Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [299]
Take the southern exit from the station, cross to the left side of the road and take the small road that goes off at an angle away from the subway station. The entrance to the temple is on the left.
SUMIYOSHI TAISHA
This shrine (off Map; 6672-0753; 2-9-89 Sumiyoshi, Sumiyoshi-ku; admission free; dawn-dusk; Nankai main line to Sumiyoshi-taisha) is dedicated to Shintō deities associated with the sea and sea travel, in commemoration of a safe passage to Korea by a 3rd-century empress.
Having survived the bombing in WWII, Sumiyoshi Taisha actually has a couple of buildings that date back to 1810. The shrine was founded in the early 3rd century and the buildings that can be seen today are faithful replicas of the originals. They offer a rare opportunity to see a Shintō shrine that predates the influence of Chinese Buddhist architectural styles.
It’s next to both Sumiyoshi-taisha Station on the Nankai main line and Sumiyoshi-tori-mae Station on the Hankai line (the tram line that leaves from Tennō-ji Station).
Tempōzan Area
Trudging through the streets of Kita or Minami, you could easily be forgiven for forgetting that Osaka is actually a port city. A good remedy for this is a trip down to Tempōzan (off Map), the best of Osaka’s burgeoning seaside developments. On an island amid the busy container ports of Osaka Bay, Tempōzan has several attractions to lure travellers, especially those with children in tow. To reach Tempōzan, take the Chūō subway line west from downtown Osaka and get off at Osakakō Station. Take exit 1 out of the station, go straight at the bottom of the stairs and walk for 300m to reach the following attractions.
Before hitting the main attractions, you might want to get some perspective on it all by taking a whirl on the Giant Ferris Wheel (; Daikanransha; 6576-6222; 1-1-10 Kaigan-dōri, Minato-ku; admission ¥700; 10am-9.30pm). Said to be the largest Ferris wheel in the world, the 112m-high wheel offers unbeatable views of Osaka, Osaka Bay and Kōbe. Give it a whirl at night to enjoy the vast carpet of lights formed by the Osaka/Kōbe conurbation.
Next to the Ferris wheel, you’ll find Tempōzan Marketplace (; 6576-5501; 1-1-10 Kaigan-dōri, Minato-ku; admission free; shops 11am-8pm, restaurants to 9pm), a shopping and dining arcade that includes the Naniwa Kuishinbō Yokochō (; 6576-5501; 1-1-10 Kaigan-dōri, Minato-ku; admission free; 11am-8pm Sep-Jun, 10am-9pm Jul & Aug), a faux-Edo-period food court where you can sample all of Osaka’s culinary specialities.
OSAKA AQUARIUM
Osaka Aquarium (Kaiyūkan in Japanese; off Map; 6576-5501; 1-1-10 Kaigan-dōri, Minato-ku; adult/child ¥2000/900; 10am-8pm) is easily one of the best aquariums in the world and it’s well worth a visit, particularly if you’ve got kids, or if you love sharks. The aquarium is built around a vast central tank, which houses the star attractions: two whale sharks and two mantas. But these are only the beginning: you’ll also find a huge variety of other sharks, including leopard sharks, zebra sharks, hammerhead sharks and even a tiger shark (the only one we’ve ever seen in an aquarium). There are also countless other species of rays and other fish.
A walkway winds its way around the main tank and past displays of life found on eight different ocean levels. The giant spider crabs in the Japan Ocean Deeps section look like alien invaders from another planet. Presentations have both Japanese and English captions and an environmentally friendly slant to them. Last entry by