Things to Do in Osaka, Japan

Tokyo draws the crowds and Kyoto draws the romance, but Osaka is where Japan shrugs its shoulders and admits it just wants a good meal and a good laugh. I used to treat it as a transit hub, a place to sleep before the bullet train. On my last trip I gave it three full days, and it became my favourite city in the country. Osaka is loud, informal, and completely unapologetic about it, and that turns out to be exactly what I wanted.

Walk Dotonbori After Dark

The heart of the city is Dotonbori, the canal lined street that becomes a river of neon after sunset. The giant mechanical crab sign, the running man billboards and the faces in the crowd all pile on top of each other, and it works. I walked it first at night, when the steam from the takoyaki stalls rose into the glow, and again the next morning, when the same street was empty and almost calm. Both versions are worth seeing.

Try the Street Food at Kuromon Market

Osaka is famous for its food, and Kuromon Ichiba Market is the best place to start. I ate my way down the covered lanes, tasting grilled scallops, skewers of beef, cut fruit and the endless variations of takoyaki, the octopus balls that Osaka considers its own. The stallholders are patient with tourists and happy to explain the best bits to try. Go early, before ten, when the locals do and the queues are short.

Climb to Osaka Castle

Osaka Castle sits in the middle of a wide park, rebuilt and surrounded by a moat that makes it feel more defensive than decorative. The top floor has an observation deck with a view over the whole city, and the museum inside traces the castle’s many lives. I did not find the history dry, since the story of the siege and the rebuilding is genuinely dramatic. Give it a couple of hours and walk to the castle from the park entrance so you cross the moat properly.

Explore Shinsekai in the Day

Shinsekai, the working class district beneath the Tsutenkaku tower, is where Osaka shows its older face. I wandered the narrow streets lined with kushikatsu, deep fried skewers on sticks, and old game arcades that had not changed in decades. It is not polished and it does not try to be, which is the point. The view from the Tsutenkaku tower over the rooftops is good, but the real reason to come is the food and the character of the streets below.

Eat Okonomiyaki Like a Local

You cannot leave Osaka without okonomiyaki, the savoury cabbage pancake you cook on a griddle at your table. I found a small place in the Umeda district where half the diners were regulars, and I followed their lead, flipping the pancake when they did and adding sauce and mayonnaise in the right order. The key is to let it cook slowly. Wait for the edges to brown and you will understand why this dish started in this city.

Take a Day Trip to Kema Sakura or Nara

Osaka works well as a base. Nara is a short train ride away and holds the famous deer park and one of the largest bronze Buddhas in the world, and I went there as an easy day trip. On a second day I took a slower local train to the cherry blossom spots and the riverside walks along the Yodo River, which were peaceful even outside bloom season. The city’s transport network is so good that everything feels close.

Practical Notes for First Timers

Osaka is easy to navigate, with a simple subway grid and plenty of signs in English. Carry cash, since many small food stalls and family restaurants do not take cards. The weather is mild but humid, so loose cotton clothing works better than heavy layers. And do not let the crowds put you off eating around Dotonbori, since the side streets and the upstairs floors of the larger buildings hold some of the best spots, away from the tourist crush.

Osaka does not beg you to love it. It feeds you, entertains you and sends you home full. On my list of Japanese cities, that counts for a lot.

See the City From Umeda and the Aquarium

For a different view, take the elevator to the top of the Umeda Sky Building, whose twin towers are joined by a garden observatory with a circular walkway. The view over Osaka in every direction is remarkable, and the building feels like something from a film set. If you enjoy marine life, the Kaiyukan Aquarium is one of the best in Asia, with a huge central tank that you circle at different levels like a diving bell. I spent a happy morning there, and it made a restful change from the bright lights. Both are easy to reach from central Osaka, and the aquarium especially is worth an hour on a hot day.