Address: 2 Chome-9-19 Motomachi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0016, Japan
Hours: Closed ⋅ Opens 6:30 AM Wed
Namba Yasaka Shrine (Namba Yasaka Jinja)
Namba Yasaka Shrine has one of the most unique buildings of any shrine in the world! This Osaka shrine’s iconic lion-head-shaped building was built in the 1970s and isn’t actually very old. However, the shrine itself has a long history, and its annual festival held in January(which incorporates an awesome tug-of-war competition) is designated as an intangible folk cultural property by the Japanese government. This small shrine features a ritualistic performance stage in the shape of a lion’s head.
Namba Yasaka Shrine is located in the Namba district of Osaka. It is only a 15-minute walk from the popular photo spot such as the Glico billboard. It has a distinctive feature such as a huge fierce-looking lion head standing in front of it with a height of 17 meters, a width of 11 meters, and a depth of 7 meters. It is said that the big lion’s mouth can swallow bad things. Dispel the evil and bring good fortune which has become popular for tourists to come to pay homage and ask for success in their studies or work Also, with its unique lion sculptures, despite their somewhat fierce facial expressions, it has become a popular photo spot for people visiting this shrine.
How to get there:
- From Numba Station, walk for about 8 minutes, a total distance of 650 meters.
