Located a short 5 minute walk from the bustling shopping district of Namba Parks, Namba Yasaka Shrine is a must-see in Osaka. With its enormous lion head-shape building and cherry blossom trees surrounding the shrine grounds, it provides an amazing contrast from the consumerist chaos outside its walls. The 12-meter tall, 11-meter wide lion head-shaped building is said to swallow any evil spirits plaguing you and grant luck for succeeding in business or school-related ventures. A fun time to visit the shrine is on the third Sunday of January, when one can witness an impressive giant Tug-of-War Ritual celebrating the god Susano-ono-Mikoto who freed Japan from hardship.