#031: Tsuten-kaku (Semiweekly-pedia of Japan)

#031: Tsuten-kaku (category: landmark)

Tsuten-kaku is a very famous landmark tower in Osaka, the second largest city in Japan. The Japanese word "tsuten" is "leading to the sky (or the heaven)" and "kaku" is "a fine building", respectively. So, "Tsuten-kaku" literally means "a fine building leading to the sky (or the heaven)".

You can find the statue of unique lucky god "Billiken" in this Tsuten-kaku tower. Japanese people, especially those in Osaka, say you will become happy by touching the sole of Billiken, but there is no reason to prove it, of course. In fact, this comical god Billiken was originally created by an American artist Florence Pretz.

(Monday, July 15th, 2013)    See Archive