Tsūtenkaku Tower Day

What Is Tsūtenkaku Tower Day?

Every July 3rd is "Tsūtenkaku Day" (通天閣の日, Tsūtenkaku no Hi) in Japan. On July 3, 1912, the original Tsūtenkaku Tower (通天閣, literally "Tower Reaching to Heaven") was completed in the Shinsekai (新世界, "New World") entertainment district of Osaka — a 75-meter steel tower designed by Atelier Tetsuzō Watanabe, inspired by the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Arc de Triomphe below it (the base of the original tower was modeled on the Arc de Triomphe style). The tower became a symbol of Osaka's ambition and commercial energy in the Meiji and Taisho eras.

The Original and Current Tsūtenkaku

The original 1912 Tsūtenkaku was demolished in 1943 for wartime steel collection. The current Tsūtenkaku — the tower that stands today — was built in 1956 to restore the landmark to Osaka's skyline. At 103 meters, the rebuilt tower is taller than the original and features an observation deck offering panoramic views of Osaka. The current tower has a distinctive beacon light at its top and features "Billiken" (ビリケン, Biriken) — a good-luck deity figure — as its symbol, reflecting the entertaining, populist character of the Shinsekai district it anchors.

Shinsekai and Osaka's Downtown Identity

The Shinsekai district surrounding Tsūtenkaku represents one of Osaka's most characterful neighborhoods — a working-class entertainment area famous for its kushikatsu (串カツ, skewered and fried foods) restaurants, retro signage, and ungentrified authenticity that contrasts sharply with more polished parts of Osaka. The area attracts both domestic tourists seeking "old Osaka" atmosphere and international visitors drawn by its distinctive visual character. Tsūtenkaku is central to Osaka's self-image as Japan's most unashamedly populist, humor-loving, food-obsessed city.

Fun Facts

• Billiken: The "Billiken" luck deity at Tsūtenkaku — a small, elfin figure originating from an American doll design of the early 1900s — was adopted as the tower's mascot and has become a symbol of Osaka luck. Rubbing Billiken's feet is said to bring good fortune, and countless visitors perform this ritual at the observation deck statue.
• Light column: Tsūtenkaku's beacon light changes color based on the next day's weather forecast — different colors indicate sunny, cloudy, or rainy conditions for the following day. The color-coded light system makes the tower a functional weather forecasting tool visible from across Osaka's downtown.