HotHotels
Swissotel Nankai Osaka, Osaka

Things to do guide

The best things to do in Osaka

Updated 7 October 2026 · 15 things to do

Pictured: Swissotel Nankai Osaka

Osaka is the city Japan goes to when it wants to loosen its tie. It is louder, funnier and hungrier than Tokyo or Kyoto, and it has a word for its favourite pastime: kuidaore, eating until you drop. Neon signs the size of buildings, mechanical crabs waving their claws, queues for octopus dumplings at midnight. Subtle it is not.

There are proper sights too, from a great castle to one of Japan's oldest temples, and some of the country's best day trips start at its stations. But the honest advice is to plan your days around your meals, and let the sightseeing fit in between.

Don't miss

  1. 1Dotonbori
  2. 2Osaka Castle
  3. 3Shinsekai
  4. 4Takoyaki and okonomiyaki
  5. 5Universal Studios Japan

The big sights

  1. Dotonbori

    Neighbourhood

    Neon signs along Dotonbori at night
    Photo: Sakai Yayoi, CC0

    The canal-side strip that is Osaka's calling card: a wall of neon, giant model crabs, pufferfish and dumplings bolted to shopfronts, and the Glico running man sign that everyone copies for a photograph on Ebisu Bridge. It is brash, crowded and enormous fun.

    Come after dark, when the lights bounce off the water, and eat as you go. Boats run along the canal if you would rather see it sitting down.

  2. Osaka Castle

    Landmark

    The main keep of Osaka Castle
    Photo: 663highland, CC BY 2.5

    A white and green keep trimmed with gold, rising above massive stone walls and wide moats in the middle of the city. The tower itself is a modern reconstruction with a museum inside and a viewing deck on top. The surrounding park is the real draw, especially in cherry blossom season, when half of Osaka seems to picnic under the trees.

  3. Umeda Sky Building

    Landmark

    The twin towers of the Umeda Sky Building joined by the Floating Garden Observatory
    Photo: Martin Falbisoner, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Two towers joined at the top by a ring-shaped rooftop called the Floating Garden Observatory, reached by an escalator that crosses open air between them. The open deck gives a full sweep of the city and the bay. Time it for sunset and stay as the lights come on.

  4. Shitenno-ji

    Landmark

    Founded by Prince Shotoku in the sixth century, Shitenno-ji is regarded as one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Japan. The buildings have been rebuilt many times, but the layout is the original: a gate, a five-storey pagoda and a main hall in a straight line. It is a quiet hour in a noisy city.

  5. Sumiyoshi Taisha

    Landmark

    The arched Sorihashi bridge at Sumiyoshi Taisha
    Photo: Saigen Jiro, CC0

    One of Japan's oldest Shinto shrines, in the south of the city, built in a style that predates the arrival of Buddhist architecture from the mainland. The steep, bright red Sorihashi bridge arching over the pond is the photograph. It is far less visited than the castle and feels properly local.

Neighbourhoods to wander

  1. Shinsekai

    Neighbourhood

    Tsutenkaku tower above the streets of Shinsekai
    Photo: Guilhem Vellut from Annecy, France, CC BY 2.0

    The name means 'New World', and when it was laid out in the early twentieth century it was. Today it is a gloriously retro quarter of lantern-hung restaurants, old game parlours and the Tsutenkaku tower rising over the lot. This is the home of kushikatsu, and the place to see Osaka with its guard down.

  2. Shinsaibashi and Amerikamura

    Neighbourhood

    The covered Shinsaibashi-suji shopping arcade
    Photo: そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0

    Shinsaibashi-suji is a covered shopping arcade that runs for block after block north of Dotonbori, lined with everything from department stores to chemists. A few streets west, Amerikamura is the youth-fashion district: vintage shops, street food, record stores and a lot of people-watching.

  3. Kuromon Market

    Market

    Kuromon Market in Osaka
    Photo: DVMG, CC BY 3.0

    A covered market near Namba that has fed the city's cooks for generations. Stalls grill scallops, sea urchin, wagyu skewers and eel to order, and sell glossy fruit at eye-watering care. It is touristy these days, but still a fine place for a roaming breakfast.

    Tip: Go in the morning: many stalls wind down by late afternoon.

Eat and drink

In Osaka, this is the main event.

  1. Takoyaki and okonomiyaki

    Food

    A tray of takoyaki in Osaka
    Photo: City Foodsters, CC BY 2.0

    The two dishes Osaka is proudest of. Takoyaki are molten balls of batter with a piece of octopus inside, flipped at speed in cast-iron moulds and eaten far too hot. Okonomiyaki is a thick savoury pancake of cabbage and whatever you fancy, cooked on a hotplate and striped with sauce and mayonnaise.

    Tip: Let takoyaki cool for a minute. The inside stays scalding long after the outside feels safe.

  2. Kushikatsu

    Food

    Kushikatsu, deep-fried skewers
    Photo: chrisada, CC BY 2.0

    Skewers of meat, seafood and vegetables, breadcrumbed, deep-fried and dipped in a thin, sweet-savoury sauce. Shinsekai is the traditional place to eat them, usually at a counter with a cold beer. Where the sauce is shared, the house rule is famous: no double dipping.

Days out with the family

  1. Universal Studios Japan

    Activity

    Hogwarts castle at Universal Studios Japan
    Photo: Leeyj0401, CC BY-SA 4.0

    One of the most visited theme parks in Asia, down by the bay. Super Nintendo World, with its life-size Mushroom Kingdom, and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter are the headline lands, alongside the big film rides. It is a full day, and a long one.

    Tip: Avoid weekends and Japanese school holidays if you can, and arrive before the gates open.

  2. Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

    Wildlife

    The Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan building
    Photo: 663highland, CC BY 2.5

    A large aquarium in the bay area, arranged as a spiral walk down around a huge central tank themed on the Pacific Ocean. It pairs neatly with the giant Tempozan Ferris wheel next door, and makes a good rainy-day plan for families.

Day trips

  1. Nara

    Day trip

    A short train ride east, Japan's first permanent capital packs its sights into one big park. Todai-ji holds a giant bronze Buddha in a colossal wooden hall, deer wander the lawns, and the paths to Kasuga Taisha are lined with stone lanterns. It is an easy, unhurried day.

  2. Himeji Castle

    Day trip

    The white keep of Himeji Castle
    Photo: Martin Falbisoner, CC BY-SA 4.0

    West of Osaka by train, Himeji is the finest surviving original castle in Japan: a brilliant white complex of towers and gateways nicknamed the White Heron. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and unlike Osaka's keep it is the real, centuries-old thing. Expect steep wooden stairs inside.

  3. Kyoto

    Day trip

    The old imperial capital is close enough that plenty of visitors sleep in Osaka and commute to the temples. One day will only scratch the surface, so pick a side of town: the gates of Fushimi Inari and the eastern hills, or the bamboo of Arashiyama and the Golden Pavilion.

Where to stay in Osaka

Not sure which area suits you? Read our guide: Where to stay in Osaka →

Getting around

The subway is the simplest way around, and the Midosuji line links the three places you will use most: Umeda, Shinsaibashi and Namba. JR's loop line circles the centre and stops at Osaka Castle. A rechargeable IC card saves buying tickets each time. You do not need a car.

When to go

Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons, with cherry blossom at the castle in spring. Summer is hot and sticky, and winter is cold but usually dry and bright. The food, happily, is a year-round attraction.

Questions about visiting Osaka

What is Osaka best known for?
Street food and nightlife, above all the neon of Dotonbori, plus Osaka Castle, the retro Shinsekai district and Universal Studios Japan.
How many days do you need in Osaka?
Two days covers the city's main sights and plenty of eating. Add a day for Universal Studios Japan and one or two more for day trips to Nara, Himeji or Kyoto.
Is Osaka worth visiting?
Yes, particularly if you like food and a livelier, less formal side of Japan. It is also a practical base, with fast trains to Kyoto, Nara, Kobe and Himeji.
What is there to do in Osaka with kids?
Universal Studios Japan is the big one, followed by the Kaiyukan aquarium and Tempozan Ferris wheel, Osaka Castle park and the deer at Nara.

More guides