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Shrine · Kozu / Nipponbashi

Kozu-gu Shrine 高津宮

A hilltop shrine to Emperor Nintoku with a story Osakans still tell: from here the emperor saw no cooking smoke rising from the peoples homes and cut taxes for three years. Two slopes promise to end a bad relationship or start a good one.

HoursGrounds open daily; office approx 9:00-17:00
ClosedOpen daily
PriceFree
Getting thereTanimachi 9-chome Station (Tanimachi / Sennichimae Lines), 5 min; Nippombashi Station, 8 min
Time needed20 min
Best timeWeekday daytime
Address1-1-29 Kozu, Chuo-ku, Osaka
Websitekouzu.or.jp

About

Kozu-gu enshrines Emperor Nintoku, whose palace is said to have stood nearby in the 5th century and whose giant tomb lies in Sakai. The famous legend is that he climbed a tower, saw no smoke from the peoples kitchens, and suspended taxes until the smoke returned; a poem attributed to him is carved on a stone in the precinct. Rebuilt after the war, the shrine is modest but atmospheric, with views west over Namba from the edge of the plateau. Its slopes have names with meaning: Engiri-zaka (relationship-cutting slope) to the west and Aioi-zaka (happy-union slope) to the north, and people choose their path accordingly. Kozu-gu is also a rakugo landmark, as the setting of the classic story Takatsu no Tomi, and hosts regular performances in its hall. Each February the Tondo bonfire burns old charms, and the summer festival in July brings lion dances.

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Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09

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