Did you know? Abeno Harukas is the tallest building not just in Osaka, but in the whole of Japan!

Japan is my favourite holiday destination! The first Japan trip to kickstart my 2019 came earlier than I expected – But any time is a good time to be in Japan, what more Osaka, city of takoyaki, wizards and minions (yes, I do mean my favourite theme park Universal Studios Japan™!)

For first-timers to Osaka who want to appreciate a bird’s eye view of the Kansai region, you must visit Abeno Harukas, Japan’s tallest building. And may I just emphasize how underrated this lovely place is?

Abeno Harukas, Japan’s tallest building

Abeno Harukas stands on top of the Kintetsu Osaka Abenobashi Station and is conveniently located across from JR Tennoji Station. It houses a department store, an art museum, a hotel and an observation deck.

There’s plenty to do at Abeno Harukas and its surrounding areas, but the highlight of my day was definitely Harukas 300, the observation deck!

What to do at Abeno Harukas?

1. Gaze out at the view on Harukas 300 Observation Deck

Abeno-Harukas-8 — The tickets are super cute! See the different colors? They represent different times of the day. Day time, sun set and night time. Which would be your favourite time to visit Harukas 300?

We took a very cool and futuristic-esque elevator from the 16th floor all the way up to the 61th floor where the observation deck is located. Enjoy the light show on your way up, it’s pretty stunning!

It was a slightly overcast day on the day of my visit, but even so, the view was majestic. Spot some teeny tiny landmarks such as Osaka Castle (I could barely make it out with my naked eye), and gaze as far as Kobe and Kyoto from Harukas 300!

Of course, take many pictures while you’re at it. The observation deck is truly gorgeous with floor-to-ceiling tall glass windows and an unobstructed view. It may very well be the best panoramic view of Osaka you can find anywhere.

2. Venture to Edge The Harukas at 300m

If you want to challenge the high altitudes and seeing the views from behind glass windows isn’t good enough for you, sign up for the latest attraction at Abeno Harukas, called Edge The Harukas!

This newly-opened attraction brings you to the highest peak of Abeno Harukas, where you get to walk along the edge of the building, literally! It costs an additional 1000 yen on top of the admission ticket fee, but is a small price to pay for a great experience.

Fear not, for you’ll be donned in a full-body jumpsuit as well as a safety harness that’s secured to the side of the walkway for an absolutely safe experience. I was impressed by the 100% attention to safety – You won’t ever feel like you’re in danger at all 😉

Abeno-Harukas-12 — Taken from the top of Abeno Harukas at **Edge The Harukas**!

The unparalleled view from the top was so worth it! It really wasn’t scary at all, and I enjoyed the experience very much. You’ll also get to take a picture while you’re up there to commemorate conquering the tallest building in Osaka!

3. Have a bite at Sky Garden 300 Cafe

After the adrenaline rush is over, head over to Sky Garden 300 Cafe located on the 58th floor and take a seat. This cafe serves food, drinks and light bites!

You can admire the view while having your meal at the same time. There are some special-themed food/drinks too, like their signature 300mm long hot dog (300M, 300mm, geddit??) and these cute Abeno Bear drinks!

There are also great photo spots here too! 😀

4. Visit the most photogenic toilet ever

This might sound silly… But you HAVE to visit the washroom when you’re at Harukas 300, regardless of whether you need to go or not 😛 Because the washroom is such a work of art, with the most gorgeous interior coupled with the crazy magnificent view!

Unabashed and not ashamed to tell you that the above shots were all taken in this pretty toilet at Harukas 300! Lol.

5. Take a picture with Abeno Bear

As you might already know, the Japanese love their mascots, and I love them too! The star mascot of Abeno Harukas is this cute Abeno Bear, who is a shy bear with fur as blue as the sky and little clouds on him! Abeno Bear comes out to meet-and-greet at selected timings each day, so look out for this cute bear!

Abeno Bear is extra adorable because he also comes in various designs, like little raindrops, snowflakes and a range of colours to represent different seasons and weather conditions. How cute is that?!

6. Bring home some souvenirs or Abeno Harukas merchandise

The souvenir shop is AMAZING! I always spend more than I should at Japanese souvenir shops, really. But when they have such cute themed merchandise ranging from cookies and cakes to little baby clothes, it’s terribly hard not to get sucked into spending more. Hahaha.

Needless to say, no one left the souvenir shop empty-handed. Lol~

7. Stay and watch the sun set upon Osaka City

Abeno-Harukas-2 — Night view at Harukas 300

Of course, depending on the time of the day, you get a totally different view, and the night view at Harukas is beaaaaaauuuuuutiful. You get to see the sun set and the cityscape light up magically! I would stay to watch the sunset because it’s my favourite time of the day <3

How to get tickets for Abeno Harukas

book now via KKday — Book Abeno Harukas 300 Observatory Tickets via KKday here

We got our tickets via KKday, a travel booking platform. Travelling is so much easier now, thanks to websites/apps like KKday. Gone are the days of trying to decipher Japanese websites and spending hours in frustration!

Osaka Feb’19: Abeno Harukas, 7 things to do!

Abeno Harukas, Japan’s tallest building

What to do at Abeno Harukas?

1. Gaze out at the view on Harukas 300 Observation Deck

2. Venture to Edge The Harukas at 300m

3. Have a bite at Sky Garden 300 Cafe

4. Visit the most photogenic toilet ever

5. Take a picture with Abeno Bear

6. Bring home some souvenirs or Abeno Harukas merchandise

7. Stay and watch the sun set upon Osaka City

How to get tickets for Abeno Harukas

Book other Osaka experiences & attractions via KKday

Read previous Japan blog entries below

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