The Yasaka Mamba Shrine is one of the most unique shrines you can visit in Osaka! Let me guide you on how to get to Yasaka Namba Shrine.
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Yasaka Namba Shrine
This Yasaka Namba shrine is famous for its impressive lion head-shaped building called Ema-Den, which measures 12-meters high! The original buildings have been lost to air raids and fires, so the shrine buildings you’ll see here are primarily post-war reconstructions.
Why a lion 獅子舞台 Shishibutai mask ? Apparently, the huge open mouth will swallow any evil spirits plaguing you, leaving you only good luck for succeeding in business or school-related venture
There are a lot of cherry blossom trees around the area so it’s also a great place to visit in spring time too.
If you are in Kyoto, you can consider going to Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion Kyoto too.
How to get to Yasaka Namba Shrine
Official Address : 2-9-19 Motomachi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka, 556-0016
Yasaka Namba shrine is located right in the city centre near Namba station. From my hotel in Shin-Osaka, it was a quick train ride down to Namba station.
From the Namba station, find exit 6. You will probably have to walk through the whole Namba station (passing through shops and alleys) to reach this exit.
From the exit, you can walk along the road leading down from the exit and enjoy the sights and sounds of very exciting Osaka.
You will eventually come to a cross junction where you will use the traffic lights to cross over to the area near to Namba Yasaka Shrine. It will look like a neighbourhood area, so don’t be surprised. In fact, you will work along some housing and you might be worried you are lost.
But then suddenly… you will spot the entrance of the shrine..
Photos and Video of Yasaka Namba Shrine
And when you walked in.. you will be greeted with the magnificent lion…
There is of course the usual wish making area too 🙂
Time needed for Yasaka Namba Shrine
As I travel around Osaka and Kyoto, I realised that no matter how much days you have (unless you are retired), it will never be enough. So it is always a decision on what to give up and what to actually must do. I thought I would also share how much time it takes to “check off something in your bucket list” too. That way you can decide if you can afford the time to do it. I perfected this art as I have kids who are not too impressed to spend 2-3 hours to get to a place and only to “meh” at me 🙁
All in all, it will probably take you about 1/2 hour to and from Namba station exit 6 to reach the shrine (and back from the shrine) and perhaps 15mins to enjoy the Shrine (and make some wishes). So it should not take you more than an hour off your busy shopping at the Namba area.
And you know.. taking Instagram photo with him 🙂
Conclusion : Visit or Not
As I am a person who loves to visit temples and shrines and do prayers and wish for hitting the $5 million toto prize… and honestly the shrine is so nice and very pretty for instagram photos….
….. so YES for me 🙂
Another place you can consider during the day is also Osaka Castle.
Or Kiyomizu-dera Kyoto !
