The Glico Running Man
The Glico sign has been on the Dotonbori canal since 1935 and is now on its sixth version. Where the photograph is taken from, and when it is lit.
Where to Stand
Ebisubashi bridge. That is the answer — the pedestrian bridge directly across the canal from the sign, and the spot where essentially every photograph of the Glico Running Man has been taken.
It is crowded every evening and more so at weekends, and standing still on it is mildly antisocial, so take the shot and move along. The canal-side walkways either side give you a lower angle with the reflection in the water, which is arguably the better picture and much less busy.
And from the river cruise you pass directly beneath it — a different angle again, and the only one that puts you at water level.
When It Is Lit
The sign is LED now and runs into the night, so unlike some city illuminations there is no narrow window to catch. What changes is the sky: the photograph everyone wants has deep blue behind the neon rather than black, and that means the twenty to thirty minutes after sunset.
Sunset in Osaka runs from roughly 17:00 in December to nearly 19:15 in midsummer, so the good window moves by more than two hours across the year. If you are timing a cruise around it, see the timing guide.
What It Actually Is
A billboard for Glico, the confectionery company — the running man crossing a finish line, first raised in 1935 and now in its sixth version, switched to LED in 2014. The current one has a Osaka skyline behind the runner and cycles through colours.
The company is from Osaka, the sign has been a landmark for ninety years, and its various replacements have been genuine local news events. The runner is a victorious athlete rather than a mascot, which is why he is dressed the way he is.
The Other Sign
Two hundred metres away is the Kani Doraku crab — a giant mechanical crab above a restaurant that has been moving its legs since 1960. It gets a fraction of the attention and is, frankly, the more charming object. The cruise passes both.
Doing It Properly
- Go after sunset, not after dark.
- Shoot from Ebisubashi for the classic frame, from the canal-side for the reflection.
- Take the cruise for the water-level angle nobody else has.
- Then leave the bridge. The street behind you is the actual attraction and there is takoyaki on it.
Twenty Minutes Under the Neon
1,896 verified guests, rated 4.6, from $13 — the Tombori River Cruise past the Glico sign and the Kani Doraku crab. It is the same ¥2,000 as the ticket window, booked ahead and in English.
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