Abeno Harukas

Formerly Japan’s tallest building, Abeno Harukas towers 300 metres above the city and includes an observation deck, art museum, hotel and the largest department store in Japan – all on top of Kintetsu Osaka-Abenobashi Station. The standout is the three-storey Harukas 300 observatory, which features floor-to-ceiling picture windows as well as glass flooring, plus an open-air ‘sky garden’ that’s perfect for sitting on top of the world on sunny days.

Don’t forget to catch the sunset from the alfresco wooden deck on the 58th floor – when timed correctly, the evening sun aligns between two monoliths for the perfect photo op. More importantly, the top floor has 360-degree views of Osaka – even the restrooms offer jaw-dropping vistas. On a clear day, you can see all the way out to Awaji Island and Mt Rokko.  

For your one-stop shopping needs, the Kintetsu department store has 100,000 square metres of everything – fashion, homeware, cosmetics – and houses 44 restaurants. Above the humongous retail haven, on the 16th floor, is the Abeno Harukas Art Museum with a diverse programme of rotating exhibitions.