The 103-metre tower that is the symbol of the Shinsekai district and one of the most recognisable landmarks in Osaka. The current tower, built in 1956, replaces an earlier structure torn down for scrap metal in 1943. The design is a combination of two classical western references stacked vertically — a base structure recalling the Paris Eiffel Tower below the main body, with an upper section influenced by the Arc de Triomphe.
The tower is closely associated with Billiken, a cheerful American-designed figure adopted as Osaka's unofficial lucky deity. A golden Billiken statue sits at the top observation level, and rubbing its feet is said to bring good luck. The views from the observation deck extend across the Shinsekai district and south Osaka. The tower is best visited in the evening when the neon signs of Shinsekai below it are fully lit.