Shinsekai — built in 1912, and it shows
Shinsekai ('New World') was developed in the early 20th century around Tsutenkaku Tower, modelled loosely on the Paris of the era, and it has kept a deliberately retro, unpolished character ever since. Narrow lantern-lit alleys like Jan-Jan Yokocho are lined with kushikatsu counters — Shinsekai's signature deep-fried skewer dish, famously served with a shared sauce pot and a firm house rule against double-dipping.
Tennoji — Shitennoji Temple and Abeno Harukas
Just south, Tennoji holds two very different landmarks: Shitennoji Temple, among the oldest officially administered Buddhist temples in Japan, founded in the 6th century by Prince Shotoku; and Abeno Harukas, a modern skyscraper that held the title of Japan's tallest building for years and has an observation deck near the top.
Tennoji Park and the zoo
Tennoji Park and the adjoining Tenshiba green space give this part of the city a rare amount of open ground for central Osaka, with Tennoji Zoo — one of Japan's oldest — sitting inside the park itself.
Why visit both together
Shinsekai and Tennoji sit close enough to walk between, and the contrast is the point: a few streets separate 1912-era neon nostalgia from a 300-metre glass skyscraper. Together they make one of Osaka's more efficient half-day combinations.