Osaka's landmark Sky Building (1993) resembles a 40-storey, space-age Arc de Triomphe. Twin towers are connected at the top by a 'floating garden' (really a garden-free observation deck), which was constructed on the ground and then hoisted up. The 360-degree city views from here are breathtaking day or night. Getting there is half the fun 鈥 an escalator in a see-through tube takes you up the last five storeys (not for vertigo sufferers). The architect, Hara Hiroshi, also designed Kyoto Station.
Shutterstock / Martin Mette
香港六合彩即时开奖's must-see attractions
25.85 MILES
The covered Nishiki Market (Nishiki-k艒ji Ichiba) is one of Kyoto鈥檚 real highlights, especially if you have an interest in cooking and dining. Commonly鈥
4.33 MILES
This C茅sar Pelli鈥揹esigned tower, which opened in March 2014, is Japan's tallest building (300m, 60 storeys). The observatory on the 16th floor is free,鈥
23.79 MILES
The thick green bamboo stalks seem to continue endlessly in every direction and there鈥檚 a strange quality to the light at this famous bamboo grove, which鈥
19.94 MILES
Nara's star attraction is its Daibutsu (Great Buddha), one of the largest bronze statues in the world. It was unveiled in 752, upon the completion of the鈥
15.35 MILES
贬艒谤测奴-箩颈 was founded in 607 by Prince Sh艒toku, considered by many to be the patron saint of Japanese Buddhism. It's renowned not only as one of the oldest鈥
26.04 MILES
A buzzing hive of activity perched on a hill overlooking the basin of Kyoto, Kiyomizu-dera is one of Kyoto's most popular and most enjoyable temples. It鈥
24.13 MILES
With seemingly endless arcades of vermilion torii (shrine gates) spread across a thickly wooded mountain, this vast shrine complex is a world unto its own鈥
26.61 MILES
A collection of soaring buildings, spacious courtyards and gardens, Chion-in serves as the headquarters of the J艒do sect, the largest school of Buddhism鈥
Nearby Osaka attractions
0.74 MILES
Hiding in plain sight amid the skyscrapers of Umeda, this 1300-year-old shrine owes its fame to one of Japan's best-known tragic plays (based on true鈥
2. National Museum of Art, Osaka
0.96 MILES
Originally built for Expo '70, this underground construction by architect Cesar Pelli now houses Japan's fourth national museum. The building 鈥 like a鈥
1.05 MILES
A mid-1980s building incorporating some elements from the 1921 City Hall.
1.14 MILES
Built in 1911, this dramatic, red-brick neo-Renaissance building is an important cultural property.
5. Museum of Oriental Ceramics
1.22 MILES
This museum has one of the world's finest collections of Chinese and Korean ceramics, with smaller galleries of Japanese ceramics and Chinese snuff鈥
1.22 MILES
Japan's largest covered shopping arcade, which began as a wet market during the Edo period (1604鈥1868), stretches 2.6km over six blocks. The majority of鈥
7. Osaka Museum of Housing & Living
1.27 MILES
Two subway stops from Umeda, this museum contains a life-sized reproduction of an 1830s Osaka neighbourhood with shophouses, drug stores, an old-style鈥
1.45 MILES
Founded in the 10th century, this shrine is where Osaka students come to pray for success: it's dedicated to Sugawara Michizane, also known as Tenjin-san,鈥