Osaka was the very first stop on our 14-day Japan trip<\/a> back in September 2018. Our flight from Hong Kong to Osaka landed at an awful hour of the early morning, we took a bus into town and stayed at a super-cheap capsule hotel in an inconvenient area near Shin-Imamiya Station for 2 nights because we were traveling on a ridiculously tight budget. We ate at a lot of 7-Eleven\u2019s, and stuck to free or inexpensive attractions. And you know what? We still had an amazing time.<\/p>\n Fast forward to early April 2023 and we were back in Japan for another 2 weeks during the famous cherry blossom season. This time we had a much healthier budget, and for our 2 days in Osaka<\/a> we stayed in the popular Namba neighborhood. We filled our itinerary with great food and fun activities \u2013 and despite being totally rained out for a day, we had another fantastic experience. Honestly, we think Osaka is totally underrated. Everyone does Tokyo and Kyoto, but Osaka is more authentic, less touristy and has a superb foodie scene.<\/p>\n Hi, we\u2019re Mark and Kristen Morgan. We left our scientific careers in 2018 to become travel writers and photographers, and since then our expert guides have helped millions of travel planners take better trips. Read more about us<\/a>. <\/p>\n Why trust us with your Osaka bucket list?<\/strong> After two trips to Osaka with different budgets and itinerary goals, we know what\u2019s worth doing and what to skip on a first visit. As always, every photo in this guide is ours. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Our favorite Osaka experiences so far include visiting temples and shrines, soaking up views from observation decks, climbing Osaka Castle, eating delicious food, and simply exploring the city\u2019s very different neighborhoods by foot. For us, Osaka is less about ticking off a traditional \u201cthings to do\u201d bucket list, and more about embracing its vibrant foodie culture.<\/p>\n In terms of cherry blossoms, we wouldn\u2019t say Osaka felt unmissable. Some spots were nice, just not on the level of Kyoto or Tokyo. But we actually preferred the fall foliage colors from our October trip, and the crowds were seriously out of control in April. Anyway, based on our two totally different trips, we\u2019re going to walk you through the experiences we consider unmissable on a first vacation to Osaka. Let\u2019s dive in!<\/p>\n Note<\/strong>: Our content is reader supported and contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you and it helps us keep this site running.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Need a hand planning your Japan trip?<\/strong> We help independent travelers plan better, stress-free trips. Schedule a video call and we\u2019ll build a Japan itinerary that fits your style, budget and priorities. See our travel planning help<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n We spent the majority of both our 2-day trips to Osaka exploring as many areas and attractions as we could squeeze in, but the truth is, our favorite way to experience the city properly was to simply wander around the high-energy neighborhoods of Dotonbori and Namba. These two connecting neighborhoods are the over-the-top life and soul of Osaka, filled with restaurants, shopping, neon lights, and bustling crowds. If we only had one day in Osaka, this is where we\u2019d spend it.<\/p>\n During our 2018 trip, we\u2019d always find ourselves gravitating back to Namba before or after attraction-hunting, which is why we decided to stay at the excellent Citadines Namba<\/a> on our second trip. We wanted a slightly quieter location just steps from the heart of the action and Kuromon Market (which we cover next), and it worked out perfectly. Read our guide on where to stay in Osaka<\/a> to learn more about the popular neighborhoods.<\/p>\n Now, it took us a few tries, but we eventually figured out the most efficient walking route to make the most of these areas was to begin at Shinsaibashi Station, head south through the long covered shopping arcade into Dotonbori, see the canal-side lights and famous restaurants with facades including a mechanical crab and sushi chef among many others, walk through a narrow lantern-lit alley to see the tiny Hozen-ji Temple<\/a>, loop south to see the unique lion head at Namba Yasaka Jinja<\/a>, and then finish at Osaka\u2019s electronics and anime strip called Nipponbashi Denden Town, before heading back into Dotonbori in the evening.<\/p>\n We had bad luck with weather during our April 2023 trip \u2013 it rained all day and night when we pencilled in our Namba and Dotonbori evening. After giving it a go with umbrellas, the atmosphere just wasn\u2019t there and we were soaked, so we gave up. But our big regret from two trips is not seeing Dotonbori lit up at night. The lantern-lit canal, Ebisu Bridge and Glico Sign are iconic night photo spots that are top of our list for next time. We\u2019d also put this affordable tea ceremony<\/a> on our must-do list for a hands-on matcha making class in Dotonbori.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n We missed Kuromon Market<\/a> in 2018, but we made sure to give it a try in 2023 because it\u2019s Osaka\u2019s most famous fish market and we love street food. Our hotel in Namba was only a few minutes walk from the south entrance to the T-shaped market, so we arrived a little after 9:00 AM just as the last few stalls were opening for the day.<\/p>\n We\u2019d read that Kuromon Market, which is known as \u201cOsaka\u2019s Kitchen\u201d, was a tourist trap and locals no longer ate there because the prices were higher than other local spots. And we found that to be true, the prices were definitely inflated. But at the same time, we didn\u2019t mind paying a little bit extra for a Wagyu beef skewer because the energetic atmosphere and fun experience were worth an extra few dollars.<\/p>\n We basically walked north up the narrow central alley, then walked along the top of the T to see all the stalls before making a decision on what to buy. There were so many options, including fresh oysters, scallops, sea urchin, prawns and loads more we can\u2019t remember. But despite knowing we were in a fish market, we just couldn\u2019t help eating yet more Wagyu beef. It\u2019s so good! That said, we had no real idea which places were good or not, so we made a best-guess. Next time, we\u2019d book this top rated foodie tour<\/a> with 3 stops in Dotonbori and 3 stops in Kuromon Market to skip the tourist traps and learn about the food more.<\/p>\n It wasn\u2019t too intensely crowded when we visited first thing in the morning on a weekday, but it was beginning to fill up by the time we left an hour later. That said, we always found the narrower Nishiki Market strip in Kyoto to be swarming, so Kuromon Market was easy going for us. Overall, we\u2019d say it\u2019s well worth a quick visit to sample a small amount of high quality fish or beef in a popular market environment, but we\u2019d save the sit-down meals for cheaper eats elsewhere.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Japan is home to several must-see castles, including the likes of Himeji Castle, Kumanoto Castle and the one we visited in 2018 called Matsumoto Castle. But the problem is, they\u2019re not on the typical Japanese tourist trail of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. That\u2019s why we think Osaka Castle<\/a> is even more important to add to every first-timer\u2019s itinerary \u2013 it might be the only proper castle you\u2019ll see.<\/p>\n We visited Nijo Castle in Kyoto and enjoyed the history, the \u201cchirping\u201d floors, and the gardens, but it was nowhere near the scale and grandeur of a major castle experience in Japan. Hiroshima Castle was attractive, but Osaka Castle was much bigger, had far greater views from the top, and we enjoyed a more compelling timeline as we learned about Toyotomi Hideyoshi building the castle and his son\u2019s defeat to Tokugawa Ieyasu at the Siege of Osaka. The 2024 tv show Shogun<\/em> tells the lead-up to the events that make Osaka Castle famous.<\/p>\n To visit, we actually walked all the way up from Shitenno-ji Temple (which we cover later) so we could see more of Osaka\u2019s quieter neighborhoods. But there are several subway and JR stations surrounding the castle grounds if you\u2019d rather save time. Tickets cost 1,200 yen per person, but the lines can be long to get in. We waited in line for 30 minutes, then realized we could book tickets online through Klook for a slightly cheaper price and then skip the line. If we visited again, we\u2019d 100% book tickets through Klook<\/a> in advance.<\/p>\n We thought the grounds were stunning (especially during cherry blossom season, this is one of the best places in Osaka to see cherry trees), the moat was impressive, the intimidating architecture was photogenic, the eight-story interior was interesting to explore, and the 360-degree top-level views were awesome. Yes, it\u2019s been renovated and isn\u2019t as authentic as other castles in the country, but for the average first-timer visiting Japan, we\u2019d say Osaka Castle is unmissable.<\/p>\n Kristen\u2019s top tour options<\/strong>: We\u2019d definitely book this affordable guided tour<\/a> of Osaka Castle if we wanted a deeper understanding of the history. It includes skip the line tickets and has start times throughout the day. And to keep the samurai theme going, we\u2019d absolutely love to try this samurai training experience<\/a> with impeccable ratings next time we\u2019re in Osaka.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n We had no idea what to expect at Tenmangu Shrine<\/a> because it\u2019s not on the typical list of \u201cmust-see\u201d attractions in Osaka. And you know what? It turned out to be a fantastic place to visit, not just the beautiful shrine, but also the surrounding areas. We learned that Osaka Tenmangu is one of Japan\u2019s most important Shinto shrines, and it\u2019s dedicated to the deity of learning and scholarship, which is why students go to pray for success in exams.<\/p>\n We pretty much had the entire shrine area to ourselves which was a complete contrast to other parts of Osaka during the busy cherry blossom season, and also the polar opposite to temples and shrines in Kyoto, Nara or Tokyo. It also hosts one of Japan\u2019s three great festivals called the Tenjin Matsuri<\/a> in July, so we\u2019d definitely add that to our itinerary if our visit coincided.<\/p>\n The shrine was surrounded entirely by streets and buildings with a purely local feel, and we also enjoyed walking through a small section of the 2.8km long Tenjinbashi-suji<\/a> covered shopping arcade (Japan\u2019s longest shopping street), which was like Shinsaibashi but without the tourists. We actually walked from Osaka Castle to Minamitenma Park<\/a>, which had a stunning display of riverside cherry blossoms. We walked north alongside the Okawa river hoping to go inside the Japan Mint<\/a> for a free guided tour, but it was closed for the duration of cherry blossom season, which was disappointing.<\/p>\n From the Mint, we visited the shrine and shopping street, before looping back down to Nakanoshima Park<\/a> to see The Central Public Hall, which is a photogenic red brick Meiji-era building, and a rose garden. Walking along the river was a nice relaxing break from the chaotic, neon-lit areas of Namba and Dotonbori, so we\u2019d do this again if we had enough time and needed a breather.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Taking elevator rides high up to observations decks in new cities is always one of our favorite things to do. We love skyline views, sunsets and urban photography, so elevated viewpoints are naturally a winner for our itineraries. In Osaka, we couldn\u2019t choose between the two classic options \u2013 Umeda Sky Building and Abeno Harukas \u2013 so we just did both of them.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s start with Umeda Sky Building and its Kuchu Teien Observatory<\/a>. Firstly, we really enjoyed walking through the Umeda neighborhood. It was a polished, modern, commercial and business-like area with skyscrapers and department stores, massive crowds (mostly locals), and high-end places to eat. It took us around 15 minutes to walk from the station to the Sky Building, but we walked through a mall and grabbed food on the way. We bought our tickets in advance through Klook<\/a> for a little under 2,000 yen (US $12.55) each, and it was well worth it.<\/p>\n The whole experience was enjoyable from start to finish. Standing underneath and looking up at the two towers connected by a floating circular garden observatory, and escalators crossing through the open-air between the towers was so cool. The escalator tunnels were super photogenic, and then we arrived at the top and it got even better. The observation deck had 360-degree views in the open-air, so no windows and no photos with glare. We watched a stunning sunset, with silhouetted mountains in the distance and the city lighting up behind.<\/p>\n Now let\u2019s move onto Abeno Harukas and its Harukas 300 observatory<\/a>. This one was totally different because it was much taller and more about the scale of the view, rather than the architecture. The elevator took us up to the top three floors of the building and we instantly felt way higher up than Umeda. The view was expansive in all directions, but it was enclosed fully by glass windows so there was tons of glare. That said, if it was windy or raining, it wouldn\u2019t have affected our visit.<\/p>\n We spent a good hour just soaking up the mid-afternoon views on a cloudy day. It would have been better to do it at sunset, but that was the evening we had planned for Dotonbori when it ended up belting down with rain. Our tickets cost the exact same, a little under 2,000 yen (US $12.55) each, which we booked in advance through Klook<\/a>. We thought both were great, but if we had to choose one we\u2019d probably go for Umeda Sky Building because we love urban photography and it\u2019s the more architecturally striking of the two.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Shitennoji<\/a> is one of Japan\u2019s oldest Buddhist temples (founded in 593 AD), and we think it\u2019s a must see for every first timer going to Osaka because it predates pretty much anything we\u2019ve seen in Kyoto or Nara. It\u2019s a much bigger complex than we expected, with a five-story pagoda (which we climbed to the top of), a main hall, a cemetery, and even a turtle pond.<\/p>\n We decided to arrive as it opened at 8:30 AM to beat the crowds \u2013 Mark really wanted to get a people-free photo of the five-story pagoda because we\u2019d seen how photogenic it looked. Our plan worked perfectly, there was nobody else around. We snapped our photos of the attractive buildings, saw the turtles in the pond, and then climbed up to the top of the tall pagoda.<\/p>\n Entry was free both times we visited Osaka, but recently a 500 yen per adult entry fee has been introduced. That\u2019s only US $3, and it\u2019s worth paying. The biggest issue with visiting Shitennoji is its location on the southeast side of the city, but it can easily be tied in with Shinsekai (which we cover next) and Abeno Harukas.<\/p>\n Mark\u2019s fun attraction alternatives<\/strong>: We know temples aren\u2019t for everyone. If you\u2019d rather spend your time doing fun activities, take a look at this Go Kart tour<\/a> with character dress-up or this sumo experience<\/a> with live show and audience challenge. We\u2019d look at these if we visited Osaka with friends or extended family.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n We didn\u2019t have time to explore the weird but wonderful Shinsekai<\/a> area in 2018, but we couldn\u2019t miss it for a second time in 2023. We\u2019d seen photos but the old-school neighborhood still surprised us in a good way. It was built in 1912 as a futuristic entertainment district, half modeled on Paris and half on Cony Island in New York. Then it fell into decline for a long time before slowly getting a second lease of life in the late 2000\u2019s and early 2010\u2019s.<\/p>\n We actually really enjoyed the gritty, unpolished, over-elaborate retro tourism. It made a change from most other areas we\u2019ve visited in Japan, and we also enjoyed some delicious breaded deep-fried meat skewers called kushikatsu which originated right there in Shinsekai. The whole place was small, easily walkable, and built around the Tsutenkaku Tower<\/a> which had an observation deck but it was so low down that we didn\u2019t bother.<\/p>\n Honestly, we thought the best thing to do here was just wander around the narrow pedestrian streets, soak up the loud and colorful facades, snap some cool retro photos, eat snacks, and enjoy the people watching. It was busier than we expected. We also went into the Mega Don Quijote<\/a> which had endless floors of everything imaginable, but we quickly became overwhelmed by the chaos and left. If we had kids and plenty of spare time, we\u2019d consider spending an hour or two in Tennoji Zoo<\/a>, which is just next door.<\/p>\n Kristen\u2019s top foodie tour<\/strong>: Next time we\u2019re in Osaka we\u2019ll definitely book this popular Shinsekai food tour<\/a> with 15 tastings. It\u2019s got lunch time and evening start times, with near perfect ratings from other travelers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n We think 2 days in Osaka is the perfect amount of time to see and do everything without feeling too rushed. If we had 3 or more days, we\u2019d definitely consider taking a day trip. Now, we\u2019d already plan to spend 3 days in Kyoto<\/a> because it\u2019s lovely (especially for temples) and deserves at least two nights. That leaves a day trip to Nara<\/a> as the best and most popular option from Osaka.<\/p>\n If we bought a JR Pass<\/a> for our trip to Japan, we\u2019d take the JR Yamatoji Rapid which leaves from JR Osaka Station and arrives at JR Nara Station. It takes around 50 minutes and it\u2019s free with the JR Pass, but it arrives to the further out station in Nara. Without a JR Pass, we\u2019d take the Kintetsu Nara Line (Rapid Express or Express) from Osaka-Namba Station to Kintetsu Nara Station, which takes around 35-40 minutes and costs about 570 yen. This station is much closer to the deer park and temples.<\/p>\n Either way, after arriving we\u2019d see Kofuku-ji Temple, feed the deer in Nara Park<\/a>, look around Nara National Museum, explore gardens, visit Todai-ji Temple, explore serene shrines, taste sake and so much more. Here\u2019s our guide on Nara\u2019s top attractions<\/a> to learn more about how to spend your day if you go from Osaka.<\/p>\n Mark\u2019s top stress-free tour<\/strong>: If you want to see Nara but don\u2019t want to deal with transport and figuring out where to go, take a look at this popular guided tour<\/a> of Nara\u2019s top sites with an early start from Osaka.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The first time we went to Japan, we had no idea what to expect from any of the places we were about to visit. Our major take home from Osaka? The whole culture was centered around food, and we mean that in the best possible way. From quality street food to affordable hole-in-the-wall ramen spots, we simply could not stop eating. So we couldn\u2019t wait to fill our boots when we returned for two more days in 2023.<\/p>\n Now, we\u2019re not food-first travelers, but we\u2019re happy to take advantage of great grub when we\u2019re in the right places. In Osaka, we ate some seriously delicious okonomiyaki at the intimate Okonomiyaki Izakaya Gen<\/a>, incredibly fresh sushi with beers at Sushi Takao<\/a>, and the most amazing ramen at Kyushu Ramen Kio<\/a>. You know what the common theme was among them? They were all tiny with very little seating and only one or two people running the whole show, and the owners were always super friendly.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever wanted to try a maid cafe, Maidreamin Nippombashi<\/a> in the anime neighborhood looks fun. Kuromon Market had quality street food, albeit at touristy prices. And we never made it, but Bar Nayuta<\/a> looks like a cool speakeasy-style cocktail bar in America-mura to the west of Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi. One thing we did do was avoid the famous-sign restaurants in Dotonbori (like the crab, blowfish and chef) because they\u2019re tourist traps with better design than food.<\/p>\n But something we never did and regret missing was adapting a more local way of eating, which is a kind of izakaya crawl moving between small places and only ordering a few things at each. We\u2019d get carried away, eat a massive bowl of ramen and leave completely full! We also saw a lot of locals standing up to eat, which we thought was odd at first, but then we realized it\u2019s just how they do it. So we\u2019d try that next time too. We\u2019d also love to try this sushi making class<\/a> near Dotonbori with near perfect ratings and start times throughout the day.<\/p>\n And finally, we have to finish our food section with the worst kept secret in Japan \u2013 convenience stores are the absolute best for breakfast and lunch snacks. Across the 5 weeks we\u2019ve spent in Japan, we must have eaten at 7-Eleven, Lawson or FamilyMart at least 25 times. Our favorites include egg sandwiches, tinned coffee, potato croquettes, American corndogs, and fried chicken. Trust us, convenience stores are the first thing you\u2019ll tell your friends about when you get home from Japan.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n We know a lot of people only allow for one or two days in Osaka when visiting Japan for the first time. With 2 days, we\u2019d work through our list above and skip everything in our list below. With 3 days we\u2019d add a day trip to Nara (if we didn\u2019t already have it pencilled in for a day trip from Kyoto) and still skip the below. But with 4 days or more, we\u2019d consider adding some of the places below.<\/p>\n Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan:<\/strong> This is actually one of the world\u2019s great aquariums and it would be well worth the visit, but we\u2019d only do it if we had time. It has a vast centerpiece tank with whale sharks, manta rays and Pacific sea life, and it\u2019s often combined with the Tempozan Ferris Wheel \u2013 but they\u2019re located 30 minutes from Namba via 2 trains, and they\u2019d eat up a big chunk of time. Tickets for the aquarium cost 2,700+ yen for adults going direct or 2,500 yen through Klook<\/a>.<\/p>\n Universal Studios Japan<\/strong>: This is one of Asia\u2019s most popular theme parks, and to be fair it has Nintendo World and Harry Potter areas which sound pretty cool. But it\u2019s another time-sucking day out with trains, lines for rides, and massive areas to explore. If we had plenty of time and the kids desperately wanted to go, we\u2019d buy tickets through Klook<\/a> and pick the exact package bundle we wanted. <\/p>\n Traditional museums<\/strong>: We\u2019d personally skip the National Museum of Art<\/a> and the Osaka Science Museum<\/a> on Nakanoshima because they\u2019re not the best use of time for a first-timer. We think the magic of this city is on its streets and in its restaurants, not inside museums. That said, we do think the Osaka Museum of History<\/a> could be a good fit for anyone who wants to add context to a visit to the city. It\u2019s the only one we\u2019d consider doing.<\/p>\n teamLab Botanical Garden<\/strong>: TeamLab\u2019s immersive digital art installations have become a major draw across Japan, but the Osaka edition has two problems in our eyes \u2013 first it\u2019s a long way south of Namba, and second it has way lower ratings than its counterparts in Tokyo and Kyoto. Osaka\u2019s edition is set at night in a garden with light projections and it does look fun, but we wouldn\u2019t go out of our way to visit. If you have to try it out, tickets cost around 2,000 yen through Klook<\/a>.<\/p>\n Sumiyoshi Taisha<\/strong>: This is one of Japan\u2019s oldest and most significant Shinto shrines, and it\u2019s way less crowded than equivalent shrines in Kyoto or Nara. It even has free entry. So what\u2019s the problem? Logistically, it\u2019s nowhere near as convenient. It takes 30 minutes to reach Sumiyoshi Taisha<\/a> from Namba, but it can\u2019t be paired with anything else at all. So we\u2019d say do it if you\u2019re especially interested in Japanese history or need a break from the crowds, otherwise skip it.<\/p>\n Asahi Beer Museum<\/strong>: The Suita brewery in northern Osaka is one of Asahi\u2019s flagship sites and offers free factory tours<\/a> showing the full brewing process, ending with a tasting session. Sounds awesome, right? We love a beer, and it\u2019s free. The problem again is that it\u2019s a 40 minute train ride from Namba. Now, if Mark went to Osaka with friends, this would definitely be on the itinerary. But would we go out of our way as a couple or a family? Probably not.<\/p>\n Minoh Falls<\/strong>: This 2.8km (1.7 miles) forest walk passes through a nature park and leads to a 100-ft tall waterfall. It\u2019s a proper escape from the city into fresh air, trees and scenic nature. But the path leading to Minoh Falls<\/a> is a 30 minute train ride from Umeda (and you\u2019d have to get to Umeda first). We\u2019d consider it if we visited in autumn when the fall foliage colors illuminate and we didn\u2019t also plan to visit other nature areas in Nara or Kyoto. Otherwise, it\u2019s a lot of effort for a short nature walk when there\u2019s loads more to see in downtown Osaka.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n We hope our guide on the top things to do in Osaka helps with planning your trip.<\/p>\n If you\u2019d like more personalized help, we offer expert travel planning consultations where we answer any questions you have, help you avoid tourist traps and plan out your entire itinerary step by step. See our packages and reviews<\/a>.<\/p>\n Still researching for your trip?<\/strong><\/p>\n![\"Mark](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/where-are-those-morgans-osaka-castle.webp\" "\\"where")
![\"Map](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2027\/03\/osaka-attractions-map.webp\" "\\"osaka")
Wandering Around Dotonbori & Namba<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Kristen](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/osaka-covered-shopping-arcade.webp\" "\\"osaka")
![\"Kristen](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/dotonbori-osaka.webp\" "\\"dotonbori")
![\"Mark](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/namba-yasaka-jinja.webp\" "\\"namba")
Sampling Local Food At Kuromon Market<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Kristen](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/kuromon-market-entrance.webp\" "\\"kuromon")
![\"Mark](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/wagyu-beef-kuromon-market.webp\" "\\"wagyu")
Climbing Osaka Castle<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/osaka-castle.webp\" "\\"osaka")
![\"Kristen](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/top-of-osaka-castle.webp\" "\\"top")
Visiting Osaka Tenmangu Shrine<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Looking](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/osaka-tenmangu-shrine.webp\" "\\"osaka")
![\"Cherry](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2027\/03\/nakanoshima-island-osaka.webp\" "\\"nakanoshima")
Soaking Up City Views From Umeda Sky Building Or Abeno Harukas<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Looking](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/umeda-sky-building.webp\" "\\"umeda")
![\"Serene](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/umeda-sky-building-sunset-view.webp\" "\\"umeda")
![\"Kristen](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/abeno-harukas-view.webp\" "\\"abeno")
![\"Mark](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/abeno-harukas-360.webp\" "\\"abeno")
Visiting Shitennoji Temple<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/shitennoji-temple.webp\" "\\"shitennoji")
![\"Mark](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/inside-shitennoji-pagoda.webp\" "\\"inside")
Going Retro In Shinsekai<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Mark](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/shinsekai-osaka.webp\" "\\"shinsekai")
![\"Crowds](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/tsutenkaku-tower-osaka.webp\" "\\"tsutenkaku")
Taking A Day Trip To Nara<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Lots](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/nara-deer.webp\" "\\"nara")
![\"Kristen](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/temple-steps-nara.webp\" "\\"temple")
Experiencing The Iconic Osaka Foodie Scene<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Bowl](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/ramen-osaka.webp\" "\\"ramen")
![\"Various](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2027\/03\/kobe-beef-for-sale.webp\" "\\"kobe")
What To Skip<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"Looking](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/zodiac-compass-osaka-tenmangu.webp\" "\\"zodiac")
Next Steps<\/span><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2027\/03\/what-to-do-in-osaka.jpg.optimal.jpg\")
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<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n![\"Photo](\"https:\/\/s39023.pcdn.co\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/mark-and-kristen-morgan-author-profile.png\")
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