The illuminated figure of a runner breaking a finish line tape, mounted on a building above the Dotonbori canal, is the single most photographed image of Osaka. The sign advertises Glico, a confectionery company, and has stood in various incarnations at this spot since 1935. It became the visual symbol of the city rather than just an advertisement — the point on the Dotonbori bridge from which the sign is visible becomes a selfie queue after dark.
The current sign is the sixth iteration, installed in 2014, and uses LED technology to create colour-changing displays and special sequences for events and celebrations. The figure itself — a sprinter in a victor's pose, arms raised, just crossing a finish line — has not changed since the original. Many Osaka restaurants and bars use the image as shorthand for the city. Best photographed from Ebisubashi bridge at night when the canal reflections double the effect.