- Kyoto Has A New Tourist Bus That Could Save You Money - 5 October 2024
- The Quirky Choan-ji Temple in Hakone - 4 October 2024
- 10 Briliant Things to do in Hakone – That Aren’t The Loop - 4 October 2024
Working out how long to spend in each place in your Japan itinerary can be tough. There’s a lot to do in every city – so, let us help with our guide to how long you should spend in Osaka.
Quick Summary
You can cover the main sights in Osaka in one day if you have to, but I think three days is the optimum time to spend in Osaka to see everything comfortably.
You might need longer than this if you are also visiting Universal Studios. Osaka is also a fantastic base for day trips, so, you might want to extend your stay if you plan on visiting Hiroshima, Kobe, Himeji, Nara, or Kyoto for a day.
Read on to see our three-day Osaka itinerary – plus, find out if you’re the type of person who might want to stay longer in this fantastic city (it’s one of my favorites).
Article by Helen Foster. Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
Basic Three-Day Osaka Itinerary
One reason that I suggest you spend three days in Osaka is that the main sites are congregated around three main areas. Spending a day in each of these will let you experience everything the city offers.
As a basic guide, here are the big sites in each area and how to spend your three days …
Day One – Central City
This is a good itinerary for your first day in Osaka as, if you arrive mid-morning everything will then be open. Start your day at the enormous lion-headed Namba Yasaka Shrine, then walk via DenDen town (Osaka’s anime center) to Kuromon Market where you can snack on some of Osaka’s amazing street food.
Take a walk up past the cute moss-covered Hozenji shrine, maybe picking out somewhere for dinner in the busy backstreets, and head to Amerikamura, Osaka’s vintage shopping center. Lastly, finish your evening by looking at the lights of the Dotonbori canal and grabbing a meal or drink in one of the many izakaya, bars or restaurants around here.
Day Two – Shinsekai and Surrounds
Start your day at Abeno Harakus, Japan’s tallest building, then walk to Hoikoshi Jinja, Osaka’s wish-making shrine. Nearby you’ll find Isshin-ji, a temple like no other – check out the amazing front gate. Then walk to Shinsekai to spend the rest of your day exploring the old-fashioned alleys, myriad of restaurants, and the retro Tsutenkaku Tower.
If you have time, you could also pop into Spa World, for an hour and soak away the sightseeing aches. Stay down here for dinner – it’s a great place to try Kushi Katsu, one of the dishes Osaka is most famous for.
Day Three – Top of the City
Start your day at Osaka Castle, as it opens. Then, head to Tenjinbashisuji, Osaka’s longest shopping street and/or The Osaka Museum of Housing which is a lot more fascinating than that name might suggest.
Visit the cute love shrine Ohatsu Tenjin, and if you have kids you might want to take a ride on the huge Hep Five Ferris Wheel. Finish your day at the observatory of the Umeda Sky Building at sunset. You’ll find lots of dining choices in Umeda.
Should YOU Spend More Time in Osaka?
As I said, I’m a big Osaka fan and on my last trip, which was my third, I spent six days there and still didn’t get bored. Here are some signs that you also might want to spend a bit more time in Osaka.
Foodies and Barhounds
Osaka is known as Japan’s kitchen and there is a lot of food to get through in the city. Suggested dishes to try include Kushi Katsu, Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki, Kitsune Udon – and, it’s the home of omurice and conveyor belt sushi.
If you want to try all of these (especially at some of the most recommended restaurants) you either need a very large stomach – or an extra day or two. Find our guide to the foods you must try in Osaka here.
Osaka is also a party town, so, you might find yourself having a few nights out – and needing to start your day later than other places in Japan.
If this sounds like you, then make sure you visit the Kama Sutra karaoke bar. I am normally in bed at 10 pm (earlier sometimes in Kyoto) but the last time I spent a night singing at Kama Sutra I got in at 4 am!
Not a lot got done the next day.
If You’re Going to Universal Studios
As I said above, you can’t see all the sights in our itinerary above – and visit USJ – in three days. So, you’re going to want to add another day to take in Universal Studios.
You’ll also need to add half a day if you want to visit the Cup Noodle Museum. While it’s touted as being in Osaka, it’s actually about an hour’s train ride outside so it will take a few hours to visit.
If You’re a Day Tripper
Osaka is a very convenient place to base yourself for day trips as the shinkansen to many of the big sights leaves from Shin Osaka. Hiroshima, Kobe, and Himeji are all easy to access from here (if you are planning on a Hiroshima day trip, then, the Kansai Hiroshima Area Pass will save you money).
The Hello Kitty Shinkansen also leaves from Shin Osaka and if you want to ride this it’s going to add about half a day to your plans.
Lastly, you can easily get to Nara and Kyoto via local trains from Osaka.
If you’re not sure whether to stay in Osaka and visit Kyoto for the day – or, stay in Kyoto itself, then have a look at our guide that helps you decide which to stay in. It includes nine questions that help you decide which is better.
If You Have Children
There’s a lot for kids to do in Osaka – Universal Studios is the obvious attraction, but there are also tall buildings to explore (including one that has a slide down to the ground), there’s pirate ships, three different Ferris wheels, a mini Legoland, a Pokemon cafe (that’s slightly easier to book than Tokyo) and the Cup Noodle Museum.
Teens might also like the vintage shopping at Osaka’s youth center, Amerikamura, the Instagram-friendly teamLabs exhibit at the Botanical Gardens (above), and the mini-anime center of DenDen town.
If You’re a Cat Lover
Okay, it’s a bit specific I’m aware – but, if you love cats there are two things in and around Osaka that you’re going to want to add to your Japan itinerary.
The first is Diorama Restaurant – aka, the ‘Cats and Trains’ restaurant. You might have seen this on Instagram. It’s a cat shelter with a model railway and the cats love to bash the trains.
Visits last two hours, the first hour in the train set room, the second meeting the cats looking for homes. See more about booking here.
The second is to visit Nitama, the Cat Stationmaster. Nitama works at Kishi station, a half-day excursion from Osaka. The station is shaped like a cat, you can buy paw-print coffees in the shop, and, best of all some of the trains are cat-themed (find the timetable here – you want the Tama train, although the others are cute too).
Note: Nitama won’t have her little hat on when you visit – she’s more likely to be sleeping in her station box. I was writing about the station for a magazine so I was super lucky and got special photo privileges.
If you’re sold on staying in Osaka, you’ll want to know where, so have a look at our guide to the best areas to stay
Who Might Want to Spend Less Time in Osaka
A lot of people don’t like Osaka. It’s a bit brasher than other parts of Japan, not as genteel. You’re more likely to see rubbish here than a lot of other places in Japan, and, some areas have a large homeless population.
It’s also the only place I’ve seen in Japan with an overt red light district (although you’re very unlikely to just stumble across this). If all of that doesn’t fit your image of your perfect Japan trip then, you’ll want to spend less time in Osaka.
If you’re not a city person. If you’ve already done Tokyo, then Osaka might feel a bit same same but different to you and you’d be better off spending more time in traditional areas like Kyoto, natural areas like Hakone, or more off-the-beaten-track destinations.
So, hopefully, that helps you decide how to schedule the Osaka part of your trip. If it helped, you might also want to look at our post on how much time you might want in Tokyo.
We’ve also had a look at how long you need in Kyoto.
Who Writes This Blog?
My name is Helen Foster, and I’m a journalist and author. My travel articles have appeared in publications including The Australian, RAC Horizons, Jetstar Magazine, Sainsbury’s Magazine, and more.
I’ve traveled to Japan five times before- solo and with my partner – and I’ve just returned from trip six in June 2023. So, everything here is pretty up to date.
