Want to visit Osaka, but pressed for time? No worries! There are plenty of activities that can be done and places that can be explored on a quick day trip. Here’s an itinerary for a fun afternoon/night in Osaka.
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Osaka Bay Area
Start off in the Osaka Bay Area to the west. This compact area has so much to do, and the best part is that each place is within walking distance of the others.
Osaka Aquarium
First, head to Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, one of the most fantastic aquariums in the world. It contains more than 15 tanks that represent regions of the Pacific Rim with lots of educational information in each area.
Guests take an escalator all the way to the top floor and work their way down through the many exhibits. There are seals, otters, dolphins, capybaras, penguins, ocean sunfish, giant spider crabs, and jellyfish, to name a few. But the biggest highlight is the Pacific Ocean exhibit, a tank with 5,400 tons of water that is home to whale sharks, the world’s largest fish species. It is incredible to see these massive creatures up close and in person living harmoniously side-by-side with the other sharks, fish, and marine life that inhabit the tank.
Be sure to check out the feeding times, which vary for each animal. It is a lot of fun to watch the staff interact with them.
After enjoying the exhibits, you can buy a toy of your favorite critter from the large gift shop to commemorate your visit.
Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel
For spectacular views of Osaka, hop aboard the Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel, one of the largest Ferris wheels in the world. You can opt for a car that is completely transparent or one that has an opaque base. As the car rises, you can see ships coming into the harbor, the exterior of the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, Universal Studios Japan, a sinewy collection of roads, the cityscape, and, of course, the bay. It is a pleasant 15-minute ride.
Note: If you want to ride the Ferris wheel AND visit the aquarium, you can buy combo passes to both that are a bit cheaper than if you were to buy tickets for each separately.
Tempozan Marketplace
After the Ferris wheel ride, you can pick up some souvenirs at the adjacent Tempozan Marketplace, which houses almost 80 different stores and restaurants. It has a large food court and even a food theme park dedicated to local Osaka specialties.
Dotonbori Area
Once the sun sets, Osaka lights up. Neon signs and billboards abound, painting the night sky with an array of colors.
Ebisubashi Bridge Area
Quite possibly the most photographed place in Osaka is the Ebisubashi Bridge and its surrounding area. Here you will find the famous Glico Man neon sign along with hundreds of other lit-up signs. This area gets crowded, but don’t let the crowds deter you – it is worth it to see the splashes of color everywhere you turn.
The establishments in the surrounding area also have their own iconic looks, such as the Kanidoraku restaurant with its giant crab sculpture gracing the storefront.
On opposite sides of the Dōtonbori River and Ebisubashi Bridge are the Shinsaibashi-Suji and Ebisubashi-Suji shopping arcades. Though the stores seem a bit geared towards tourists, the covered arcades are fun to peruse to get a taste of the nightlife.
Besides its eye-catching sights, Osaka is also known for its amazing food. Don’t leave without trying okonomiyaki, one of Osaka’s most famous dishes. A chef will mix batter with eggs, shredded cabbage, and whatever combinations of meat or vegetables you order and then will grill it right at your table. Once it’s cooked, the chef will top it with a thick, sweet sauce. One restaurant recommendation is Fugetsu, which has an extensive menu and at least one vegetarian option. There are also some do-it-yourself okonomiyaki joints, so it’s up to you whether you want to give it a try or leave it to the pros.
For dessert, head just north of Ebisubashi Bridge to Pablo, famous for its sweet cheese tarts. The mouthwatering menu is full of delicious-looking goodies, such as the matcha flavored cheese tart with red beans, ice cream, and honey. Indulge your sweet tooth and enjoy the melty goodness.
Rikuro Ojisan in the Ebisubashi-Suji arcade serves light and fluffy Japanese-style cheesecake. Grab a seat and enjoy a slice with a cup of coffee while watching the chefs make fresh batches of the sweet treat, or get an entire cheesecake to go.
Namba Area
Taito Station Arcade
End your night with some video games at Taito Station. Located to the right of Namba Station and spanning multiple floors, there are crane games and UFO catchers, rhythm games, driving games, and a whole lot more packed into this arcade. Just make sure you don’t spend all your yen on a crane game trying to get limited edition Kuroko no Basket swag (speaking from experience).
Namba Station
Namba Station is huge and has an endless number of shops and department stores like Namba Marui, Namba City, and Namba Parks. If you have some time to spare before you catch your train back to your destination, browse some of the stores to see what kind of fashions and accessories are popular in Osaka. Just be mindful of which platform you need to catch your train at since there are many different train lines running through and it is somewhat easy to get lost (or maybe I’m, again, speaking from experience).
Note: The dialect in Osaka, called Kansai-ben, is a bit different from the dialect you hear in Tokyo. You might hear the locals say “ōkini” instead of “arigatō” to express thanks.
(All photos by Clara Juliette)
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Clara hopes to share her love of exploring cultures and inspire others through the power of storytelling. In addition to writing and travel, she loves psychology, nature, green tea, and cats.