Region
Kansai
Island
Honshu
Largest City
Osaka
Population
8,804,806

Tenjinbashi-Suji Shopping Street

Shop till you literally drop along Japan's longest shopping street.

For those seeking a truly authentic experience while in Osaka, visit Tenjinbashi-Suji shopping street. At 2.6 kilometers, it’s the longest shopping street in Japan and spans the distance of nearly three subway stations, from 1-chome (district) to 7-chome. The street begins around the Tenjimbashisuji 6-chome Station and goes south, ending near the Tenjinbashi Bridge. It’s a far cry from the fancy malls of Namba and Umeda – here you can shop like the locals do, poking into the approximately 600 small shops, exchanging nods with local shopkeepers, exploring what the mostly independently-owned stores have to offer.

Tenjinbashi-Suji is one of the first shopping streets in Osaka. It began to form in the early Meiji era (1868-1912), and became more fully-formed by the beginning of the Showa era (1926-1989). As with many shotengai (covered markets) you can find anything and the kitchen sink here, and at rates that will match any traveler’s’ budget: clothes, medicine, shoes, books, magazines, souvenirs, groceries, fresh produce, electronics…the list goes on. Restaurants and cafes are tucked among the shops, and izakayas open when the sun sets.

Osaka Tenjin Matsuri

Young men participating in Tenjin Matsuri, Osaka.
Movie theaters and game centers offer a respite for the weary shopper. If nothing else, the street offers a retro vibe and unique experience to the traveler who wants to see what everyday life is for locals who are just trying to get some shopping done.

Located near Minamimorimachi Station just off Tenjinbashi-suji is Osaka Temmagu shrine, a Shinto shrine founded in 949 AD. It is known for holding the Tenjin Matsuri, Osaka’s biggest summer festival (and one of Japan’s three largest festivals) featuring a boat procession and huge display of fireworks. Despite its location in the middle of the city, the shrine’s grounds are quite large and offer a place of quiet contemplation in an otherwise loud and busy neighborhood.

Trivia

Young men participating in Tenjin Matsuri, Osaka.

Osaka Tenjin Matsuri

The Tenjin Matsuri, which literally means “festival of the gods,” first started in the 10th century and is held every year in Osaka on July 24th and July 25th.

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How To Get There

Address

6 Chome-7-16 Tenjinbashi, Kita-ku, Ōsaka-shi, Ōsaka-fu 530-0041, Japan

By train

Accessible from Tenjinbashisuji 6-chome Station (Tanimachi and Sakaisuji Line); Minamimorimachi Station (Tanimachi & Sakaisuji Line); short walk from Ogimachi station (Sakaisuji Line).


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