Odds on you know someone who is in Japan right now, has just returned, or has their tickets booked. A favourable exchange rate and affordable flights are just part of the reason to visit one of the most mind-blowing destinations in the world.
While many travellers head straight for Tokyo, or hit the ski slopes up north, the happening city of Osaka offers the best of Japan—think bright lights, delicious food, and quirky attractions—at a more manageable scale. It’s known as the nightlife hub of Japan, with a galaxy of options to dine, drink, and sing your way around the city.
Here are some of the best things to do in Osaka if you're putting it on your Japan itinerary.
Master The Trains
Everything in Osaka is a train ride away, and it’s the best way to explore the city. The schedule is accurate down to the second, plus it’s ultra clean, safe and fast. Still, it can be confusing for first-timers.
There are several different lines, including the Osaka Loop Line, and the regional JR lines. The Midosuji subway line runs north-to-south through the city and will take you to many places you need to visit. Our top tip? Download a digital transit pass (such as an Icoca card) on your phone so you can move through the turnstiles with ease. Otherwise, you’ll be fussing with coins and paper tickets in some of the busiest train stations on earth. Speaking of train stations, each one is an attraction in itself, with many full of shopping and dining options.
Dotonbori District
Image credit: Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau | Supplied
Now you’re mobile, you’ll need something to eat. Dontonbori is the main tourist and nightlife district in Osaka, alight with colourful signs, hectic crowds and cool fibreglass structures advertising specialty restaurant dishes. Crabs! Dumplings! Sushi! It sits on the banks of the Dotonbori canal (which you can take a cruise on), and has been the city’s entertainment hub for over 400 years.
Start at the “Glico Man”—a giant neon billboard in the heart of the action—and wander through the narrow streets and arcades jammed with drinking and dining stops. Don’t miss the most iconic dish, an okonomiyaki pancake (okonimi means ‘as you like’, and yaki means ‘grilled’). Your choice of meat, seafood and vegetables are cooked ‘teppanyaki-style’ in batter on an open hotplate. We liked the delicious ones at Chibo, a sprawling venue with English-friendly service.
Osaka Food Tour
With so much incredible food and so many restaurants, it helps to have a guide. Andy Marsden is a charming Japanese-Australian who has lived in the city for 14 years. He started his business Osaka Food Tours by taking visiting friends around the city for drinks and snacks. Word spread, and he now has over a dozen guides working for him every night of the week.
There are five tours on offer, exploring hotspots and hidden gems, the fish market, or the “Deep Osaka” street food tour, which navigates the retro alleys of Shinsekai and Nishinari sampling delicacies such as tonpeyaki (pork omelette), takoyaki (octopus balls) and nikudofu (beef and tofu stew) from hole-in-the-wall, hard-to-find spots.
Tsutenkaku Tower
Image credit: Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau | Supplied
Perhaps the best-known landmark of Osaka, the Tsutenkaku Tower was originally built in 1912, loosely modelled on the Eiffel Tower. The current 103-metre version was rebuilt in the 1950s in the centre of Shinsekai (meaning 'New World'), a whacky and retro maze of dive bars and cheap eats that’s a must-visit.
Visitors can climb to an observation deck (mostly via a lift) to take in stunning 360-degree views of the city, a dense metropolis of concrete and glass stretching to the horizon. There’s also an oversized slide to spin you around a portion of the tower if you’re feeling brave. Expect lots of gift shops and photo opportunities on your way out.
Osaka Castle
Image credit: Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau | Supplied
This epic castle surrounded by imposing stone moats and 15 acres of spectacular parklands feels a little bit Game of Thrones, a little bit Super Mario Brothers. It began construction in 1583 and was destroyed several times before the existing building was erected in the 1930s.
The park is accessed via Tanimachi Yonchome Station, and is worth putting aside a few hours to explore. The main castle structure requires a 600 yen entrance fee and is often features long lines of schoolkids, but you can easily skip that part as the best views are from the ground. The scenery is ever-changing, with cherry blossom season (late March–early April) one of the best times to visit.
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Universal Studios Japan
While you’re planning ahead, it’s also best to pre-book tickets to another of Osaka’s most popular attractions: Universal Studios. It’s is one of six Universal theme parks worldwide and has eight zones, including Super Nintendo World, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Minion Park, Water World, Jurassic Park, and homages to New York, Hollywood and San Francisco. Sound intense? It is. But like everything in Japan, it’s extremely well organised and well maintained.
Adult single day passes start at 8600 yen (with express passes to skip tedious ride queues), and it’s about 15 minutes from Osaka Station on the JR Yumesaki Line. Tips: arrive early, and hit up Nintendo and Harry Potter worlds first, as they are the most in-demand.
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
Image credit: Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau | Supplied
Okay, okay, aquariums can sometimes be underwhelming. But not this one. Kaiyukan bills itself as the largest aquarium in the world with 30,000 creatures across 620 species splashing in over 5 million litres of water. There are recreations of Japanese forests to frosty Antarctica, and the “Pacific Ocean” features giant whale sharks.
The striking building was finished in 1990 and is one of the city’s most popular sights, attracting over 2 million visitors a year. It’s slightly out-of-the way on the Osaka Bay—about a five-minute walk from Osakako Station—and trust us when we say you should book your ticket in advance. Huge lines are a regular thing (though they move swiftly).
Day Trips To Kyoto And Nara
Osaka is well-located for day trips, with some excellent single-serving adventures to be had right on the doorstep. The legendary Shinkansen bullet train can get you to Kyoto Station in 15 minutes at a speed of 285 km/h. Phew. Once you’re there, the city of Kyoto is a wonderful contrast, full of gurgling streams, cobbled lanes and significant shrines (including Fushimi Inari Taisha, the one on the cover of every Japanese guide book).
Another popular excursion is to Nara, a temple-studded park about 35 minutes from from Osaka-Namba station, which is famously home to around 1000 sacred deer. Warning: they are mostly placid, but can get hangry when being fed the traditional crackers on sale throughout the park.
Shopping For Knives, Whiskey And More
Image credit: Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau | Supplied
Leave some room in your suitcase, or consider buying a new one for the journey home. There is so much great stuff to buy in Osaka, from vintage clothing to the latest designer gear.
Good places to start? Umeda in the north and Namba in the south have pretty much every fabulous store you can think of. Doguya-suji is known as the chef’s district for Japanese homewares, while Nipponbashi's Den Den Town is dedicated to electronics and games. Did we mention the exchange rate is good?
Relax In An Onsen
Bathing in an onsen is an integral part of Japanese culture, with friends and family of all shapes and sizes stripping off for hours of scrubbing, soaking and relaxing in mineral-rich hot springs. It’s true, the baths are segregated into male and female areas and you cannot wear a bathing suit. Being naked can be confronting for some, but it’s worth leaving your reservations as the door and giving it a go. You’ll feel a million bucks after, promise.
The largest onsen in Osaka is the appropriately-named Spaworld in Shinsekai. It’s enormous, with epic themed zones inspired by famous baths of the world: Spain, Morocco, Greece, and so on. There are two sections—Europe and Asia—giving men exclusive access one month, women the next. They are serious when they say tattoos are forbidden, but many visitors get around this by applying waterproof Band-Aids over smaller tatts. Good luck.
The writer visited Osaka as a guest of Jetstar. Book your flight to Osaka here.
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Image credit: Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau | Supplied
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