12 Best Things to Do in Osaka

Osaka Castle, like many old Japanese castles and temples, has been damaged and rebuilt several times throughout its history, and is actually one of the finest castles left in Japan nowadays. Osaka Castle was founded in 1583 but was rebuilt in 1931. Its top floor offers splendid views of the city.

Every spring, travelers from near and far visit the castle grounds to admire the beautiful cherry blossoms as well as the vividly colored leaves in autumn. The castle’s museum, located inside the main building, has a massive collection of about 10,000 historical items such as swords, armor, portraits, lacquerware, multi-colored woodblock prints, and folding screens.

Dotonburi is a famous landmark in the most well-known commercial district in Osaka. It features countless shops, restaurants, and entertainment centers.

Many visitors come here at night, mainly for the food, and to grab a few photos in front of the popular ‘Glico Man’ (Glico is one of the biggest Japanese snack companies), a large neon advertising sign in Dotonbori, as well as other flashing adverting signboards. You can reach Dotonburi by taking the subway to Namba station. It’s just a few minutes’ walk from the station.

Universal Studios Japan is a fun place for families, especially for the little ones. Meet famous characters like Snoopy, Shrek, and Popeye, and enjoy many exciting rides based on famous movies. Popular rides include Jurassic Park, Jaws, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, and Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem.

You will never go hungry while at this theme park. Food selections range from Japanese to western and light meals as well as desserts and ice creams. Expect to queue for about 20 minutes per attraction, longer for the more popular rides and attractions. Try to plan your visit on a weekday to have more of the park to yourself.

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan features exciting marine creatures, ranging from whale sharks to sea lions and penguins, jellyfish, and sea otters. You’ll also get to see turtles, manta rays, Japanese giant spider crabs, harbor seals, and a tropical reef exhibit. The aquarium tank is made from acrylic glass sheets, giving visitors the impression that they are also underwater, along with the creatures exhibited. Audio guides in English are available.

Kaiyukan Osaka Aquarium is located in Tempozan Harbor Village and is surrounded by many leisure activities including a giant Ferris wheel and the Market Place, where you'll find plenty of shops and restaurants. It’s best to avoid visiting on public holidays and weekends as the aquarium can be very crowded.

You can experience traditional Japanese theater through live artistic performances like Noh and Kabuki. Noh dates back more than 700 years and is probably the only ancient performing art that is still performed in its original style. You can see this masked drama at Ohtsuki Noh Theatre, close to Osaka Castle.

Kabuki has colorful costumes, mesmerizing dances, music, and stories that deal with many subjects, including wars, loyalty, and love affairs. The shows cover a variety of characters, from war lords or samurais to common people like farmers and merchants. The best place to see Kabuki in Osaka is at Shochikuza Kabuki Theatre. It’s located close to Namba station.

The oldest officially established temple in Japan, Shitennoji Temple is regarded as the spiritual heart of Osaka. It was constructed in 593 by Prince Shotoku, who is credited with introducing Buddhism to Japan. Throughout the ages its wooden buildings have been ravaged by war and by fire, and every time locals would faithfully reconstruct them according to the original plans.

Major draws are the Main Gate, the five-story Buddhist Pagoda, and the Main Golden Hall. Locals flock to Shitennoji to pay respects to Prince Shotoku, who remains a revered figure even today. The best thing to do here is to stroll through the temple's Japanese landscape garden, with its manicured bushes, meandering streams, turtle sanctuary, and a waterfall.

Amerika-mura, or Ame-mura, is a hub for trends in Shinsaibashi, Osaka. The history of Amerika-mura dates back to the 1970s. It used to be a deserted town but soon became popular for flea markets, which took place in warehouses and parking lots.

Now, it serves as a centre for fashion, music, and art in Osaka. Triangle Park is located in the middle of Amerika-mura. This wide space often attracts those looking to relax and watch performances by aspiring comedians and musicians. If you’re always on the lookout for new things, Amerika-mura is a must-visit.

The futuristic Floating Garden Observatory hanging between the twin towers of the Umeda Sky Building offers fantastic views over the city. At 560 ft and on the 39th floor it’s quite an experience to be up there and take in the vista.

Even going up towards the 360-degree view is an event in itself as the elevator and escalator are both transparent. This exhilarating experience is not for those afraid of heights. Located within walking distance of Osaka station, it's easy to find this unique landmark.

The giant Tempozan Ferris Wheel is a fun way to catch panoramic views of Osaka Bay and surrounding areas. You’ll enjoy stunning vistas of the Ikoma Mountains to the east, Akashi Strait Pearl Bridge to the west, Kansai International Airport to the south, and Rokko Mountains to the north.

Tempozan is located nearby in the Tempozan Harbor Village. It is 367 ft high and takes about 15 minutes to complete a full turn. Made up of 60 cabins, each has room for 8 people and can be access with a wheelchair. You will hear commentary in both Japanese and English explaining each of the sights.

Nanshuji Temple was built in 1557 by Nagayoshi Miyoshi, the warlord who ruled Sakai at that time. The temple is well known as the place where Sen no Rikyu, the country’s top tea master, created and started the Tea Ceremony. Nanshuji was burned down and eventually rebuilt in 1617.

Here you’ll find a beautiful Zen garden, a teahouse, and a pagoda on the stunning temple grounds. Nanshuji Temple is around a 10-minute walk from Goryomae Station on the Hankai Line.

The interesting Osaka Prefectural Museum of Yayoi culture museum features Japanese culture of the Yayoi period which prevailed in Japan from 300 BC to AD 250. The museum successfully recreates the general aspects of Yayoi culture by means of many media including a model of Himiko's Mansion (the first queen in Japanese history), a model of Yayoi’s rice fields in autumn, earthenware, vessels, and pottery.

After learning about this ancient culture, have a look at Ikegami-Sone Ruins next door. The museum is within walking distance of Shinodayama Station.

If you plan to be in Osaka in the last two weeks of March, try to catch the Osaka Grand Sumo Tournament. The Sumo Spring Basho is the only competition of the year to take place in Osaka. It's an exciting and culturally fascinating experience. This popular traditional sport has been part of Japanese culture since ancient times.

There are many fights in the course of one day and each fight lasts only a few seconds, or on rare occasions, for about a minute. Sumo wrestling in Osaka is held in the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium, also known as Edion Arena Osaka, close to Namba station.