Ebisubashi/Ebisu Bridge

Ebisu Bridge is a 26-meter-long bridge in the heart of Osaka Minami, linking Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street on the north side and Ebisubashi-suji Shopping Street on the south. It would be no exaggeration to call it one of Osaka’s most famous spots. On the south side of the bridge you’ll find huge billboards such as the Glico sign, and many visitors take commemorative photos on the bridge. If photography is your main purpose, the best time is after sunset when the neon lights shine. There are several theories about the bridge’s name, but the most widely accepted is that it was part of the approach to Imamiya Ebisu Shrine. The first Ebisu Bridge was built in 1615 when the Dōtonbori Canal was developed. Because people used to frequently hit on strangers on the bridge, it is also nicknamed “Hikkake-bashi” (“Pick-up Bridge”). When the Hanshin Tigers win the championship or during major events, young people sometimes jump from the bridge into the Dōtonbori River, and it often makes the news. Nearby are plenty of food spots—like Kani Dōraku with its giant crab sign and the Nakaza Kuidaore Building marked by Kuidaore Tarō—so you may have a hard time deciding where to eat.