Umeda Sky Building
梅田スカイビル
Umeda’s landmark: two 40-story towers joined at the top by a “Floating Garden” observatory, with an open-air circular deck 173 meters high for views of Osaka by night.
Umeda Sky Building stands in the Shin-Umeda City district northwest of JR Osaka Station. Completed in 1993 and designed by Hiroshi Hara, its two 40-story towers are connected at the top by the “Floating Garden Observatory,” and it was once named one of the world’s best buildings by foreign media. Take the glass observation elevator to the 35th floor, then ride the open-air escalator suspended between the two towers up to the 39th floor. The 40th floor offers indoor viewing, and the 173-meter open-air circular terrace on the roof offers a 360-degree view of central Osaka, the Yodo River and Mount Rokko. The view is most beautiful as the sun sets and the city lights come on, and at night the ground below shows a glowing “starry sky” effect. Tickets cost about 2,000 yen and can be booked online. Beneath the building is the Takimi Alley dining street, which recreates Showa-era streetscapes, and to the north is the Shin-Satoyama Garden. Getting there: about a 10-minute walk from JR Osaka Station or Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station, and the underground passage is the most convenient route. Note: queues are long around sunset, and the open-air terrace is windy.
Opening hours
Sky Garden observation deck 09:30–22:30 (last entry 22:00)
Nearby sights
- HEP FIVE Ferris Wheel
- Nakanoshima
- Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street
- Osaka Museum of Housing and Living
- Osaka Tenmangu
- Japan Mint Cherry Blossom Passage
- Amerikamura
- Dotonbori & Shinsaibashi