Cult of the Don Quijote Ferris Wheel / Ebisu Tower, Osaka, Japan

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Take a ride on Japan’s only Don Quijote Ferris Wheel, the epic Ebisu Tower in Dotonbori, Osaka.

Obviously no trip to Japan is complete without a visit to Japan’s most famous discount chain, Don Quijote, but for the ultimate Don Quijote experience in Japan, you need to take a spin on the Ebisu Tower Don Quijote Ferris Wheel in Osaka’s Dotonbori district.

Don Quijote Ferris Wheel / Ebisu Tower, Osaka, Japan

From prices to the outstanding views at the tap, here is our ultimate guide to taking a spin on the Don Quijote Ferris Wheel Ebisu Tower in Osaka, Japan in 2024 (with photos):

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Table of Contents

Don Quijote in Japan

Talk to any traveller who has been to Japan and it won’t be long before conversation likely turns to Don Quijote, a famous Japanese discount store that has over 600 stores in Japan (and other overseas branches).

Founded in the 1980s in their first store in Tokyo, there are now over 700 Don Quijote stores worldwide including shops in the USA (Hawaii), Taiwan, Thailand and Malaysia.

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Do you love all things Don Quijote and Don Don Donki? Join our Don Quijote and Don Don Donki Fans Facebook group!

Osaka Don Quijote stores

Whilst shopping in Don Quijote is always fun, Osaka should definitely be a Don Quijote pilgrimage for superfans – there are over 30 Don Quijote stores in Osaka alone (including 10 MEGA Don Quijotes).

But best of all, Osaka is home to Japan’s only Don Quijote ferris wheel – Ebisu Tower, complete with Donpen branding and cute characters galore.

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Introducing the Don Quijote Ferris Wheel Ebisu Tower

Japan’s most joyful sky wheel that offers Osaka’s best aerial views, this fun ferris wheel is perched on the side of the Don Quijote Dotonbori branch overlooking the streets.

From the ferris wheel capsule windows, you can see all the sights of Osaka and Dotonbori up high including the Tonburi river and its tourist cruise, Tsutenkaku Tower and Abeno Harukas.

Look closely and you might even spot the mysterious Tonburi Wolf character down below playing his harmonica.

Accessible via the Don Quijote Dotonbori store in Osaka and looking out over the river, this Osaka ferris wheel is one of the best ways to see the Osaka cityscape from up high – and this might be the only time you’ll see a penguin fly (Donpen is all over it).

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Giant kushikatsu man in Osaka

One of the more weird and wonderful things to look out for in Osaka when going up on the Don Quijote Ferris Wheel, be sure to take a snap of the giant kushikatsu man and his mammoth skewers whilst in the air.

This huge chef head of an angry looking man is a classic kushikatsu motif and mascot of one of the most iconic restaurants in Osaka – Kushikatsu Daruma. Their food is delicious too!

Giant chef statue from Kushikatsu Daruma restaurant Dotonbori Osaka — *Kushikatsu Daruma*

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Don Quijote Ferris Wheel Ebisu Tower vital statistics

One of the most fun things to do in Osaka, we rode the Ebisu Tower Ferris Wheel in 2023 and it was a ‘revolution’ (literally, we did one full spin of the wheel).

The Ebisu Tower opened in 2005 and is a rare elliptical oval Ferris Wheel that is almost 80 metres in height. In fact, Ebisu Tower is the world’s first oblong Ferris wheel and has 32 gondolas all of which travel at 10 m/min.

Is the Don Quijote Ebisu Tower the most unique ferris wheel in Japan? We think it is very quirky and elliptical ferris wheels are pretty rare so it is definitely one of the more popular and iconic rides in Japan.

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The experience aboard Ebisu Tower / Don Quijote Ferris Wheel

After buying tickets at the machine on the third floor of Don Quijote Dotonbori, you then join a queue for your ride.

There is plenty to look at whilst you are waiting as there is a huge wall of Donpen character statues and illustrations, plus some photo spots .

Once you reach the front of the queue, it is time for this Don Quijote and Donpen themed ferris wheel to take flight (ironic really as Donpen the penguin probably can’t fly).

One of the most unusual things about taking a spin on the Don Quijote Osaka Wheel is that your seats swing around 180 degrees as the door shuts – it is in fact the world’s first ferris wheel with horizontally rotating seats.

Kind of like revolving chairs, it is an unusual feeling but a great design feature as it means you get to see an unobscured view of southern Osaka from up high with very few buildings in the way.

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Staff at the Ebisu Tower also kindly offered to take a picture of us in the capsule before the door was sealed – so this is a cool Don Quijote photo souvenir!

The full journey / one spin on the Don Quijote Ferris Wheel takes about 15 minutes from start to finish.

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Ebisu Tower / Don Quijote Osaka Ferris Wheel price

So how much does a ride on Ebisu Tower cost?

The Ebisu Tower Ferris Wheel in Dotonbori Osaka costs 600 Yen per adult for a 15 minute ride, as of February 2024.

Each Don Quijote ferris wheel capsule can accommodate up to four people.

Get 100 yen off from the regular pass by showing your Osaka Amazing Pass card ticket – get your Osaka Amazing Pass here with Klook >

Expect to queue a little before getting on board, especially during peak tourist season.

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Ebisu Tower opening hours

The Don Quijote Ferris Wheel is open and spinning from 2pm to 8pm (last entry at 7:30pm) five days a week.

It is closed on Tuesdays and Fridays.

It sometimes also closes during bad weather and public holidays.

The actual Dotonbori Don Quijote store is open daily from 10am to 4am. Be sure to also check out the 10 Yen cheese coin shop near to it (big queues but tasty!)

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Other Don Quijote theme park rides in Japan

Did you know there were once plans for a Don Quijote rollercoaster in Roppongi, Tokyo?

A “half-pipe” dream and since abandoned, there were once plans afoot for a Donki roller coaster on the roof of its Roppongi store in Tokyo.

The Don Quijote rollercoaster was actually 100% completed in 2006 and ready to open but alas the plans fell through after opposition from local community groups who thought it would create too much noise and attract crowds.

So you’ll just have to make do with the Donki Ferris wheel for now!

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