Sumiyoshi Taisha

Sumiyoshi Taisha is a large shrine in Osaka, a 15-minute ride on the Nankai Line from Namba and directly in front of the station. It is the head shrine of about 2,300 Sumiyoshi shrines nationwide, its main hall is a National Treasure, and a red arched bridge is its symbol. Mornings around 7 or 9 a.m. are quiet and mostly local visitors, and a tram runs to the large torii gate with a park across the street. On New Year's Day, a queue to enter forms from the train station and waits can exceed an hour.