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Located in the heart of Osaka’s Minami district, Shinsekai is a unique tourist destination that perfectly blends Showa-era nostalgia with modern vibrancy. This area, centered around the iconic Tsutenkaku Tower, vividly reflects Osaka’s food culture and everyday life, captivating visitors with its charm.
Shinsekai is packed with various attractions, from Osaka’s famous delicacies like kushikatsu, takoyaki, and doteyaki to retro gaming arcades and shopping streets that preserve the atmosphere of the Showa era.
In this article, we’ll provide a comprehensive guide to all 12 streets of Shinsekai. We’ll explore the characteristics of the northern and southern areas, hidden gems on each street, and beloved local establishments, showcasing every aspect of Shinsekai’s appeal.
Whether you’re a tourist or a local, you might discover something new. So, let’s dive into the fascinating world of Osaka’s Shinsekai!
Shinsekai consists of 12 diverse and charming streets.
It takes about 30-40 minutes to explore all the streets of Shinsekai. If you’re in a hurry, you can cover it in 15-20 minutes. However, depending on what you want to enjoy in Shinsekai, you may not need to walk through all the streets. Your route may vary based on your interests, whether it’s gourmet food, townscapes, or visiting Tsutenkaku Tower.
This is where area division becomes important. Shinsekai can be divided into two areas based on its characteristics: the South Area and the North Area.
The South Area is concentrated with restaurants and amusement facilities, often with flashy exteriors, offering the quintessential Shinsekai experience. On the other hand, the North Area allows you to enjoy the downtown scenery with well-preserved retro townscapes.
In the following chapters, we’ll introduce the characteristics of each street by area.
The South Area is characterized by lively streetscapes that epitomize Shinsekai. It’s lined with numerous restaurants and amusement facilities.
Jan Jan Yokocho is a famous dining district located at the southern end of Osaka’s Shinsekai, preserving a strong Showa-era atmosphere. As you enter Shinsekai from the nearest station, Dobutsuen-mae, you’ll first encounter Jan Jan Yokocho, making it the gateway to Shinsekai.
Its name originates from the lively “jan jan” sound of shamisen that echoed through this street in the early Showa period. Back then, the sounds of shamisen and singing voices from shops on both sides created a vibrant atmosphere. The narrow alley extending south from Tsutenkaku Minami Hondori is lined with small izakayas and standing bars that embody Osaka’s popular food culture.
The greatest charm of this street is its unique atmosphere that sets it apart from other areas of Shinsekai. Walking through the narrow alley lined with red lanterns and Showa-style signboards feels like traveling back in time. Here, slightly away from the bustling center of Tsutenkaku and Shinsekai, you can experience a more concentrated essence of Osaka’s downtown ambiance.
“Daiko Sushi” is a famous sushi restaurant known for its incredibly low prices and delicious sushi, attracting long queues daily.
“Amama-do”, popular among young women for its extra-long baby castella, also sees constant lines.
There are also amusement facilities like shooting galleries.
Tsutenkaku Minami Hondori is the main street that runs north-south through the center of Osaka’s Shinsekai. As its name suggests, this street extends south from right beneath Osaka’s symbol, Tsutenkaku Tower, and is one of the best places to experience the bustling atmosphere of Shinsekai.
Tsutenkaku Minami Hondori is incredibly lively. It’s characterized by shops with unique exteriors crammed side by side, most of which are restaurants and amusement facilities.
At the northern end of Tsutenkaku Minami Hondori stands the iconic Osaka landmark, Tsutenkaku Tower. Its overwhelming presence creates a special atmosphere throughout the street. Tourists taking commemorative photos with Tsutenkaku in the background is a common sight on this street.
Benten Street is a street rich in downtown charm, located in the southern part of Osaka’s Shinsekai.
This alley, branching off from Tsutenkaku Minami Hondori, Shinsekai’s main street, becomes surprisingly quiet as soon as you step in, as if the bustle of Shinsekai was just an illusion. Here, you can feel an atmosphere more rooted in local daily life rather than tourism.
Although the street is relatively narrow compared to others, it’s home to unique restaurants and gets quite lively at night.
Koen Hondori runs east-west at the southern end of Osaka’s Shinsekai.
Koen Hondori is also packed with numerous restaurants, making it a very lively street.
A notable presence on this street is “New Star”, an amusement facility where you can play Smart Ball.
Smart Ball is a ball game that was hugely popular in the Showa era, similar to pinball. It has become extremely rare nowadays. “New Star” is a long-established shop that still operates this precious Smart Ball facility. It’s a must-visit spot for those who want to enjoy retro games or experience Showa-era entertainment. Despite being an old game, it’s popular among young people, with many groups and couples visiting. (Entry is restricted to those 18 and over)
Read more about Smart Ball New Star
There are also many restaurants serving Osaka’s representative gourmet foods such as kushikatsu, takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and horumon.
Chuo Street is an alley that cuts east-west through the southern part of Osaka’s Shinsekai.
Despite being a narrow alley, many restaurants operate here, offering a glimpse of Osaka’s traditional downtown scenery.
The highlight of Chuo Street is undoubtedly the “Kushikatsu Daruma Shinsekai Main Store”, known as a Shinsekai specialty. Established in 1929, this long-standing restaurant has been preserving the taste of Osaka with its famous slogan “No double dipping in the sauce”, becoming an iconic presence on Chuo Street.
Shinsekai Hondori runs through the southeastern part of Osaka’s Shinsekai. It’s an L-shaped street that extends east from the south side of Tsutenkaku and then turns south at a right angle, where you can enjoy the lively atmosphere of Shinsekai.
One of the highlights of Shinsekai Hondori is the Asahi Theater, which conveys the atmosphere of the Showa era to the present day.
Opened in 1957, this theater has long been cherished as the center of Osaka’s popular culture. It continues to operate today as a sacred place for Osaka’s popular theater. While the theater mainly features popular drama performances, surprisingly, most of the audience is said to be female.
The street is lined with various shops representative of Shinsekai. In addition to the famous kushikatsu restaurants, there are numerous eateries offering traditional Osaka flavors. Especially during lunchtime, you can enjoy authentic tastes at restaurants bustling with locals and tourists alike.
Apart from restaurants, there’s a diverse range of shops including souvenir stores, general goods shops, and entertainment facilities. This diversity makes Shinsekai Hondori function as a comprehensive shopping district beyond just a dining area. Tourists can enjoy shopping while experiencing the atmosphere of Shinsekai, and locals can do their daily shopping, making it an important commercial space.
Shinsekai Tsutenkaku Line runs east-west just south of Tsutenkaku, at the heart of Osaka’s Shinsekai.
The most striking feature of this street is its overwhelming proximity to Tsutenkaku. You can walk right under Tsutenkaku, and looking straight up, you can enjoy an impressive view of Tsutenkaku that you can’t experience anywhere else.
Another specialty of Shinsekai Tsutenkaku Line is “Miyoshi Udon”, a noodle shop with over 100 years of history.
Since its establishment in 1918, this long-standing udon shop has been preserving the taste of Osaka and represents the food culture of Shinsekai.
Known for its firm noodles and deeply flavorful broth, what’s particularly noteworthy is its price. At just 170 yen for udon or soba, it’s incredibly cheap. It’s popular not only among locals but also tourists. It’s said to be the cheapest in Osaka.
Now, let’s introduce the northern area of Shinsekai. This is the area north of Tsutenkaku Tower.
Tsutenkaku Hondori is a street that runs diagonally from northwest to southeast through the center of Osaka’s Shinsekai. It starts from the northwest side of Tsutenkaku and stretches across almost the center of Shinsekai.
At the heart of this street is the Tsutenkaku Hondori Shopping Street. This shopping street, stretching about 180 meters, features a mix of long-standing shops and new stores, allowing you to enjoy the traditional downtown scenery of Osaka.
One of the specialties of Tsutenkaku Hondori is the “Umaibo Shop”.
This specialized shop for This specialized shop for “Umaibo”, a snack beloved throughout Japan, offers rare flavors and limited-edition products not typically found elsewhere. The colorful display of Umaibo contributes to the street’s lively atmosphere and attracts many tourists.
Another important establishment on Tsutenkaku Hondori is the long-established delicatessen “Oguraya”.
This shop, which has been preserving traditional Osaka flavors since its founding, is beloved by locals. Its seasonal side dishes and homemade bento boxes are popular among tourists as well, making it a valuable spot to experience Shinsekai’s food culture.
Another notable feature of Tsutenkaku Hondori is the retro game center “Zarigani”. This facility, which strongly preserves the atmosphere of the Showa era, allows visitors to enjoy nostalgic game machines and medal games that have become rare nowadays. It offers a fresh experience for tourists and evokes nostalgic memories for locals.
Retro Game Center Zarigani - X @RETROZARIGANI
Also, at the northern end of Tsutenkaku Hondori, you’ll find the entrance to Shinsekai Market.
Kasuga Street extends northward from Tsutenkaku, the symbol of Osaka’s Shinsekai.
This street stands in contrast to Shinsekai’s glamorous main streets, strongly preserving a retro downtown landscape reminiscent of the Showa era.
The greatest charm of Kasuga Street lies in its Showa retro atmosphere. Peeking into the alleys from the street, you’ll encounter a world that seems frozen in time.
When walking along this street, it’s recommended to stroll at a leisurely pace. By taking your time, looking into the back alleys, and observing the retro signboards, you can fully appreciate the charm of this downtown area with its lingering Showa-era atmosphere, which is unimaginable from the bustle of Shinsekai.
Kasuga Street doesn’t have flashy decorations or modern shops aimed at tourists, but its Showa retro atmosphere is its greatest attraction. Here, you can directly experience the daily lives of Osaka’s people and the warmth of a community cultivated over many years.
Goho Street runs north-south on the eastern side of Osaka’s Shinsekai.
It has a relatively quiet and calm atmosphere compared to other parts of Shinsekai, and is a street that supports the daily lives of local residents rather than catering to tourists.
The characteristic of this street lies in its simplicity and lived-in feel. There are few flashy signs or souvenir shops for tourists, allowing you to glimpse the daily lives of local people and the everyday scenes of Osaka’s downtown.
The greatest charm of Goho Street is this downtown scenery and one more thing: the contrast with Tsutenkaku.
When you view Tsutenkaku from the street, you can enjoy the unique atmosphere created by the blend of downtown scenery and Tsutenkaku.
The appeal of Goho Street lies in its “ordinariness”. Because it’s not touristy, you can see the authentic face of Osaka’s downtown.
Twelve streets spread out around Tsutenkaku Tower. This unique neighborhood encapsulates the history and culture of Osaka.
In the South Area, you can fully enjoy Shinsekai’s “flashiness” with the bustle of Jan Jan Yokocho, the liveliness of Tsutenkaku Minami Hondori, and the deliciousness of Kushikatsu Daruma. On the other hand, in the North Area, you can immerse yourself in Showa retro scenery on Kasuga Street and Goho Street, feeling the downtown atmosphere of Osaka on your skin.
The charm of Shinsekai lies in this contrast between “liveliness” and “nostalgia”. There are popular tourist spots as well as back alleys where locals’ daily lives unfold. This diversity is the underlying strength of Shinsekai.
Of course, you can enjoy Osaka specialties like kushikatsu, takoyaki, and doteyaki, but there are also plenty of entertainment elements like Smart Ball and retro game centers. Shinsekai’s appeal is that it can be enjoyed by families, couples, groups of friends, and solo travelers alike.
When visiting Osaka, be sure to stop by Shinsekai. You’re sure to find your own “favorite street”. And after immersing yourself in the charm of Shinsekai, we recommend going up Tsutenkaku nearby to get a panoramic view of Osaka.
Shinsekai is a neighborhood where you can make new discoveries every time you visit. What charm will you encounter next? We sincerely hope you create wonderful memories in Shinsekai, the heart of Osaka.
