Osaka is one of the bigger cities in Japan, and it is great to visit. The city does not have as much to do during the daytime in comparison to Kyoto and Tokyo, but it is especially great during the evening and nighttime. Walk around the city in Dotonbori and be amazed by all the crazy things you will encounter. There are many options for street food as well, as Osaka is 'The Kitchen of Japan', which gives fantastic food options. Keep reading to find the things to do in Osaka!

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How to get here: 3 hours by train from Tokyo, and half an hour from Kyoto. The city is easily reached throughout the country and internationally. 

How much time needed: 1-2 days

1. Admire the Osaka Castle

The Osaka Castle is a gorgeous castle, which you cannot miss visiting in Osaka. From the outside it is the favourite castle I have seen in Japan; however, I did not see Matsumoto Castle, and I only saw Himeji Castle from the train. In Osaka, there is a nice park around it. I did not enter the castle, as it was very crowded to get in, but the outside is very impressive and a highlight of the city.

Price: Free as you want to see the outside. If you want to go in you have to pay ¥1,200.

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 1 hour

2. Have some food in Kuromon Market

The Kuromon Market is probably the best place in Osaka to find some great food during the daytime. The market is mostly a couple of covered streets, but it is absolutely worth a visit. Stroll around to see which food is good and take a seat in a restaurant to enjoy your time to the fullest.

Price: Free .

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 1-2 hour

3. Ride the biggest Ferris wheel of the world (as they say)

We were not planning to get into this, but we had to wait for a couple of hours to get into the aquarium. I am a bit afraid of heights, but it was so cool to go in. We had to wait in line for around 15 minutes for the Tempozan Ferris Wheel, and you can choose a normal cart or one with a bottom made out of glass, but the line was way longer. The ride itself was fantastic (and very high), and the views outstanding over the city, the harbour, and the river. This is a must-do in Osaka.

Price: ¥ 900

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: around 30 minutes

4. Find sea creatures at the Osaka Aquarium 

The Osaka Aquarium is one of the most famous and most impressive aquariums in the world. There are dolphins (no shows), seals, sharks, octopuses, crabs, fish and the most famous of all: 2 whale sharks. These creatures are absolutely huge and impressive. During the visit to the aquarium, you are following a route where you will see the same aquariums multiple times on different levels. Although the aquarium is very cool, even though there are no shows, it is still difficult to see the creatures in captivity. 

Price: ¥ 2.900

Tourist occurrence: Very high

How much time needed: 1.5-2 hours

5. Feel impressed in Dōtonbori

Oh Dōtonbori, the absolute highlight of Osaka in my opinion. Dotonbori is an area of a couple of streets. The most famous one is with a canal through it (picture on the left) with the famous Glico man. Walk through it and have some drinks at one of the great places. Afterwards, walk to a different street, like the right one, where you can see many cool restaurants with nice animals and other artefacts on it. Have some street food and enjoy the cool area, as this is the best place in Osaka to get food. This area is modern Japan to the fullest, and it is so cool to walk through and experience it.

Price: Free

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: An evening (or two)

6. Taste the amazing street food

Osaka is famous for being the 'Kitchen of Japan', and that is for a reason. Don't get me wrong, food in Japan is fantastic, wherever you are, but Osaka is even better. Especially the street food is something special in this city. They are mostly famous for their okonomiyaki (see picture above) and takoyaki (grilled squid balls), but there are many other great food options.

Things that I have not done, but could be cool

I have seen some very cool sights, but there are a couple more:

• Shinsekai, a very cool district in the evening
• Umeda Sky Building
• Shitenno-ji (cool temple)

Final Thoughts

Osaka is one of the most famous cities in Japan, and it is worth visiting. The city does not have as many sights as other famous cities like Tokyo and Kyoto, but in the evening it may be the most interesting of all. The city is very vibrant and a treat to discover. However, after one or two days you will probably have seen most of the important sites. Staying longer is definitely no problem, and Osaka should not be missed in Japan. 

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