Things to Do in Osaka

5.8K

Osaka is the third largest city in Japan and is often dubbed Japan’s Kitchen. A visit to Osaka is not complete without visiting its magnificent castle, trying out its famous foods or walking around its neon lit streets. This post covers things to do in Osaka.

Note – This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, I get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Osaka Castle

Construction of the Osaka Castle began in the 1500s and was intended to be the center of a unified japan. It was destroyed in the 1600 and re-built only to be destroyed again by lightening. Today, it houses a well informed museum about the castle and its history.

The sprawling castle gardens are very popular during cherry blossom time.

You can purchase your tickets in-person. There maybe a line but it does move fast. You can skip the line if you have the Osaka Pass.

Shiteno-ji Temple

Shitennoji temple is one of the oldest temples in Japan and one of the first temples to be built and administered by the state. It was founded in the 6th century and has been burned down and reconstructed a few times. What you see today is a reflection of the 6th century design. Inside of the halls were some of the most beautiful Buddhist frescos I have seen to date.

There is also a flee market here on the 21st and 22nd of each month with over 300 stalls.

Namba Yasaka Shrine

A small temple that has a large lion head shaped building. The temple is popular during springtime for it’s cherry blossom trees that dot the temple grounds.

Dotonbori

After the Osaka Castle, Dotonbori might be the second most iconic place in Osaka. No trip to Osaka is complete without stopping at the Dotonbori bridge for pictures of the canal and neon lit buildings. It’s quintessentially Japanese!

Hozenji Yokocho

Names after a nearby temple, this small alleyway houses restaurants, bars and cafes. A lot like Golden Gai and the alleyways of Tokyo but a lot quieter.

Den-Den Town

This colorful area has lots of stores that specialize in video games, gadgets and anime. It’s the Akihabara of Osaka!

Kuromon Market

Local markets are some of the best things about visiting Japan and Kuromon is not exception. This market house fresh fish and produce but you can also find load of snacks and souvenirs too.

Shin Sekai “New World”

This area in Osaka was very intriguing to me. Contrary to its name, it’s actually the older part of Osaka that was developed before the war. I was fascinated by all the 3D signage of the restaurants and the arcade game stalls. Come here in the evening to see all the billboards lit up.

Tsutenkaku Tower

Visit the Tsutenkaku Tower in Shin Sekai if you want a good bird’s eye view of Osaka. In transparency, we skipped it because we were visiting Shibuya Sky in Tokyo.

Street Go-Kart Tour

Get dressed as your favorite Japanese character and try street go-kart racing on the streets of Osaka. We saw people do this and it looked like a lot of fun!

Try Food Famous in Osaka

Oknomiyaki

Osaka (along with Hiroshima) is the birthplace of Okonomiyaki and therefore you have to try this famous Japanese dish here. We had this dish at a place called Chibo. There was a line to get in but it moved pretty fast.

Takoyaki

These ball shaped snacks are famous in Osaka. They are made of flour batter, octopus, tempura scraps, pickled ginger, and green onion.

HERE is a full list of food you must try in Japan

Bar Nayuta

I had to slot in Bar Nayuta somewhere! This bar is a speakeasy where they make you bespoke cocktails. In other words, they have no menu. When you arrive, you simply tell them what your tastes and preferences are and they make you a cocktail that fits the description.

Take a Day Trip or Two

You can take several day trips from Osaka. here are some ideas

• Himeji Castle
• Hiroshima
• Kobe
• Nara
• Kyoto – You can technically go to Kyoto for the day but I recommend at least 2 days

Note – Himeji and Hiroshima can be combined into one day if you start early enough

Universal Studios

If you are a Super Mario fan, then the Universal Studios in Osaka has an entire area called Super Nintendo World. You need an advance booking or an “area timed entry” especially for this area. See HERE for more details on the rides and attractions and on how to get tickets.

Osaka Pass

This pass gives you free access to over 40 attractions in Osaka. It also covers transportation within Osaka. Before you purchase the pass, go through the attractions covered and see if they are attractions that you think you would visit. You can learn more HERE.

Organized Tours

Check out these top rated tours in Osaka that you may want to explore if you have time.

Did you find this post useful? Please let me know by liking/commenting below or sharing this post on social media! Thank you!!

Pin this post for later!