Historically a theater district, it is now a popular nightlife and entertainment area characterized by its eccentric atmosphere and large illuminated signboards.

One of the area's most prominent features is an illuminated billboard for confectionery company Glico displaying the image of a runner crossing a finishing line, which is often seen as an icon of Osaka within Japan.

[2] The popularity of the revised story resulted in a stone monument erected for Yasui Dōton in 1915 at the north end of Nipponbashi.

[citation needed] Over the years, declining interest in traditional forms of entertainment led to the closing of most of Dōtonbori's original attractions.

[5] Kuidaore (食い倒れ) is a Japanese word meaning to ruin oneself [go bankrupt] by extravagant spending on food or, more pithily, "eat until you drop".

The Dotonbori district is a popular area for visitors to the city and boasts a number of well known restaurants offering a range of traditional and modern Japanese dishes.

Originally constructed to provide access to the nearby Ebisu Shrine, the bridge is the location of a legendary curse, considered broken in 2023, on Osaka's baseball team, the Hanshin Tigers.

Due to the familiarity of the Glico Man, Ebisubashi makes for a convenient gathering point, hence its nicknames, nanpa-bashi, mostly used by foreigners, and hikkake-bashi ("the pulling bridge"), mostly used by native Japanese.