is called the Tsutenkaku Hondori Shotenkai and it’s one of the main routes to follow if you want to explore Shinsekai.
I’m not one to follow the beaten path though so I decided to follow the street south from the tower instead (the street in the image is northwest).
My Night Walk in Shinsekai After Visiting Tsutenkaku Tower
Following the Tsutenkakuminamihon Street brought me to one of the most iconic restaurants here in Shinsekai. Called Jumbo Tsuribune Tsurikichi, this is a unique establishment that has aquariums and tanks where you can catch fish for the restaurant to cook. The food here is regrettably a hit or miss but its billboard is definitely not.
It’s old-school and features bold hand painted calligraphy as well as 3D fixtures (see the boat below) for its facade.
If you look back from the same spot I took the picture of Jumbo Tsuribune Tsurikichi, you’ll see the Tsutenkaku Tower in all its neon lighted glory. Now, you’re probably wondering if it’s advisable to go up the tower. I’d say it’s really not necessary but it will complete your Shinsekai visit.
Walking a couple of steps to the south on the same Tsutenkakuminamihon Street, I came across what was probably its brightest and busiest area. While they weren’t blinding, the lights here were still quite bright. Moreover, this area has a high concentration of dining establishments so it naturally has high foot traffic.
Another iconic restaurant here is Kushikatsu Doteyaki Nadai Tsurukameya and you can see its facade in the image above. The restaurant specializes in Kushikatsu skewers as well as beef tendon (Doteyaki) that’s said to melt in your mouth. Much like Jumbo Tsuribune Tsurikichi though, it is considered a tourist trap with some people saying that its offerings can be a hit or miss.
Aside from the turtle and crane fixtures on its billboard, Kushikatsu Doteyaki Nada Tsurukameya is also where you can find a statue of Billiken. Considered as the mascot of Shinsekai, this statue is at the restaurant’s entrance. Known as the “God of Things as They Ought to Be”, this is probably the goofiest looking mascot I’ve seen during this Osaka visit (and I’ve seen plenty of goofy looking characters here).
So this is what the area looks like from the level of the street. Again, you can see the Tsutenkaku Tower in the background. So I said this place was busy and from this image you can see just how crowded it looks.
As for whether this is a good thing or not will largely depend on your preference. Most people aren’t that bothered by crowds while some might not be able to tolerate other people getting close to them.
On the block across the street from Kushikatsu Doteyaki Nada Tsurukameya is another restaurant that features a 3D fixture on its facade. The restaurant is called Koshikatsu Yokozuna Shinsekai Honten and its specialty is also Kushikatsu skewers. Much like the previous establishments, this is also a tourist trap with most people online calling its food just alright.
Just a couple of steps down the street is the Kushikatsu Yokozuna Tsutenkaku branch. This is actually the sub-branch though both offer the same menu (at least from what I’ve been told). I will say though that I prefer the facade and billboard of this branch more as I think it’s a little brighter than the main.
Still, both branches have pretty much the same ratings online.
This is the store opposite the Kushikatsu Yokozuna Shinsekai Honten branch called Daruma Shoten. Again, this place also serves kushikatsu though it’s advertised more as an izakaya. If I’m not mistaken, this has a drink-all-you-can deal which should be great for groups who want to have a good time and unwind.
You’re probably fed up with seeing it but here’s another look at the Tsutenkaku Tower. It was only a couple of minutes or so but you can see just how crowded the street has now become. So it’s not just tourists that are contributing to the Shinsekai crowd.
You’ll also see locals who just got off from work heading to their favorite izakayas from here.
I’m going to be honest, I can’t help but chuckle while also feeling a little creeped out every time I see Billiken’s face. This particular visage of his is part of the 3D fixture and facade of the Shinsekai Kushikatsu Ittoku Main Store which interestingly enough is across the street from both the Kushikatsu Yokozuna branches. It’s actually quite interesting how Billiken became the face of Shinsekai considering how its origins are entirely American.
This is what the Shinsekai Kushikatsu Ittoku storefront looks like. From what I understand, the fixture is relatively new and is probably meant to give its competitors here a run for their money. That said, with just how many people there are here on a nightly basis I don’t think the establishments here have issues with getting customers.
Aside from dining establishments, Tsutenkakuminamihon Street also has game centers. This one in particular is a shateki (traditional Japanese shooting gallery) called Shinsekai Shooting Champion DX. It’s actually one of the shops that I was most interested in just because of how different it was.
Basically you pay (typically 500JPY) for a single game where you shoot prizes on shelves using a classic toy rifle. There’s also a day pass worth 1000JPY that you can purchase which gives unlimited whole day access to all shooting games (though it’s only play for fun and you get a candy grab at the end).
After checking out Shinsekai Shooting Champion DX, I then decided to go back to Tsutenkaku Tower. Along the way, I came across the Kushikatsu Yokozuna Shinsekai Honten main branch again. Here you can see the side of its facade (along with the fixtures) that face the Shinsekai Kushikatsu Ittoku Main Store.
It’s not shown fully but there’s another statue of Billiken here (you can see the top of his head at the lower left section of the image).
There are so many people here at Shinsekai that a lot of the establishments will typically have outdoor seating just to accommodate more customers. You can actually see this in action on the right side of the image above. That’s the Kushikatsu Yokozuna Shinsekai Honten storefront and despite it being rated as just okay online, it still gets plenty of customers on a nightly basis.
Instead of using Tsutenkakuminamihon Street to head straight back to the tower, I decided to take a detour at Koen Hondori. Facing the tower, I turned right to head in the direction of the eastern Koen Hondori entrance until I got to another iconic facade. The restaurant this time around is Kushikatsu Takoyaki Aji no Daimaru and as you might have guessed from its name, this establishment specializes in both Kushikatsu and Takoyaki.
It’s actually better rated than the previous establishments though it’s still considered a tourist trap.
Directly across Kushikatsu Takoyaki Aji no Daimaru is a street called Shinsekai Hon-dori. To the right of the street is another iconic Osaka-style izakaya that specializes in Kushikatsu. Called Kushikatsu Daruma (I’m not sure if it’s related to Daruma Shoten), this is one of the oldest izakaya specializing in kushikatsu that’s been around since the 1920s.
Also found here at Koen Hondori is the main branch of Shinsekai Shooting Champion. The storefront looks rather dated but it’s still quite popular. It’s relatively easy to spot as it’s on the same side as Kushikatsu Takoyaki Aji no Daimaru.
If you’re approaching from the east entrance of Koen Hondori then it’s going to be right after the izakaya.
So I finally found myself back on Tsutenkakuminamihon Street and in front of both Jumbo Tsuribune Tsurikichi and the Tsutenkaku Tower. At this point, it was already quite late but a lot of the establishments here were still open. This one in particular closes at 12:00 midnight with some even going past that.
And so my evening Shinsekai walk ends here. If I were to describe it, I’d say that it was a wonderful night out. From the views at the top of Tsutenkaku Tower down to the bright lights of its streets, this district was arguably one of the most memorable that I’d had the chance to explore and experience.
If you do decide to come here, do yourself a favor and do so at night if you really want to get your money’s worth. Personally, I think this is one of those must-visit landmarks in Osaka that has to be on every traveler’s itinerary. It can be a little crowded but I think that just adds more points to its charm.Anyway, what do you think of my evening Shinsekai walk?
Do you have any plans of visiting this Osaka landmark yourself? If yes then share your thoughts and plans with us down in the comments section!
