This Way to Osaka

I don’t keep count but I’ve probably taken close to a dozen trips to Japan by now. I’ve explored many cities from Kyushu to Hokkaido but Osaka remains one of my favorites. It’s the first city I visited as a hobby blogger and is mostly to blame for my incurable obsession with Japan (and travel in general).

Aside from being one of its largest, Osaka is also one of the most visited cities in Japan. Its proximity to Kyoto and Nara – both less than an hour away by train – makes it an ideal second-time destination. I say “second-time” because people who’ve never been to Japan will probably want to visit Tokyo first. Fair enough.

To be honest, Osaka isn’t as big or exciting as Tokyo. It isn’t as culturally rich as Kyoto but it has a unique appeal that will charm any first-time visitor, especially if you love Japanese food! I’ll get to it in more detail later but aside from being home to Universal Studios Japan, Osaka is famous for two beloved Japanese dishes – takoyaki and okonomiyaki.

Whether you’re looking to spend the entire time in Osaka and the Kansai region or merely passing through as part of a larger Japan trip, this Osaka city guide can help you make the most of your visit.

GUIDE TABLE OF CONTENTS

OSAKA AT A GLANCE

The term “Osaka” refers to both the prefecture and its capital city. Together with Kyoto and Nara, it’s one of seven prefectures that make up the Kansai region of Japan.

A major financial center, Osaka is considered one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Japan. It’s the country’s third most populous city – after Tokyo and Yokohama – and remains its second most visited city. No mystery what city holds that top spot!

Osaka Castle and Universal Studios Japan are the city’s top tourist attractions but for me, the Namba area – which is home to Shinsaibashi and Dotonbori canal – is the heart and soul of Osaka. Like Shinjuku in Tokyo, it’s a lively neon-lit district known for its many restaurants, bars, cafes, and shops.

BEST TIME TO VISIT OSAKA

Like many destinations in Japan, the spring cherry blossom season is one of the best times to visit Osaka. But honestly, there really is no bad time to visit. Being an urban destination, its top attractions aren’t really affected by the climate. You’ll find lots to do no matter when you go.

If you’d like to experience the cherry blossoms, then plan your visit for early April. If autumn foliage is what you’re after, then shoot for November. If you’d like to experience a festival, then the end of July is a great time to visit. Tenjin Matsuri – one of Japan’s top three festivals – is held in Osaka on July 24 and 25 every year.

WHERE TO STAY IN OSAKA

In my opinion, Namba is the best area to stay for first-time visitors to Osaka. Other notable neighborhoods include Umeda (aka Kita, meaning “north”) and the area around Osaka Castle.

I’ve created the color-coded map below to help you understand where all these recommended areas are. (Please note that marked areas are approximations only)

YELLOW – Namba
BLUE – Umeda
ORANGE – Around Osaka Castle

NAMBA

Namba or Minami, meaning “south” in Japanese, is one of Osaka’s two major city centers. It’s a lively area that’s home to interesting neighborhoods like Shinsaibashi – Osaka’s main shopping district – and Dotonbori canal with its myriad restaurants, bars, cafes, and Japanese street food stalls.

Osaka Castle and Universal Studios Japan are the most famous attractions in Osaka but you’ll probably be spending most of your time in Namba. Personally, it’s what keeps me coming back to Osaka.

You can check Booking.com or Agoda for hotel listings in Namba. Here are some of the top-rated hotels in the area:

UMEDA

Umeda or Kita (meaning “north” in Japanese) is the other major city center in Osaka. It’s the city’s main business and transportation district with many modern shopping malls, boutiques, restaurants, and hotels.

You’ll undoubtedly spend time in Umeda when you visit Osaka but personally, I prefer staying in Namba. Umeda is nice with lots to see and do but it feels a bit too modern and sterile for my liking.

You can check Booking.com or Agoda for hotel listings in Umeda. These are some of the top-rated hotels in the area:

AROUND OSAKA CASTLE

Osaka Castle is the city’s most famous historical attraction. It’s surrounded by a massive garden with around 600 cherry trees. If you’re in Osaka for the cherry blossoms, then this is a great place to stay.

You can search Booking.com or Agoda for hotels around Osaka Castle. Here are some of the most popular hotels in the area:

You can also book hotels and homestays in Osaka using the handy map below.

THINGS TO DO IN OSAKA

Admire the Cherry Blossoms at Osaka Castle

Osaka Castle is the city’s most popular historical attraction. It’s considered one of Japan’s most famous landmarks, set in a beautiful spacious park and surrounded by around 600 cherry trees.

It’s beautiful at any time of the year but especially in spring. If you’re visiting Osaka in late March to early April, then this is a terrific place to see (and take selfies with) the cherry blossoms.

You can purchase tickets to Osaka Castle at the gate or in advance through Klook. If you’d prefer to go with a guide, then you can book a tour through Magical Trip or Get Your Guide.

Spend the Day at Universal Studios Japan

Universal Studios Japan needs little introduction. It’s one of Osaka’s most visited attractions, and with good reason! It guarantees a day of fun and never fails to make this cranky old man feel like a kid again.

Favorite attractions include The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, the Minions, Transformers, and Jurassic Park. I’ve been to USJ twice but I’ll probably go again to experience Super Nintendo World, which opened relatively recently in 2021.

You can buy tickets at the gate but considering how popular this theme park is, it would be wise to get them in advance. You can purchase USJ tickets online through Klook.

Shop in Shinsaibashi, Eat in Dotonbori

As previously described, Namba – especially Shinsaibashi and Dotonbori canal – is the heart of Osaka. Shinsaibashi is Osaka’s premiere shopping district while Dotonbori is arguably its top food destination. Foodies and shopaholics certainly won’t run out of things to do here.

Dotonbori is fun during the day but be sure to come back at night when the canal is illuminated by hundreds of neon signs. Most famous are the Glico Running Man (pictured below) and the mechanized Kani Doraku crab.

Speaking of eating in Dotonbori, don’t forget to try Osaka’s culinary specialties – takoyaki and okonomiyaki. You’ll find stalls and restaurants serving these delicious snacks everywhere in Namba.

Takoyaki (pictured below) refers to soft wheat flour balls filled with diced octopus while okonomiyaki is a savory-sweet pancake made with shredded cabbage and other ingredients like pork belly, vegetables, shrimp, and squid. Both are delicious.

Check out this Osaka restaurant guide for suggestions on where to find some of the best takoyaki and okonomiyaki in Osaka. If you’d like to try them on a guided food tour, then you may want to check out this Namba bar hopping food tour or this Dotonbori street food crawl.

Have a Street Food Feast at Kuromon Ichiba Market

Since we’re on the subject of street food, don’t forget to visit Kuromon Ichiba Market, also located in Namba. Nicknamed “Osaka’s Kitchen”, many of the city’s chefs purchase their ingredients here. It’s home to some of the best and freshest seafood in Osaka.

Admittedly, Kuromon Ichiba Market has gotten quite popular and touristy in recent years but it’s still a good place to try seafood delicacies like uni, diver scallops, otoro, oysters, octopus, and unagi in an informal market setting.

Check out this article on Kuromon Ichiba Market for more pictures and information. It’s easy enough to visit the market on your own, but if you’d like to go on a guided tour with a local, then you can book a tour with Magical Trip or byFood.

Visit Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

If you like aquariums, then make your way to Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. Holding nearly 11,000 tons of water, it’s said to be one of the world’s largest aquariums with a main tank measuring a remarkable 34 meters long by 9 meters deep.

The aquarium is home to many interesting exhibits, each one mimicking different ecosystems from around the world like the Great Barrier Reef, Antarctica, and Japan’s forests. You can purchase tickets at the gate or in advance through Klook.

Design Your Own Cup of Instant Noodles

If you’re a fan of instant noodles, then you need to visit the Cup Noodles Museum. It’s a free museum dedicated to instant noodles and serves as a tribute to its creator and founder, Momofuku Ando. They have a branch in Yokohama as well.

The exhibits are amusing but the best part about the museum is the instant noodle factory. You can design and create your own custom cup of instant noodles to take home as a souvenir. Visit the Cup Noodles Museum website for more information.

Enjoy Bird’s Eye Views of Osaka

There’s no better place to get a bird’s eye view of Osaka than the Harukas 300 observation deck. Situated 300 meters (984 ft) above the ground in the Abeno Harukas building, it gives you dramatic views of the entire city.

Aside from the observatory, the building is also home to an art museum on the 16th floor and the Kintetsu department store. Covering over 100,000 square meters of retail space, it’s the largest department store in Japan.

You can purchase tickets to the observatory at the gate or in advance through Klook or Get Your Guide.

If the view from Harukas 300 isn’t enough for you, then you may want to visit the Floating Garden Observatory as well. At 173 meters (567.5 ft) above the ground, on top of the ultramodern Umeda Sky Building, it isn’t as high as Harukas 300 but its views are just as remarkable.

As described, Umeda is home to many malls, shops, restaurants, and cafes so you may want to spend an entire day exploring the area. This is where you’ll find some of the city’s best depachikas as well.

You can purchase tickets to the Floating Garden Observatory at the gate or in advance through Klook.

Go Cruising in a Go Kart

If you’re looking for something fun and wacky to do in Osaka, then you’re going to enjoy this go-karting experience. It’s a kooky activity that lets you wear silly costumes and drive around downtown Osaka in go-karts. It’s so uniquely Japan!

You can book a street go karting experience in Osaka on Klook.

See What Designer Fruit Looks Like at a Depachika

Curious to see what a USD 200 designer melon looks like? Then make your way to the nearest depachika in Umeda.

A portmanteau of depato meaning “department store” and chika meaning “basement”, a depachika is a super high-end food hall located in the basement of luxury department stores. It’s where you’ll find a wide range of decadent food products, often with exorbitant price tags to match.

There are a few depachikas you can check out, but we suggest visiting the one in the Hankyu department store in Umeda.

Learn How to Make Okonomiyaki and Takoyaki

If you’re adept in the kitchen and have a fondness for Japanese food, then what better way to learn more about it than by taking a cooking class? I’ve taken many cooking classes around the world, including one in Tokyo, and the experience always gives me a better understanding and appreciation for the local cuisine.

You’ll find dozens of cooking classes in Osaka on airKitchen and byFood, including some that teach you how to make two of the region’s most popular dishes – okonomiyaki and takoyaki.

DAY TRIPS FROM OSAKA

With the exception of Nagoya, the day trips recommended here are located within the Kansai region. If you plan on going beyond Osaka and exploring more of the Kansai region, then it may be worth getting a JR West Kansai Area Pass or a Kansai Railway Pass. More on these transportation passes in the FAQs section of this guide.

Kyoto

To be honest, Kyoto isn’t a day trip. It demands more time on your Japan itinerary than Osaka but its proximity and myriad attractions puts it first on this list. A fascinating city long beloved by the Japanese, it’s considered one of the country’s centers for arts, culture, and cuisine.

Kyoto deserves several days to do it justice but if you’re short on time, then you can experience its highlights on a day trip from Osaka. There is so much to see in Kyoto that it’s best to book a guided tour through Klook or Get Your Guide to maximize your time. Transportation is provided so you don’t have to worry about anything.

Nara

I like to think of Nara as “Kyoto-light with deer”. It’s known for its many temples, shrines, traditional gardens, and over a thousand free-roaming Sika deer. Tame and accustomed to being hand-fed, there are an estimated 1,200 Sika deer in Nara which visitors can feed with these deer crackers known locally as sika senbei.

Nara is considerably smaller than Kyoto so it’s easier to visit on your own on a day trip from Osaka. If you’d like to go on a guided tour, then you may be interested in this half-day walking tour from Magical Trip.

If you’d prefer to have transportation arranged for you, then you can check out Klook or Get Your Guide for guided day tours to Nara from Osaka.

Minoo Park

Minoo Park (or Minoh Park) is a forested valley in Osaka prefecture located about 15 km (9.3 miles) north of Osaka city. Home to an easy 3-kilometer (1.8 miles) hiking trail that leads to a waterfall, it’s one of the best places to experience fall foliage in the Kansai region.

Minoh Park is easy to visit on your own but if you’d like to go with a guide, then you may be interested in this full-day hiking tour.

Aside from its natural beauty, Minoo Park is famous for its maple leaf tempura. Known locally as momiji, it’s said to be the only place in the world where you can have this unusual crunchy sweet treat.

Himeji Castle

I’ve visited many castles in different cities throughout Japan but Matsumoto Castle and Himeji Castle are my favorites. Not only are they the most striking, but they’re also two of Japan’s twelve remaining original castles (not reconstructed).

Himeji Castle is the biggest and most visited castle in Japan. Known as the White Heron Castle, it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its brilliant white exterior and imposing hilltop location.

It’s easy enough to visit Himeji Castle on your own but if you’d like to go with a guide, then you can book a tour through Magical Trip or Klook.

Nagoya

Nagoya is the capital of Aichi prefecture and the largest city in the Chubu region. Like Osaka, it’s an urban destination with some of the best regional food in Japan. It’s where you’ll find tasty delicacies like hitsumabushi and miso katsu.

Aside from its terrific food, Nagoya is home to the Toyota Motor Corporation and several interesting museums like the Toyota Techno Museum, SCMAGLEV and Railway Park, and Nagoya City Science Museum.

Nagoya is over 180 km (112 miles) from Osaka but thanks to the Shinkansen, you can get there in about an hour.

VISIT OSAKA FAQs

How many days do I need in Osaka?

I’d say three days is an ideal amount of time in Osaka, especially if you plan on spending one full day at Universal Studios Japan. This will give you enough time to see the city’s highlights without feeling rushed.

If you don’t intend to visit USJ and have limited time in Japan, then one or two days is sufficient. One full day will give you enough time to visit Osaka Castle and explore Namba and Umeda.

Is it easy to get around in Osaka?

Very easy. Osaka has a great metro system so you shouldn’t have any problems getting around. I always get a stored value transportation card in Japan but if it’s your first time in Osaka, then it may be worth getting the Osaka Amazing Pass.

Available in 1- or 2-day variants, not only will the Osaka Amazing Pass give you unlimited use of the city’s subway and bus system, it will also give you free access to many of the city’s top attractions, including Osaka Castle.

Aside from Osaka, I plan on visiting other cities in the Kansai region. What transportation pass can I use?

As described, it may be worth getting a JR West Kansai Area Pass or a Kansai Railway Pass if you plan on exploring more of the Kansai region. Both will give you unlimited use of transportation during the pass’ validity period.

The main difference between the two is that the JR West Kansai Area Pass is for JR trains and needs to be used on consecutive days (1-4 day variants), while the Kansai Thru Pass is for non-JR trains and can be used on non-consecutive days (2- or 3-day variants).

The train system in Japan is efficient but confusing, so you’ll need to plan your trip out well to know which pass works best for you based on where you want to go.

Can I visit Osaka on a day trip from Tokyo?

Yes, it’s possible, but I wouldn’t recommend it. The trip takes up to three hours each way on the Shinkansen so you’ll be spending a good portion of the day on the train. The time and monetary cost aren’t worth it.

The only time it might be worth doing is if you have a countrywide JR Pass.

THE FINAL SAY

Osaka is one of the most visited tourist destinations in Japan for a reason. It may not be as big and exciting as Tokyo or as culturally rich as Kyoto but it definitely deserves a spot on your Japan itinerary.

Personally, Osaka is a city I’ll be visiting again and again for as long as I can travel to Japan. After your first visit, maybe you will too!

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