Osaka is a popular city in Japan that is culturally and historically famous and has many newly developed attractions. Everything about this city is interesting; from the history at the historical landmarks to the delicious foods sold on the streets.
Here are 23 memorable things to do in Osaka, Japan, making your visits truly one of a kind. Osaka will roll out a host of exciting deals: delightful neighborhoods, striking landmarks, and distinct activities, making it a tourist's choice destination for adventure lovers as well as culture seekers.
1. Explore The Osaka Castle
Osaka Castle is one of the Osaka Japan attractions that stands for the feudal era of Japan. With grandeur in architecture and wonderful gardens that make an ideal retreat, especially during cherry blossom time, one can find between the different structures in and around a castle.
The castle houses a museum, which displays different artifacts such as display cabinets with samurai armor alongside multimedia presentations of the richer history of the region. The view from the top floor indulges visitors in panoramic vistas of Osaka.
2. Discover The Wonders Of Universal Studios Japan
Universal Studios Japan is an extremely large theme park located in Osaka that deals with a broad area of popular American films and gives thrilling rides, captivating places to explore, and fantastic live entertainment performances.
Some areas to be explored include the themed areas such as The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, where Hogwarts Castle and Butterbeer are located, as well as Super Nintendo World, which is all about Super Mario. Moreover, exciting rides for thrill seekers are also available here.
3. Encounter Aquatic Life At Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is among the biggest aquariums globally, and visitors can have a journey through the ocean. Located in the Bay Area of Osaka, 15 exhibit areas take visitors through representative habitats from the Arctic to the tropical regions.
The centerpiece of the site is a large venue with a whale, shark, and the biggest fish in the entire universe. Here you will see more than 620 species from sea otters to manta rays. Visitors experience smooth and sometimes quite different views when the aquarium spirals down by the sea.
4. Ride The Tempozan Ferris Wheel
Standing proud at a height of 112.5 meters is the Tempozan Ferris Wheel in Osaka. This giant Ferris wheel can seat 480 passengers at one time, allowing for easy and comfortable viewing from the interior of the cabins of the Osaka Bay area and the city skyline.
Regardless during the day or night, taking a ride on this Ferris wheel brings a different sight of the surroundings. In the nighttime, it gleams and dazzles with exquisite illumination shows, making it all the more magical.
This is an impressive spot for family bonding or couples in search of unforgettable views and a rather exciting yet relaxing experience.
5. Take In The Sights At Kuchu Teien Observatory
Kuchu Teien Observatory has some unconventional experiences in its new-age indoor and outdoor observation platforms, which capture stunning panoramic viewpoints of the city. Located inside the hanging Umeda Sky Building, the observatory offers the visitor an exceptional experience of the Osaka skyline and beyond.
The space incorporates an eatery where guests may enjoy food and a cozy cafe for an afternoon break. Also, there is a gift shop for those who would want to come back with a souvenir. A place that is high in modern and full of vibrant is really one of the places to which tourists and locals must go.
6. Admire The Beauty Of Hozen-ji Temple
Hozen-ji Temple is a Buddhist temple in Japan's Jōdo-shū sect. The central figure in this temple is the moss-covered statue of Fudō Myōō, who is the guardian deity of wisdom and strength. It is often seen that the visitors pour water onto the idol as an act of belief, and this encourages moss growth over it.
Hozen-ji is in a narrow alley lined with traditional lanterns and quaint shops. It is a spiritual and cultural gemstone that would bring several people to visit Osaka for its serenity and history. Hence, it is one of the best things to do and see in Osaka.
7. Uncover The Secrets Of Science At Osaka Science Museum
Osaka Science Museum is a highly interesting place for inquisitive individuals and families. It is a museum themed around space and energy, which has four levels devoted to physics, chemistry, and sound, with interactive exhibits for people of all ages.
At the bottom of the building is the most advanced planetarium with which one can be awed by the cosmos. The hands-on experiments and educational displays for enjoyment and making science accessible highlight this area. At the end of the exploration, you can also relax in the museum's coffee shop.
8. Immerse Yourself In The Cup Noodles Museum Osaka Ikeda
CupNoodles Museum Osaka Ikeda is not only a traditional museum but one where people can experience the history of instant noodle culture and Cup Noodle. This amusing and educational food museum truly engages visitors and challenges them to understand the importance of invention and the driving force of the displays.
The visit covers an exhibit factory, a lesson on how instant ramen came into being, and the mind-boggling number of flavors released. It includes customizing your Cup Noodles and tasting different flavors. Overall, this is one of the wonderful Osaka Japan things to do.
9. Spend Time At Osaka Tenmangu Shrine
Osaka Tenmangu Shrine is one of the oldest Shinto shrines of Japan established in the 10th century. Its deities of worship include Sugawara no Michizane, the god of learning.
This shrine is in Osaka and thus, one of the culturally important sites and also home to one of the largest festivals in the globe known as the Tenjin Matsuri Festival, which takes place in July each year.
The festival of Tenjin-shin/soul consists of a brilliant procession, boat race, and women's dances during which many people go to the shrine. The beauty of the shrine lies in its gardens of stunning historical architecture, thus making it important to visit.
10. Appreciate Nakanoshima Museum Of Art, Osaka (NAKKA)
Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka (NAKKA) is one of the best art centers for any art enthusiast. Today it has over 6,000 works of art that range from the mid-19th century up to the present.
The Museum hosts masterpieces from both Japanese and foreign artists in different forms: Western-style paintings and nihonga (or Japanese-style) paintings, European modern art, contemporary ones, prints, photographs, sculptures, and innovative designs.
The public can access intimate houses through carefully curated exhibits showing artistic expression and cultural change.
11. Attend A Performance At The National Bunraku Theatre
National Bunraku Theatre which is located in Chūō-ku, Osaka, is a major establishment in Japan for the preserving and promoting of the almost-extinct bunraku puppeteering art. This theatre consists of a two-hall complex, a large main hall, a relatively smaller, intimate hall, and an exhibition room.
So, visitors can enjoy an authentic Bunraku performance, in which puppets are manipulated by a troupe of skillful puppeteers with live narration and music by the side. Activities as such would be coupled with educational hiring and exhibitions associated with this UNESCO-recognized art form.
12. Tour The Kids Plaza Ōsaka
Kids Plaza Ōsaka is designed to be a one-of-a-kind, modern scientific and educational museum for children: touch learning and stimulating workshops. Osaka has these features, all about having fun, whereby children can freely play with science concepts.
Shows exhibits on various topics such as physics, biology, or technology meant to excite curiosity and promote learning. It is also an indoor playground that gives a safe and fun space for kids to run, play, and explore.
13. Stroll Through The Nakanoshima Park
Osaka's first public park, Nakanoshima, serves as an oasis within the city's heart. It consists of a thin island between two rivers and a beautiful landscaped rose garden ideal for leisurely walks.
The park also marks the presence of Nakanoshima Library, a famous architecture of the Osaka Prefecture, and the Museum of Ceramics, which houses beautiful collections of pottery.
It also shows visitors tremendous skyline views within Nakanoshima, making it a great sightseeing space in Osaka, as well as the comfort and scenic beauty that nature has to offer.
14. Journey Through Dotonbori
If you are wondering what to do in Osaka then you can make a plan to visit Dotonbori. Students and after-work drinkers favor this street as small bars and izakaya taverns can be found here. At night, small lanes are lit with neon billboards, including the popular Glico running man sign.
Street food vendors serve grilled takoyaki or octopus balls, which are certainly a must-try. You can also visit the Shochikuza Theatre, where they perform kabuki dramas and live music or you can go to the Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum to see classic woodblock prints. These show the old traditional Japanese artistry.
15. Appreciate The Museum Of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka
The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka houses a rich collection of world-renowned East Asian ceramics masterpieces over two thousand years from Persia, Vietnam, China, Korea, and Japan. Such treasures are naturally lit for their enhanced viewing, offering an interesting experience.
With its fine ancient Chinese and Korean ceramics, the museum is dedicated to the conservation, research, and interpretation of its collection. Majestic chinawares are set for visitors to behold and learn about their cultural and historical significance.
16. Travel To Osaka Museum Of Natural History
From education to entertainment, the Osaka Museum of Natural History has everything for nature lovers under its central theme:" Nature and humans." The museum has about 10,000 active specimens in its collection: animals, plants, insects, rocks, and fossils.
Exhibits include a focus on the particular environment of Osaka as well as the planet's larger historical relation with the Earth's features. It will attract all who can enjoy these exhibits with hands-on displays and learn about human-nature interactions in attractive presentations for the entire family.
17. Enjoy A Visit To Imamiya Ebisu Jinja
Imamiya Ebisu Jinja is a historical Shinto shrine in Osaka, Japan that is associated with deep cultural importance. The shrine enshrines the guardian deity for the western area of Osaka and is worshiped as the protector of markets and business prosperity.
The shrine honors Ebisu, the god of fishermen, good fortune, and trade. Those who visit, walk through the grounds and pray for a successful business, good health, and happiness can take in the serenity of the environment. The annual Toka Ebisu festival lights up the shrine and brings many people to ask for fortune and good luck.
18. Engage With The Collections At The National Museum Of Ethnology
The National Museum of Ethnology is a great place to go for the culture buffs! The museum is one of Japan's major museums and the biggest research institute in Japan for the humanities and all social sciences.
It takes the visitor on a journey around the world through extensive exhibits of artifacts, traditional costumes, music, and art. Then, there are collections of audiovisuals and interactive displays that bring the societies to the visitor in unique ways, making it one of the best things to do in Osaka Japan.
19. Pay A Visit To The Mint Museum
The Mint Museum is one of those Osaka things to see that reveal the history of coin minting in Japan. One can see how and where coins and medals for honor are still minted in Japan today.
It exposes the complex processes of minting a coin and shows how the development of currency has come in Japan. Besides all the displays, the museum offers a quiet cherry tree garden, ideal for relaxation and contemplation.
Available all year round, it has a unique opportunity to be educated yet experience the artistry and skills involved in Japan's coinage in peaceful surroundings.
20. Walk Through Sukunahikona Shrine
Sukunahikona Shrine in Doshomachi, Osaka is dedicated to Sukunahikona no Mikoto, the ancestor of Japanese medicine, and Shennong Yantei, the ancestor of Chinese medicine.
The shrine serves as the guardian deity of Japanese medicine and attracts many visitors who pray for recovery from illness, good health, safe medical treatment, and freedom from evil. The shrine is annually known for its festival celebrating the gods' healing powers.
This shrine holds cultural and spiritual significance for both Japanese and Chinese communities.
21. Enjoy The Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park Windmill
Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park gives us a stretch of free space along with its beautiful coverage that has an attractive European windmill. The windmill, which has been put up aside to commemorate the 2000 Expo, is still one of the bouquet decorations cast onto the park's extensive grounds.
Visitors can enjoy a walk along its big flower beds, silent lakeside views, and theme gardens around the park. It also has recreational facilities that have different ranges of playgrounds and sports areas making it family-friendly and nature-loving.
22. Stroll Down The Bustling Shinsaibashi-Suji Shopping Street
Shinsaibashi-Suji Shopping Street is one of the busiest measuring more than 600 meters to accommodate many shops together with restaurants in Osaka. Here you can buy exquisite clothes to marvelous souvenirs and of course, taste the delicious local cuisine.
It is, of course, a shoppers' paradise, packed with high-end tax-free retailers that offer airport delivery services. Luxurious as well as quirky, Shinsaibashi-Suji has something for everyone; therefore, it becomes one of the places that you must visit when you are part of the shopping exploration in Osaka.
23. Experience The Serenity Of Sumiyoshi Taisha
Sumiyoshi Taisha or Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine is highly recognized among Shinto shrines in Japan. It is the principal shrine of all Sumiyoshi shrines, attributed with great cultural importance.
The famous structures, such as the unique arched bridge and the honden (main hall), have been rebuilt many times since the 3rd century, preserving the historical charm. Visitors can enjoy the peacefulness of nature, traditions are closely woven into their spiritual atmosphere, making it an attraction one must visit in Osaka.
