daily#travel#tower#stamp-rally#nagoya#osaka#kobe#kyoto#misamo

A Two-Day All-Japan Towers Stamp Rally Trip Through Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto

Published 2026-05-31

👁 —

A Two-Day All-Japan Towers Stamp Rally Trip Through Nagoya, Osaka, Kobe, and Kyoto

After visiting Tojinbo Tower and Crossland Tower on the Azure Travelers trip to Kanazawa, I got way more fired up than expected.

I started thinking, “If I do Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe in one sweep, maybe I’ll be pretty close to finishing the All-Japan Towers Federation stamp rally.”

And once that idea got into my head, I really wanted to go. If I could get up early tomorrow, why not just do it? That was honestly about the level of planning here. This is the story of my trip on May 30 and 31.

May 30: Three Towers in Nagoya and Then Osaka
May 31: Four Towers in Kobe Osaka and Kyoto
Four Towers Left

May 30: Three Towers in Nagoya and Then Osaka

I got up around 6:00 a.m. and was out the door around 6:30.

The plan for the day was to visit Twin Arch 138, Higashiyama Sky Tower, and Chubu Electric Power MIRAI TOWER in Nagoya, then head to Osaka and go to Tsutenkaku. In the evening, I was going to have dinner with a friend and stay overnight in Shin-Osaka.

First Things First: Kishimen in Nagoya

As soon as I arrived in Nagoya, I headed straight for Kishimen Sumiyoshi JR Nagoya Station Shinkansen Upbound Platform Shop on the upbound platform.

I picked cold kishimen for breakfast. Since I was there, I added kakiage too. A proper meal first thing in the morning, and then the tower run began.

A breakfast of cold kishimen topped with a large kakiage fritter — The first thing I ate in Nagoya: cold kishimen with kakiage

Getting Pushed Around by GPS on the Way to Twin Arch 138

I picked up a car-share car near Nagoya Station and headed for my first stop, Twin Arch 138.

That was when things got annoying. Maybe it was just a bad match with the car I rented, but the GPS position kept drifting while I was using Google Maps. On roads I didn’t know in Nagoya, the directions kept changing every few moments, which made driving ridiculously hard. I missed a few turns, and by the time I arrived it was almost 11:00.

The white arch-shaped Twin Arch 138 under a blue sky — My first stop, Twin Arch 138

After taking some photos from the observation deck, I walked around Kisogawa National Government Park 138 Tower Park, where the tower stands. Roses were blooming, and I could hear a brass band rehearsing for a performance. I came for the tower, but it turned out to be such a nice park that it made me want to slow down and stay awhile.

From the deck, I could clearly see the town along the river, a stadium, and expressways stretching out in winding lines.

A river, bridges, and the city beyond as seen from Twin Arch 138 — The riverside view from the observation deck

Red and pink roses blooming against a backdrop of green trees — Roses blooming in 138 Tower Park

A brass band rehearsing with saxophones on a stage in 138 Tower Park — The brass band rehearsing before the real performance

An elevated highway curving through greenery and nearby city blocks — The winding expressway I could see from the deck

It was brutally hot that day. After only about 30 minutes in the park, I was drenched in sweat. I bought a drink, cranked the car’s AC to MAX, and took a 30-minute break. Really, I half turned it into a nap before moving on.

Resisting the Zoo and Heading to Higashiyama Sky Tower

Next up was Higashiyama Sky Tower. Right in front of it is Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens, which was extremely tempting.

But if I’d gone into the zoo, the whole day would’ve ended right there. I gave it up, reluctantly, and went up Higashiyama Sky Tower instead. Turns out there is even an amusement park there, not just the zoo.

Higashiyama Sky Tower rising into a blue sky between trees — Higashiyama Sky Tower next to Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens

A ferris wheel and roller coaster viewed from Higashiyama Sky Tower — The amusement park I had to ignore this time

A display at Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens featuring Higashiyama Sky Tower and a gorilla — A Higashiyama Zoo and Sky Tower crossover, maybe?

Nagoya's cityscape and tall buildings with mountains in the background — Nagoya and the mountain ridges seen from Higashiyama Sky Tower

From the observation deck, I had a great view of Nagoya. Buildings kept going and going beyond the stretch of green.

Greenery and Nagoya's cityscape seen from Higashiyama Sky Tower — A panoramic view of Nagoya from Higashiyama Sky Tower

By the time I got back to the parking lot, I was hungry. More than that, I had sweated so much in the heat that I changed into a fresh T-shirt there.

I returned the car near Nagoya Station, then took the subway to Hisaya-odori. The plan was to visit Chubu Electric Power MIRAI TOWER and then go straight to dinner.

Chubu Electric Power MIRAI TOWER and Nagoya Craft Beer

The combination of Chubu Electric Power MIRAI TOWER and Hisaya-odori feels a little like the Sapporo TV Tower and Odori Park.

From the observation deck, I climbed farther up the stairs to the sky deck, where Oasis 21 was right below my feet. With that, I successfully got all three stamps I had planned for Nagoya.

Chubu Electric Power MIRAI TOWER seen from Hisaya-odori — Chubu Electric Power MIRAI TOWER, which reminded me of Sapporo TV Tower

Oasis 21 seen from the observation deck of Chubu Electric Power MIRAI TOWER — Oasis 21 at the foot of the observation deck

I was thirsty first, so I had a beer at the GRAMPUS PUB MIRAI TOWER branch of HUB. After that, I moved to CRAFTBEER KEG NAGOYA for craft beer.

The Peach Smoothie from Y.MARKET BREWING was ridiculously good.

A beer on a table inside HUB — The first beer after collecting the three stamps

A hearty miso stew topped with sliced green onions — Miso stew at CRAFTBEER KEG NAGOYA

A pale pink craft beer called Peach Smoothie — The Peach Smoothie I liked a lot

While eating miso stew and a mini ramen, I asked the Japanese person seated on my left at the counter about the Nagoya craft beer scene. As we talked, I found out that person was a professional photographer.

A visitor from Korea was seated to my right and was having trouble reading the menu. They were deciding between Kinshachi Beer and another beer, so I recommended Kinshachi Beer.

When they asked, “Why do you recommend that one?” I explained, “Because the golden shachihoko on top of Nagoya Castle is what gives Kinshachi Beer its name, so if you’re drinking in Nagoya, you can’t go wrong with Kinshachi Beer.”

I’ve never actually had Kinshachi Beer myself, though.

I had a great time, but then an incident happened just as I got back to Nagoya Station. I carry two iPhones, and I had left one of them behind at CRAFTBEER KEG NAGOYA.

I hurriedly contacted the shop, confirmed that they had it safely, and went right back to pick it up. I did get the iPhone back, but because of that, I ran out of time to visit Tsutenkaku as planned.

Okonomiyaki in Osaka, Then Day One Was Over

I moved on to Osaka, where I met my friend for dinner at Tsuruhashi Fugetsu’s Namba Midosuji Grand Building branch. Fugetsu okonomiyaki is just good.

I forgot to take a photo, though.

After dinner, I booked a hotel near Shin-Osaka Station and checked in. The next day would be Kobe, Osaka, and Kyoto.

May 31: Four Towers in Kobe Osaka and Kyoto

This day started early too.

The plan was to get the stamp as soon as Kobe Port Tower opened, head back to Osaka for the Umeda Sky Building Kuchu Teien Observatory and Tsutenkaku, and then move on to Kyoto for the stamp at Nidec Kyoto Tower.

Part of me did think, “I could maybe sneak over to Nara and photograph some deer too,” but I decided not to push it and to prioritize collecting the stamps.

It Was Supposed to Be Curry, but I Switched to Hayashi Rice

For breakfast, I went to the Eki Marche Shin-Osaka Sotoe branch of Karafuneya Coffee.

At first I was going to get curry. But when it was my turn at the register, I spotted hayashi rice and changed plans on the spot. It had been a while since I’d had it, and it was ridiculously good.

Also, the kensaki spoon felt weirdly nostalgic. Didn’t school lunch spoons in elementary school look kind of like this?

Hayashi rice with dark sauce over white rice — The hayashi rice that replaced my curry plan at the last second

A kensaki spoon with a slightly split-looking tip — The kensaki spoon that reminded me of school lunch

Kobe Port Tower and a Harbor Morning

From Shin-Osaka, I took the JR Kobe Line to Kobe Station. Osaka and Kobe are close enough that even the local train makes it an easy trip.

I left with a little extra time and arrived about 30 minutes before Kobe Port Tower opened. I walked around Kobe Harborland, took photos, and waited.

As I walked, I kept thinking that I had seen this place many times in Ilko’s YouTube channel, which I watched a lot when I first got into photography. Around Kobe Station, there were also pretty yellow flowers that seemed to be Hypericum monogynum.

The red Kobe Port Tower standing beyond the harbor — Kobe Port Tower while I waited for it to open

A red brick building by Kobe Port — A red brick building I saw at Kobe Port in the morning

A vivid yellow flower with long stamens — A yellow flower near Kobe Station that seemed to be Hypericum monogynum

Large green and red cranes lined up across Kobe Port — The harbor cranes seen from Kobe Port Tower

The rooftop deck at Kobe Port Tower lets you walk all the way around outside. For someone like me who’s afraid of heights, that was pretty scary. Inside, there were galleries and shops, and the tower had clearly been designed so that spending time inside it would be fun in itself.

What left the strongest impression on me was a painting on display showing old Kobe Port and Port Tower. With the red steel frame outside the window and the current harbor view layered behind it, it somehow felt extremely Kobe Port Tower-ish.

A painting of old Kobe Port and Port Tower displayed inside Kobe Port Tower, with the current harbor and red steel frame visible behind it — A very Kobe Port Tower kind of scene, with an old harbor painting, the current harbor, and the red steel frame overlapping

And Kobe is the hometown of MINA from MISAMO. I found myself wondering whether MINA has ever gone up Kobe Port Tower too.

After leaving the tower, I walked through Nankinmachi and headed for Motomachi Station. The white komainu in Chinatown and the hydrangeas around town were beautiful.

A white komainu statue with a Nankinmachi street in the background — The white komainu I spotted in Nankinmachi

MINA on a monitor inside Kobe Port Tower — MINA in the music video playing inside Kobe Port Tower

A hydrangea blooming in vivid purple — Hydrangeas blooming in Kobe

Umeda Sky Building Kuchu Teien Observatory

I went back from Motomachi Station to Osaka. At the fountain in front of Osaka Station, the giant green bear, TED HYBER, looked like it was spouting water, which felt oddly surreal.

A large green bear sculpture sitting beside water in front of Osaka Station — The green TED HYBER bear that looked like it was spraying water

Umeda Sky Building Kuchu Teien Observatory had a snack corner, and they were selling beer too. I was pretty tempted, but the checkout line was long, so I passed this time.

Because it was just before the World Cup, I also saw overseas visitors wearing replica Yuto Nagatomo shirts. It made the tournament feel like it was getting close.

From the rooftop Sky Walk, I could see all across Osaka. Airplanes heading to and from Itami Airport passed nearby too.

An airplane and the city of Osaka seen through a window at Umeda Sky Building — An airplane flying over the city toward Itami Airport

The cityscape around Osaka Station seen from Umeda Sky Building — Osaka seen from the observatory

The Yodo River and several bridges crossing Osaka — The Yodo River and bridges from the deck

There were lots of visitors from Korea, and while people were taking photos I kept hearing a call that sounded like “hana, dul, set.” I wondered if it was something like the Japanese “hai, cheese,” basically a photo cue, or more like a shared “ready, set” chant since I hear something similar when TWICE members greet together. I watched the view while thinking about that.

The way this place is built is fun too. You go up by elevator first, then take a long escalator to the observation floor.

The long escalator at Umeda Sky Building inside a glowing circular tunnel-like space — The striking escalator leading up to the observation floor

I got hungry here, so I had ramen at Osaka no Aji Ramen Kiraku Shin-Umeda.

The Indian Engineer I Met at Tsutenkaku

Next was Tsutenkaku, which I hadn’t made it to the day before. I took the subway to Dobutsuen-mae Station.

Shinsekai, the district leading from the station to Tsutenkaku, is unique in every possible way. Cheap soba shops, shooting galleries, kushikatsu, okonomiyaki. All kinds of things are packed together in a messy way, and it reminded me of a Taiwanese night market.

Tsutenkaku rising beyond the busy signs of Shinsekai — Tsutenkaku seen from a street in Shinsekai

A narrow Shinsekai street crowded with signs and shop curtains — A Shinsekai street packed with all kinds of shops

A Shinsekai shopping street filled with tourists walking through it — Shinsekai is fun even if you’re just walking around

Inside Tsutenkaku was just as chaotic, with long lines and a huge Tower Slider.

As I was walking around with my camera, a visitor from India said to me, “That’s an amazing lens.” We started talking about cameras, and then he asked whether I knew a good place to eat kushikatsu afterward.

I hadn’t actually had kushikatsu in Osaka myself, so I told him, “I don’t know the details, but there seem to be tons of places around Tsutenkaku.” Then he asked, “Want to go eat together?” So I did.

We went to Kushikatsu Daruma Tsutenkaku, right after coming down from the tower.

On the way there, he kept asking about kushikatsu, like, “Is it chicken? Or pork?” I explained, “There is chicken and pork, and vegetables too. It’s a dish where all kinds of things are fried, and you choose what you want and order it.”

Only later did I realize he’d probably been asking about the meat because of religious dietary restrictions. He said he doesn’t eat beef and generally prefers chicken, though he admitted that he sneaks pork sometimes. He also said it was a little hard to believe that even Buddhist monks in Japan sometimes eat meat.

When I asked, “Can you drink beer?” he said he likes Japanese beer, but before coming to Osaka he had drunk too much airport beer in Sapporo, missed his flight, and had a terrible time because of it, so he was keeping it to just one glass that day.

I’ve done something pretty similar myself, so that made him feel a bit relatable.

He likes One Piece and Laid-Back Camp, and this was his first trip to Japan. After sightseeing in Osaka, he was planning to go to Koyasan the next day, then to Kawaguchiko for a Laid-Back Camp pilgrimage, and finally around Tokyo.

I briefly thought about offering to show him around Tokyo, but I was going to Cebu around that time, so our schedules didn’t line up.

He works as an IT engineer. He told me he develops his company’s service on AWS while using GitHub, so I made sure to say, “AWS is nice, but please give Azure some love too.”

People sometimes ask how I manage conversations like this even though I’m not good at English. The answer is basically: I speak in English as best I can, use Google Translate when I get stuck, and sometimes the other person knows a little Japanese, so something I casually say in Japanese lands anyway. We somehow communicate.

By the way, SANA from MISAMO is from Osaka, and apparently she was scouted in Namba Walk. Tsutenkaku is pretty close, so maybe she has been up there too.

The Last Stamp of the Trip at Nidec Kyoto Tower

I went back from Osaka to Shin-Osaka and took the Shinkansen to Kyoto. Once I got to Kyoto Station, I went straight to Nidec Kyoto Tower.

At the time, they were running a collaboration with Sound! Euphonium, and even the admission ticket had Euphonium artwork on it.

A Nidec Kyoto Tower admission ticket featuring characters from Sound! Euphonium — The admission ticket with Sound! Euphonium artwork

Kyoto Station and its rail tracks seen from Nidec Kyoto Tower — Kyoto Station seen from Nidec Kyoto Tower

Character panels from Sound! Euphonium lined up in the Nidec Kyoto Tower observatory — Sound! Euphonium character panels lined up in the observatory

My daughter plays trumpet in her school band, so there’s something relatable about the main character being a brass musician too. That’s one reason I like this anime.

The heroine of Sound! Euphonium holding and playing a euphonium — A large visual in the observatory showing the heroine holding a euphonium

Kyoto Tower is a good place for photographing the Shinkansen. The sun was tilting just right, so I tried to catch the moment when the train body would flash with reflected light, but I didn’t pull it off.

Still, I managed to spot and photograph Kiyomizudera up in the mountains, so I was at least a little satisfied.

A white Shinkansen train running through Kyoto — I was aiming for the train body to catch the light, but this attempt failed

Buildings of Kiyomizudera visible in the green mountains — Kiyomizudera, which I spotted from the observation deck

And MOMO from MISAMO is from Kyoto.

Looking back, after going through Nagoya, Kobe, Osaka, and Kyoto, this may have been not just an All-Japan Towers Federation stamp rally trip, but also a hometown pilgrimage for the members of MISAMO.

I got the Kyoto Tower stamp too. After dinner, it was time to head back to Tokyo.

Wrapping Up the Trip with Kyoto Craft Beer

First I went to Takashima Bakushu, which I found in the KYOTO TOWER SANDO shop guide. I ordered a three-beer tasting set, but one tap had run dry, so the three-glass set ended up including two glasses of the same beer. A little disappointing.

I also ordered a Strawberry Beer separately. That one was good.

Takashima Bakushu didn’t serve food, though, and since I’d been eating in bits and pieces all day, I was seriously hungry. So I decided to go to one more place: 100K CRAFT BEER & KYOTO.

I had craft beer and pizza there, but it still wasn’t quite enough, so I went all the way to pasta at the end.

The first Takashima Bakushu I drank in Kyoto

A baked pizza topped with cheese and other ingredients — Pizza at 100K CRAFT BEER & KYOTO

Pasta with an oil-based sauce served on a blue plate — The final pasta of the trip, added because I still wanted more

Kyoto was beautiful after I left the restaurant, with the evening light falling across the streets.

A Kyoto street and traffic lights in the evening light — Kyoto as the two-day trip came to an end

Four Towers Left

By the end of the two days, I had walked 36,000 steps. I visited towers, walked through cities, and ate and drank well. Honestly, it was an extremely healthy trip.

One of the reasons I started following this stamp rally in the first place was the collaboration event between the All-Japan Towers Federation and MISAMO, whom my daughter likes. Visiting the hometowns of MINA, SANA, and MOMO made it more fun than just collecting stamps.

A display featuring the three members of MISAMO and information about the All-Japan Towers Stamp Rally — MISAMO, whom my daughter likes, and the All-Japan Towers Federation stamp rally

This time I got three stamps in Nagoya, one in Kobe, two in Osaka, and one in Kyoto. Seven stamps total.

That leaves only four places in the All-Japan Towers Federation stamp rally: Yumeminato Tower in Tottori, O-VISION Kaikyo Yume Tower in Yamaguchi, Fukuoka Tower, and Beppu Tower.

This stamp rally, which I started following because of the collaboration with MISAMO, whom my daughter likes, is finally close enough that I can see the finish line. Four left. At this point, I really want to complete the whole thing.