Tennoji: From Shitenno-ji Temple to Tennoji Park and the Night View of Abeno Harukas

This walking course in Tennoji takes you from Shitenno-ji Temple, founded by Prince Shotoku, to Isshin-ji Temple, associated with Honen Shonin, through the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts and the Tenshiba lawn plaza in Tennoji Park, and ends with viewing the sunset and night cityscape from "Harukas 300," the observatory of Abeno Harukas. From historic temples to a skyscraper observatory, the entire course can be explored on foot.

History and Local Charm

At the heart of Tennoji lies Shitenno-ji Temple, the first state-administered Buddhist temple in Japan, built by Prince Shotoku in the first year of Empress Suiko's reign (593). In the 13th century, people could gaze at the sunset sinking into Osaka Bay through the temple's West Gate, and a copper plaque hung on the stone torii gate of the West Gate bears the inscription "East Gate of the Pure Land." Just to its west, Isshin-ji Temple is said to have originated as a thatched hut where Honen Shonin practiced "Nissokan," contemplating the Pure Land while watching the setting sun, making this entire area deeply connected to sunsets.

During the Meiji period, Tennoji Park was established on the site of the Fifth National Industrial Exhibition, and in the 11th year of the Showa era (1936), the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts opened where the main residence of the Sumitomo family once stood. In 2015, the park's entrance was reborn as the lawn plaza "Tenshiba," and towering right alongside it is the 300-meter-tall Abeno Harukas, which opened in 2014. This area brings together more than 1,400 years of temple history and the modern face of Osaka within walking distance.

Key Highlights

• ​Shitenno-ji Temple​​: A temple featuring the "Shitenno-ji style layout," in which the Middle Gate, Five-Story Pagoda, Main Hall (Kondo), and Lecture Hall are aligned in a straight line from south to north and enclosed by a corridor. The central complex was rebuilt in the 38th year of the Showa era (1963) to recreate its original style at the time of founding. The stone torii gate at the West Gate, erected in 1294, is the oldest structure within the grounds and a designated National Important Cultural Property.
• ​Isshin-ji Temple​​: A temple of the Jodo sect, warmly known as the temple of "Okotsubutsu," where statues of Amida Buddha are cast from the cremated remains deposited at the temple, gathered in 10-year batches. It holds the grave of Honda Tadatomo, who died in battle during the Summer Campaign of the Siege of Osaka; he is revered as a sacred figure who helps people give up drinking. Its modern mountain gate and Nio guardian statues are also distinctive features of this temple.
• ​Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts​​: An art museum built on the site of the former Chausuyama main residence donated by the Sumitomo family. Renowned for its world-class collection of Chinese calligraphy, paintings, and sculptures, its central hall, revitalized after a renovation in March of the 7th year of Reiwa (2025), is open as a free zone where visitors can easily stop by.
• ​Tenshiba​​: The nickname for the entrance area of Tennoji Park, where cafes and restaurants cluster around a lawn plaza of approximately 7,000 square meters. Visitors can take a break while gazing out over the green lawn in between walks.
• ​Harukas 300​​: The observatory located on the 58th through 60th floors of Abeno Harukas. The 60th-floor Sky Corridor is a glass-enclosed 175-meter indoor corridor from floor to ceiling, offering panoramic views stretching from Kyoto to the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge and Kansai International Airport when weather conditions are clear. The 58th-floor Sky Garden is an open-air plaza featuring an atrium that rises to the 60th floor.

Recommended Route and Estimated Time

The estimated time required is around 5 hours. Start at Shitenno-ji Temple, a 5-minute walk south from Shitennoji-mae Yuhigaoka Station on the Osaka Metro Tanimachi Line. Photography is not allowed inside the halls, so offer your prayers and take it in with your own eyes. A temple fair is held on the 21st and 22nd of every month, with many stalls lining the grounds.

Walking about 580 meters west from Shitenno-ji Temple brings you to Isshin-ji Temple. About 300 meters south from Isshin-ji Temple, entering Tennoji Park brings you to the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts, and walking another 170 meters south leads into the Tenshiba lawn plaza. Abeno Harukas is located about 380 meters southeast of Tenshiba. Abeno Harukas is directly connected to Kintetsu's Osaka-Abenobashi Station, as well as JR and Osaka Metro Tennoji Station.

To reach the observatory, purchase a ticket on the 16th floor, and a direct elevator will take you to the 60th floor in about 45 seconds. Ascending in the evening allows you to witness the transition from the sun setting over Osaka Bay to dusk lighting up the city, gradually turning into a glittering night view. Timing your departure from Tenshiba to match the sunset time is recommended.

Summary of the Experience

The temple compound built by Prince Shotoku, the temple associated with Honen Shonin who meditated upon the sunset, a park born on the site of a Meiji exhibition, and a 300-meter-high observatory. At the end of your day, watch the sunset over Osaka Bay—once viewed by people of the past through Shitenno-ji's West Gate—from the height of Harukas 300.