Shinsekai — Osaka's Retro Showa Heart & Kushikatsu

A steel tower around 108 metres tall, the symbol of Shinsekai. The original (built in 1912, modelled on the Eiffel Tower) is gone; the current version went up in 1956. Head up to the observation deck to find Billiken, the wide-grinning god of good luck — rub his feet and make a wish — and there's a newly opened slide that drops you down from the tower if you fancy it.

The heart of Shinsekai is simply walking around — neon signs shaped like animals, cartoon characters, tigers, and pufferfish hang thick across the alleys. The narrow Janjan Yokocho lane is full of drinking dens, pachinko parlours, and old shogi and go tables where elderly locals still gather to play. It's like stepping onto a 1960s film set.

The dish that goes hand in hand with Shinsekai — meat, vegetables, prawn, and quail eggs skewered, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried crisp, at roughly 120–150 yen a stick. Kushikatsu was born here around 1929, with Kushikatsu Daruma considered the original; today there are branches all over the district. Ordering stick after stick with a cold beer is the truest Shinsekai ritual.

A giant onsen complex next to Tennoji Park, with "European"- and "Asian"-themed bathing zones that swap between men and women each month, plus a swimming pool, saunas, and on-site lodging. It's an easy place to soak in hot water right in the city after a full day exploring Shinsekai, and it's open almost around the clock.

A city-centre zoo open since 1915, covering around 11 hectares with some 1,000 animals across 170 species, known for habitat-style enclosures that mimic the real thing. It adjoins the leafy, wide-open Tennoji Park — perfect for taking the kids or resting your legs after Shinsekai, with the Tsutenkaku Tower as a backdrop.

A 300-metre skyscraper in Tennoji. The Harukas 300 observation deck on the 60th floor gives a 360-degree view of Osaka — on a clear day you can see as far as Kyoto, Kobe, and Osaka Bay. The building holds a huge Kintetsu department store, a museum, and a hotel, and for a while it was the tallest building in Japan.

Japan's first state Buddhist temple, founded in 593 by Prince Shotoku. The buildings have been rebuilt many times, but the original layout survives intact — the great gate, the five-story pagoda, and the main hall all line up in a straight axis. Inside it's shady and serene, a quiet contrast to the bustle of Shinsekai, and a calming pause within walking distance of the retro district.