Higashi-Osaka Junction, near Aramoto station is a complex structure of highways crisscrossing the landscape in Osaka. A short walk (about five minutes) from Higashi-Osaka Junction is the City Hall Building, a 22-floor structure, which has a nice observatory at the top (observation height is about 100 meters above the ground), offering a spectacular view of the traffic junction below. The view of the junction alone is great to watch at anytime of the day; however, the best time is in the evening when the moving traffic with its headlights on offers a beautiful panoramic view of the action from the top.
Other than the junction view, the observatory has a 360-degree observation deck, where, on a clear day, visitors can equally enjoy the view of Mount Ikoma, a mountain on the border of Nara and Osaka prefecture. There are not so many high-rise structures in the vicinity, so you’ve got an open view across the landscape. As this spot is a bit away from Osaka’s main city center, it usually doesn’t get crowded, not even on holidays, and one can relax and enjoy the view at his own pace. Groups of high-school students and couples are the prominent visitors to this place.
A shortcoming of the spot is that there are no restaurants on the top of the lobby, neither in the neighborhood of the facility. Visitors should prepare in advance to take some snacks or to buy something from the convenience store at Aramoto station. Other facilities like restrooms, vending machines and a parking lot (paid parking) for cars in the same building are available.
Kindly note that taking snaps from the opposite end of the lobby is not allowed, due to a residential complex in the area and privacy concerns of the residents living there. Please follow the instruction signs on the windows accordingly. If in doubt kindly ask the security staff in the lobby and they will help you. The staff is very polite and they will guide you to the points from where you can take a few shots of the panoramic view of the junction.
