Umeda Sky Building

An iconic piece of architecture in Osaka, the 173-metre-tall Umeda Sky Building is immediately identifiable by its experimental structure. It consists of two high-rise towers connected at their two uppermost floors, as well as via a bridge and a set of escalators cutting through the atrium in mid-air. Designed by Hiroshi Hara, the futuristic building is known for the Koji Kinutani Tenku Art Museum on the 27th floor and especially for the vertigo-inducing Kuchu Teien Observatory on the 39th floor.

The latter’s circular open-air observation deck provides breathtaking 360-degree views of Osaka and its surroundings, including the famous Gate Tower. There’s also an indoor space with a café and window-side seats. Guided tours, which cost an additional ¥3,000 and are available in English, Chinese and Korean, will give you access to private areas in the building, including the ‘floating’ Sky Bridge.

While you’re there, don’t miss the Takimi Koji restaurant alley in the basement. The food hall is a fun recreation of Showa-era Japan, complete with eateries and izakaya serving classic Osaka staples such as okonomiyaki and kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers), as well as plenty of photo ops. There are also restaurants and bars capitalising on the panoramic view on the 39th floor, plus a cinema on the third and fourth floors.