Osaka Marubiru

Japan's first cylindrical skyscraper, completed in 1976 in Osaka's Umeda district. The 30-storey, 123.92 m tower designed and built by Fujita Corporation stood as a Kita Ward landmark for nearly half a century before demolition was completed in 2024. A replacement 40-storey tower reaching approximately 192 m is planned to open in 2030.

Use

Office tower

Area

Osaka, Kita Ward (Umeda)

Completed

1976

Floors

30 above ground, 2 below

Height

123.92 m

Architect

Fujita Corporation

Osaka’s Circular Tower

In Umeda 1-chome, Kita Ward, Osaka — a short walk from Osaka Station and the Umeda underground shopping network — stood a tower unlike any other in Japan at the time of its opening. Osaka Marubiru, completed in March 1976, was Japan’s first cylindrical skyscraper. Thirty floors above ground and two below, it reached a height of 123.92 metres. Fujita Corporation handled both design and construction, giving Osaka one of its most distinctive skyline silhouettes.

The circular cross-section set it apart visually from the rectangular towers that dominated Japanese cities in the 1970s. Its rooftop rotating LED display board became as iconic as the shape itself, a glittering landmark in Umeda’s neon-lit commercial heart. The Osaka Daiichi Hotel, which occupied much of the building, anchored the mix of hospitality and retail that gave the complex its identity for decades.

Demolition and Rebirth

On 31 March 2023, the Osaka Daiichi Hotel closed after a long run as the building’s anchor tenant. Demolition began the following June, and the above-ground structure was fully removed by September 2024. On the cleared site, Daiwa House Industry is leading a redevelopment project that calls for a 40-storey, four-basement-level tower reaching approximately 192 metres. A joint design team of Nikken Sekkei and Fujita Design is handling the plans. Both the cylindrical form and the rooftop revolving display are expected to carry over into the new building, preserving visual continuity with the landmark that stood there for nearly fifty years.

Summary

Osaka Marubiru — Japan’s first cylindrical skyscraper, 30 floors and 123.92 m — stood in Umeda from 1976 until demolition was completed in 2024. Its circular silhouette and rooftop revolving sign made it one of Osaka’s most recognisable commercial buildings. A new 40-storey, 192 m tower is planned for the site, targeting a 2030 opening, carrying the cylindrical form into a new generation of Umeda’s skyline.

Related: Grand Front Osaka · Umeda Sky Building · Nakanoshima Festival Tower