Shrine · Namba
Namba Yasaka Shrine 難波八阪神社
A neighbourhood shrine in Namba famous for one thing: a 12-metre lion head with gaping jaws that serves as its dance stage, swallowing evil spirits and making it one of the most photographed shrines in Japan.
About
Namba Yasaka is a 10-minute walk west of Namba Station, among low apartment blocks, and would be an ordinary Shinto shrine if not for the Ema-den built in 1974: a stage shaped like an enormous shishi (lion) head, about 12 m high and 11 m wide, with glaring eyes, gold-trimmed teeth and a mouth wide enough to hold the shrines musicians and dancers. The lion is believed to swallow evil spirits and so bring luck in business and exams, which makes its charms popular with students and shop owners. The shrine itself honours Susanoo and is connected to a legend of a giant serpent-slaying ritual: on the third Sunday of January a tug-of-war called Tsunahiki Shinji, with a huge rope representing the serpent Yamata-no-Orochi, recreates it. The lion head has become a social media star, so expect a few people lining up for photos, but it is free, open from early morning and rarely crowded before 9:00.
Highlights
- 12 m lion-head dance stage (Ema-den) that "swallows" bad luck
- Lion-themed omamori and goshuin stamps
- Tsunahiki Shinji rope ritual on the third Sunday of January
- Summer festival with lion dances in mid-July
- Free and open from early morning, easy to slot into a Namba day
Tips
- Come at opening around 6:00 or late afternoon for clear photos without queues; the light on the face is best in the morning.
- Use a wide lens or step back to the torii to fit the whole head in the frame.
- From Namba walk via the Nankai Namba side and Motomachi; it is about 8 to 10 minutes.
Open in Google Maps · Info checked 2026-10-09
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