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I had planned a 2 day Osaka itinerary that was centered around eating. Unfortunately, nothing really turned out as I wanted; Osaka and I did not become friends. Neither did I eat much. During my 2 days in Osaka, it was raining a lot and it felt more crowded than Tokyo. Plus the city lacked charm especially compared with Kyoto where I was coming from and Hiroshima where I went in between.
That said, I don’t think I am ready to write it off and would definitely return to give Osaka a second chance. Especially knowing that I have been to many places I only loved at second sight (hello, Marrakech!).
For those planning a trip to Osaka in the Kansai region, I want to share my recommendations and advice with you. This way you and Osaka can maybe have love at first sight.
Read more:
Tips for your first-time in Japan
QUICK TIPS FOR YOUR OSAKA TRIP
My favorite hotels in Osaka
Zentis Osaka – Beautiful, modern design hotel for a really good price with spacious rooms!
R Hotel Namba South – Inexpensive cute hotel with great connection to public transport
Cool activities in Osaka
- teamLab Botanical Garden Tickets
- Osaka Amazing Pass
- Shinsekai Food Tour
- Tickets for Universal Studios Japan
Practical things for your Osaka trip
How to plan an epic 2 day Osaka itinerary
Table of Contents:
What to see & do in Osaka
If you want to see most of Osaka in two days put your walking shoes on and get your IC card ready (for longer distances and to get sustenance at 7-Eleven). Here are a few things you cannot miss on your Osaka travel itinerary.
Dotonbori
Shopping, food, and flashing neon lights – welcome to Dotonbori! It is quite the tourist spot but who cares?! Osaka’s most famous street runs next to the Dontonbori Canal and is a feast for the senses. Or an explosion. Depending on your mood. Take a leisurely stroll as chances are it will be too crowded to walk faster.
Definitely bring your camera and snap some shots of the Clico Running Man advertisement from the Ebisubashi Bridge and visit the famous Kani Doraku crab.
Shinsekai
If you are into time travel you have to visit Shinsekai. Once known as “New World” it was modeled after both Paris and Coney Island in New York. This explains why the Tsutenkaku Tower looks like the Eiffel Tower. The rest feels equally nostalgic, a bit stuck in time which to me makes it charming.
Today Shinsekai is a hangout both for tourists and locals, sometimes even side by side. In Nanyodori Shotengai, one of the main roads in Shinsekai also known as Janjan Yokocho, you can watch how locals play Go or Shogi, visit a video arcade, or eat at some original pubs. Other parts are full of flashing neon lights and you can easily remember how this was a glitzy place to be once upon a time.
Not far is Tobita Shinchi, a famous red-light district. Though prostitution is illegal, brothels get around it by labeling themselves as restaurants. You won’t see anything seedy going on as such but be aware that taking pictures could get you in trouble.
Kuromon Market
The Kuromon Market is a bit similar to the Nikishi Market in Kyoto albeit with a long history – it dates back to the Edo period in the 17th century! Today it is a covered shopping arcade and known as “Osaka’s Kitchen”. There are about 150 shops that sell produce, meat, and vegetables.
You can buy things to cook at home and also find stalls with prepared dishes to try right then and there. Waguyu, sushi, uni, crab legs, and even fugu are offered. Make sure not to walk and eat and take a small plastic bag for your trash – bins are hard to come by in Japan!
My favorite was Kuromon Nakagawa, a supermarket. While it might be considered a regular shop for Japanese I was fascinated by the wares – they even sell fresh wasabi there.
The market is generally open from 8 am to 6 pm but some stores may set their own hours.
Osaka Castle
The original Osaka Castle was built in 1583 by General Toyotomi Hideyoshi and was the largest castle at the time. In the years (and centuries) that followed it was destroyed and rebuilt both, by men and nature.
What you see today is a reconstruction from 1931 with some repairs from the 90s. The inside is even accessible now with an elevator and modern features. On the castle grounds, you will find citadels, gates, and moats. The Nishinomaru Garden is a beauty and home to over 600 cherry trees – of course, it is very popular during cherry blossom season.
At only $4 tickets for the castle are a steal. You can buy your ticket here. Alternatively, you can get the Osaka Amazing Pass that gives you access to various Osaka attractions.
teamLab Botanical Garden
My absolute favorite activity in Osaka was visiting the teamLab Botanical Garden. I was already a huge fan of teamLab before, having seen both of their exhibits in Tokyo and was excited to find out that they now have a permanent one in Osaka. It is located at the Nagai Botanical Garden and only opens in the evening when it gets dark.
You will walk through the dark garden which has been turned into a luminous wonderland with various light and sound shows and installations. It is absolutely magical!
As with all teamLab exhibits you will book a time slot. I recommend you choose one right when they open to make the most of your evening. That said, it definitely doesn’t seem to get as crowded as the others; there were times when I was all by myself in some parts of the gardens.
Get your teamLab Botanical Garden Osaka ticket
Universal Studios
If you are planning an Osaka itinerary for 3 days you may want to add a visit to Universal Studios Japan. They are located west of the city and are also home to The Wizarding World Of Harry Potter.
Get your Universal Studios Japan ticket
Day trip to Nara
Alternatively you can plan a day trip to Nara to meet the cute bowing deer. You can read all about this Cinderella-like adventure in my guide to Nara here.
The best hotels to stay in Osaka
It’s hard to determine the best area to stay in Osaka but most people will agree that it is probably one of the two city centers. Kita is in the north with Umeda, and Minami in the south where Namba is. Both areas are well connected to various public transport lines, one of the most important factors when choosing a hotel in Osaka.
As it turned out, I ended up staying in Osaka twice during my trip and decided to try two different hotels.
Zentis Osaka
First I splurged and booked a couple of nights at Zentis Osaka. They are a member of Design Hotels and at this price point truly the best hotel to stay in Osaka. That said, it is located in Umeda and felt a bit far for me and my travel plans. Still, the rooms were super comfy and quite spacious for Japanese standards. They also have a nice bar/restaurant area and while the dinner menu is small and overpriced I loved the breakfast. You can choose between a Western breakfast or a Japanese breakfast that comes in a cute bento.
R Hotel Namba South
For my second hotel, I chose the R Hotel Namba South which was one of the cheapest hotels in Osaka I found (if you don’t want to stay in a capsule hotel). It was right by the metro station and actually very cute with lovely staff. My room was a proper single room and tiny. When I say tiny, I mean tiny – I could not open my suitcase and the door at the same time. Still, it was really cozy and the price was just right. In fact, I splurged on a second night as my flight home was only late in the evening.
Find a room at R Hotel Namba South
Eating in Osaka
I think eating out in Osaka was one of the main reasons why I struggled to warm up to the city. After all, Osaka is the food center of Japan, and considering how important food in Japan is, that means a lot. But I struggled to find good restaurants in Osaka more so than in any other city I visited on my trip. At least if I didn’t want to stand in line for an hour. The Japanese love for queuing to eat is even more pronounced in Osaka than everywhere else.
Osaka is known for kuidaore, a word that means something like “to ruin yourself with extravagant food”. This can mean physically, financially, or both in Osaka. Unfortunately, I did very little kuidaore, in fact, I even went to McDonald’s in Osaka. I don’t mind that so much but – oh gosh, I don’t know how I can even admit it here – I didn’t go once but twice… Shameful for a self-proclaimed foodie I know. And it made me more than a bit sad because Oskaka is known for its great food like Okonomiyaki, a savory pancake/pizza mix, Takoyaki, deep-fried dough balls with octopus, curry, and Kushikatsu, a deep-friend version of Yakitori.
I realized quickly that I needed help to find the best Okonomiyak in Osaka, a good udon spot, and Takoyaki. Since there were no Arigato food tours available while I was in Osaka I went searching. Finally, I settled on the Backstreet Osaka Tour in Shinsekai. This was a great option and the food stops did not disappoint. Though I did realize that Takoyaki is highly overrated. At least they are not worth the octopus filling. My favorite was a little hole-in-the-wall udon spot where you eat standing at the counter behind a curtain. Overall the tour was also great to get a better understanding of Shinsekai and to eat without waiting in line.
Where else to eat in Osaka? I can’t recommend much however if you are staying at the R Hotel Namba South go and eat at Yama Sushi. This tiny place right by the hotel is as local as it gets and the owners are lovely. I don’t think they see many tourists but they were so kind and welcoming. The sushi is amazing, affordable, and best of all, they have great agadashi tofu as well – honestly, it was the only memorable meal I had in Osaka.
If you are looking for the best cafe in Osaka I have a special tip for you: the Bear Paw Cafe. This cafe has become Instagram-famous thanks to its unique concept. You order from a tiny window in a grey wall. Once your order is ready a bell rings and a bear paw serves your coffee from an even smaller window. A wave, a high-five, and off you go. The cafe was built for people with social anxieties. Without having to interact face-to-face with customers, not possible for everyone, they can earn a living. And who doesn’t love a high-five from a friendly bear paw?!
I am not sure if it is the best coffee in Osaka, but the bear paw cookies are great as is the matcha parfait, and the whole concept is well worth supporting.
How to get to Osaka & how to get around?
You can get to Osaka by train or by plane. When traveling by train you can take different local trains or the Shinkansen depending on where you come from. The two major stations are Osaka Train Station in the center and Shin-Osaka Station further north on the other side of the Yodo River.
Which train you will take will depend on where you come from. You can take quite a few trains with your JR Rail Pass while you will need a separate ticket for others. You can either get a pass for the whole of Japan or only for the Kansai region which includes Osaka.
Once you have arrived to Osaka, you can use the extensive metro network to get around town. As with many other Japanese cities, this is easy and cheap. Metro stations have signs in both English and Japanese and are also numbers. Simply put into Google Maps where you want to go and it will give you various options including public transport. If you have settled on a route it will tell you how many stops, which stop to get out, and also the best exit to take.
I recommend you get a Japanese eSIM card before to connect to the internet on the go. I also recommend you get an IC card (Pasmo or SUICA), either on your phone or as a physical card, and top it up as you go. Alternatively you can get an Osaka Metro Pass here.
When it comes to flying here is the most expensive lesson I had to learn while traveling: Osaka has two airports. Make sure you double-check which one you are going to. Sadly for me, I trusted Google Maps with the simple task of taking me to Osaka International Airport. And then I learned that when Google shows you the Osaka International Airport it will take you to Itami Airport. While it is technically still an international airport it mainly handles domestic flights these days. The main international airport in Osaka is Kansai Airport at the opposite end of the city.
This lesson unfortunately cost me a very nervous taxi trip for $150. Luckily a very kind airport employee helped me at Itami, put me in a taxi, and the driver sped up to get me to Kansai on time. But let’s just say – it wasn’t fun.
So yeah, Finnair flies directly to and from Osaka Kansai. And of course, you can just take the metro to get there. The Nankai-Kuko Line will take you directly to the airport and costs (depending on where you come from) around ¥1,130 (less than $8). Alternatively, you can get a taxi from the city to the airport (to both airports actually) but I recommend you skip my detour to keep costs down. A practical way that is not too expensive is the airport limousine bus if you are staying in central Osaka.
