<figure id="attachment_409867" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2000px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409867"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="3022c5be"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/4d0024513f9dd4f6147a9945a08fe5db.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409867" class="wp-caption-text">The game center, which suffered significant fire damage, had a second floor with structures that posed a collapse risk. Even after the fire was extinguished, the area remained hazardous.</figcaption></figure>
On January 21 at around 5:30 PM, a fire broke out at the Tsutenkaku Hondori Shopping Street near Tsutenkaku in Osaka&#8217;s Naniwa Ward.
The fire spread quickly, and thick smoke engulfed the area, with Tsutenkaku and its surroundings being heavily covered in smoke during the peak of the blaze. Approximately 500 square meters were burned, including a five-story game center and a nearby shop. Around 40 fire trucks were deployed to extinguish the fire. One male employee in his 30s was transported to the hospital with minor injuries.
By 7:00 PM, the fire was under control, but about 100 visitors who were at Tsutenkaku at the time were forced to evacuate, and the surrounding area was chaotic. The fire originated from a game center called &#8220;Retro Game Center Zarigani.&#8221; This place was considered a sacred spot for game enthusiasts.
A person who had come from Kanto to visit the game center shared their shock at witnessing the fire:
&#8220;I had an event in Osaka today, and afterward, my friend and I decided to play at Zarigani. We were shocked to witness the fire. I&#8217;ve been here many times before, and it had a collection of 1980s and 1990s arcade machines. It felt like stepping back in time while playing. While there are a few such places around the country, Zarigani was home to rare machines that no longer exist elsewhere. It truly was the sacred ground of game centers.&#8221;
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This game center was packed with arcade cabinets from the golden age of arcades, featuring manufacturers like Sega, Taito, and Namco. It had a wide variety of games, including gun shooting, fighting, and racing games. The venue was spread across three floors: the first floor housed a mix of machines, the second floor was dedicated to retro games, and the third floor was for shooting games.
With over 50 cabinets available at any given time, the arcade was truly a holy ground for fans. The store regularly introduced new machines, making it a beloved spot for gaming enthusiasts.
When originally released, arcade cabinets cost around 250,000 yen per unit, depending on the model. Today, second-hand cabinets typically sell for around 40,000 yen each. However, many of the machines in this arcade were in excellent condition, and some were considered ultra-rare, possibly the only functioning units left in the world.
The lineup of games included titles like Street Fighter, Hot-Blooded Tough Guy Kunio-kun, OutRun, and After Burner, making it a dream destination for those who had played these games in their prime. Some cabinets survived the fire, but they were soaked by the water used in firefighting efforts.
In recent years, inbound tourism has driven a surge in foreign visitors to the arcade. Some tour programs even included visits to this game center. A Whac-A-Mole (Wani Wani Panic) machine was placed outside the store, making it a favorite spot for children. Many foreign tourists traveled to Japan specifically to visit this arcade, highlighting its significance.
During the fire, the flames grew rapidly, forcing nearby shop owners to evacuate immediately.
The area was heavily cordoned off, and even nearby shop owners were unable to enter until restrictions were eased around 8:00 PM. Some anxious store owners pleaded with the police to allow them access to check on their businesses.
Even businesses that were not directly affected by the fire suffered, as the incident drove customers away. The impact was felt in Shinsekai, an area known for its vibrant inbound tourism, including kushikatsu restaurants and izakayas. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and further findings are awaited.
<figure id="attachment_409868" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2000px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409868"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="ed6a8fb5"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/12a7af4a7dbc356e870ac0ad4fbb03ee.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409868" class="wp-caption-text">Many arcade cabinets still looked pristine, but they were soaked due to the firefighting efforts.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_409869" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2000px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409869"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="e78384d6"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/3d4444876d4015ee543b0dfa35927ea4.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409869" class="wp-caption-text">A floodlight truck from the Osaka City Fire Department was also dispatched. The area, usually brightly lit by shops and stores, was dark and quiet due to the fire.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_409870" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2000px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409870"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="889b382f"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/520fce057b2f370f7f1d31257802a589.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409870" class="wp-caption-text">Firefighters checking for dangerous areas after extinguishing the fire.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_409875" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2000px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409875"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="251001c2"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/760b0f96adf03873081f792fd3124da1.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409875" class="wp-caption-text">About 40 fire trucks gathered at the scene to extinguish the fire.</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_409878" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 2000px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-409878"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="779e8e23"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/01/d7ad59bf7dc553dcdf2322abd0e8a41f.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-409878" class="wp-caption-text">A store directly next to the building was also destroyed by fire, but the fire did not spread further despite the dense concentration of stores and other businesses.</figcaption></figure>

 Takuma Arimura

 At around 5:30 p.m. on January 21, a fire broke out in the Tsutenkaku Hondori shopping arcade next to Tsutenkaku Tower in Naniwa-ku, Osaka City. The fire started at "Retro Game Center Zarigani". This arcade was a "sacred place" with rare arcade game machines.

Fire Destroys Holy Land of Arcades in Osaka’s Tsutenkaku Shopping Street

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