A Three Day Itinerary for Osaka, Japan

Osaka, Japan’s “second city”, often gets overlooked in favour of its more glamorous capital, Tokyo, or the more historically well-known cities like Kyoto or Hiroshima. But this exciting city shouldn’t be overlooked, but instead thoroughly enjoyed. I stayed there two years and didn’t see everything, but here are some tips if you have just three days to explore Osaka and its surroundings.

Day 1: Osaka Castle and Japanese History

Head by train to Osaka-jo (Osaka Castle), a towering wooden castle set in a large park, near the centre of the city. If your timing is good and you’re in Japan for the cherry blossom season, you’ll see hanami picnics (under the cherry trees) where groups of colleagues and friends enjoy the spring and a few glasses of sake! Or you might be lucky to catch a sumo tournament, sometimes held in the convention centre inside the Osaka Castle Park. Inside Osaka Castle is a really interesting display of the history of the city, and you can also climb up inside to get views over the park and the city buildings. If you’re still feeling historical, check out of one of the temples near the city, such as Tennoji Temple.

Day 2: Osaka Aquarium and Modern Japan

At the harbour area of Osaka, opulence is valued, with a few big name hotels showing off their best sides here. The Osaka Kaiyukan Aquarium is one of the best aquariums I’ve ever visited: you start by taking an escalator to the very top, then wind your way down around a spiral starting with above-water creatures and sinking deep down to the bottom-of-the-ocean crabs. The displays and marine animals along the way are fantastic. Take a train back into the city to visit Den-Den Town, where all the latest technology (included technology you probably haven’t imagined yet) is for sale. Stay out late to see the neon light up everywhere!

Day 3: Eating and Shopping in Namba or Umeda

Osaka has two main city areas, each full of restaurants and department stores: Umeda in the north of downtown, and Namba in the south. Here you should look for the Osaka-special Japanese foods, okonomiyaki and takoyaki – you might be able to buy them elsewhere, but the Kansai region is their home. The most reliably delicious, and loved by most foreigners too, is okonomiyaki. Variously translated as a cabbage pancake or a Japanese pizza, okonomiyaki is really none of these, but a mix of cabbage, egg, special ingredients plus either seafood or pork, topped with special sauce and mayonnaise, and eaten in small squares. And it’s by far the tastiest Japanese food invented! Takoyaki are balls of dough with octopus pieces inside, also served with an amazing sauce.