I have been to Osaka a few times and my family recently went and wanted me to create a plan for them so that they could make it the most in the 6 days in Osaka. Bear in mind that my family consists of four people and interests are different from you so this plan might be completely right for or not. You could just use this as an example for your upcoming trip to Osaka as well.
I recommend you download a railway app too. I have used the 'City Rail Map' it's got a pink background with a train logo. You will need to download the map beforehand. But I really like to used the tool to calculate how much time it will take, how many transfers and what line you need to take. Most importantly this is FREE!
Assuming that you will arrive at Kansai airport (KIX). I have tried a few different hotel in Osaka but don't have a definite one that I will totally recommend on location and the room. But generally, a normal hotel room will be relatively smaller than most you've seen. One of the hotels I've tried is APA which is a famous hotel branch in Japan I've tried their hotel in Tokyo as well. Their hotel rooms are quite small so is the toilet. But when I choose a hotel/motel or hostel all I care about is separate bathrooms and decent clean room as most of the time I'll be outside exploring so no need for a good room and pay extra.
Day 1:
What I usually do when I land and arrive at the hotel is to explore and walk around the hotel to know my surroundings. Because if you go out to other places straight away when you go back to the hotel you may not find it easy to find the way. Also, you get to know if there are a supermarket, convenience store (which is really good in Japan), restaurants and train/bus stations.
What I wrote for my family to do after they arrive at the hotel is the following:
- Explore Shinsaibashi ( Shopping District and food too)
- Dotonbori (famous eating street)
- 551 horas meat bun (must eat!)
- Must visit/take photo Glico candy company
- Yakiniku buffet all you can eat Japanese bbq meat
- Ichiran Ramen or Ippudo ramen (一風堂 池田店)
- A range of huge logo outside of the shops are very famous; crab; dumplings
- Melonpan shop
- Takoyaki
- Okonomiyaki
- Kushikatsu (串カツ) - Kushikatsu Daruma (串カツだるま) restaurant
- Yakitori -Tayutayu Nambasennichimaeten (たゆたゆ 難波千日前店) restaurant- How to get there: The location of Tayutayu Nambasennichimaeten (たゆたゆ 難波千日前店) right across the street from Dotonburi. You can get there easily from Nipponbashi station
Day 2:
The next day I arranged the full day dedicated to Universal Studios Osaka because this place will most likely fill up your whole day. Make sure to check out the timetable on their website as the week ends they usually open at 9:30 am and weekday 9:00 am and closing time is a bit different too.
- Prices:
7,600 yen (12-64 years old) Express Passes, that allow holders to skip lines for selected rides, are available for four rides (Pass 4) (between 4,500 and 8,100 yen depending on the day) on the day of the visit at the entrance gate and inside the park. Express Passes may sell out on busy days. Rides include Harry Potter 4K3D, Minion Mayhem, Spiderman 4K3D or Jurassic Park – The Ride and JAWS or Terminator 2:3-D, Backdraft
The last time I went I didn't purchase the ticket beforehand so I had to queue up, in the end, we didn't get to buy any good passes as the most popular ones were sold out. I would really recommend you buy the passes especially on holiday and busy days. Some of the popular rides will take up to 2 hours or more to queue so that would waste a lot of time. I would recommend the Harry Potter 4K3D ride that was the best part for me and the place was really magical!
Minion land has been expanded I heard which is pretty new so there should be more stuff to do there if you're a big fan of that!
But if you are big on rides and just want to take photos and walk around then I suggest you can save the money and just buy the normal entry ticket.
- Access by Train
From Osaka Station, the fare is just 180 yen. You can either take a direct train and be there in 12 minutes or make a quick transfer at Nishikujo Station and be there in 15 minutes.
From Osaka Namba Station take the Hanshin Namba Line to Nishikujo Station and then transfer to the JR Sakurajima Line. The journey time is 20 minutes and costs 360 yen.
From JR Namba Station take the JR Yamatoji Line to Imamiya Station, then transfer to the Osaka Loop Line and go on to Nishikujo Station. At Nishikujo Station change to the JR Sakurajima Line. The journey time is 25 minutes and the fare is 180 yen.
From Kansai International Airport take the Kansai Airport Rapid Service to Nishikujo Station, and then transfer to the JR Sakurajima Line. The journey time is 1 hour and 20 minutes and the fare is 1,190 yen.
From Osaka Itami Airport take the Osaka Monorail to Hotarugaike Station and transfer to the Hankyu Takarazuka Line. Take a train bound for Hankyu Umeda Station. At Umeda transfer to Osaka Station and catch a train bound for Universal City. The journey time is 42 minutes and the fare is 600 yen
Another Possibility if you have time to spare: very close to Universal Studios
Tempozan Marketplace (shopping/dining complex)
Located between the Tempozan Ferris Wheel and Osaka Aquarium; is a large shopping centre with plenty of dining to choose from. Many of them have English menus, so ordering is easy.
Naniwa Kuishinbo Yokocho (food street)
Located inside the Tempozan Marketplace, the outlook of this shopping street is like an old era of Japan style with small restaurants selling all the usual Osaka specialities like okonomiyaki, takoyaki and kushikatsu. This is the best place to eat in the Tempozan area but like many places in Japan, it can be crowded during peak hours.
Osaka Aquarium or Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel
both nearby to Universal Studio
Day 3:
Explore the Kita District-Umeda Sky Building (skyscraper/observation deck) - About 10 minutes’ walk from the central north gate of JR Osaka Station, accessible by an underground walkway, the Umeda Sky Building is one of the tallest buildings in Osaka.Tickets for the Kuchu Teien Observatory can be purchased on the 3rd floor of the east tower. There’s an indoor and outdoor observatory
Travel from JR Osaka Station (Red line) to Tanimachi 4-chrome Station (Green Line) take 23 Mins with one transfer at Morinomiya Station using Chūō - Cosmo Square line (green)or
JR Osaka Station (Red line) to Osakajokoen Station takes 9 mins and 4 stations
- Travel to the Osaka Castle Area - Opening hours: 9:00 – 5:00 (last admission 4:30), Admission Fee: Adult 600 JPY; If you have a subway day pass you get 100 JPY off. I recommend you going from Otemon Gate at the park's southwestern corner to get to the castle. The closest station is Tanimachi 4-chrome Station along the Tanimachi Subway Line and Chuo Subway Line
You could consider going to Osaka Castle Garden (Nishinomaru Garden) for 200 yen (350 yen during the extended hours of the cherry blossom season). CLOSED ON MONDAY!!!
Travel from Tanimachi 4-chrome Station to Shitennoji-mae-Yuhigaoka Station take 5 mins - No transfer
Shitennoji Temple - How to get there: Shitennoji is a short walk from Shitennoji-mae-Yuhigaoka Station on the Tanimachi Subway Line. It can be reached in 10 minutes walk north of JR Tennoji Station on the JR Loop Line
Opening Times - Inner precinct: 8:30 - 4:30pm (300 Yen), Gokuraku-Jodo Garden: 8:30 - 4:30pm (300 Yen), Treasure House 8:30 - 4:30pm (500 Yen)
The outer temple grounds are free to enter, but there is an admission fee to enter the inner precinct, Gokuraku-Jodo Garden and the treasure house. One of Japan's oldest temples and the first ever to be built by the state
Day 4:
- Kuromon Ichiba Market (Fish Market) - Opens at 9 am; Nipponbashi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture 542-0073, Japan;
HOW TO GET THERE: Kuromon Ichiba Market is about a 10-15 minute walk from the Shinsaibashi-Dotonbori area. You can also take the subway and get off at the Nipponbashi station if you live far from that area.
I would really recommend you get there early that when most of the choices are available and fresher. But many people go early so the queues will be long some times so be prepared for it to be crowded.
-Ramen Museum (Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum)
Address: 8-25 Masumi-cho, Ikeda-shi, Osaka 563-0041, Japan
Nearest train station
Ikeda Station on the Hankyu Takarazuka Line (approximately a 20 mins ride from Hankyu Umeda Station via express train). The museum is approximately a 5 min. walk from the Masumi-cho Homen Exit. Opening times 9:30 am – 4:00 pm (Last admission is at 3:30 pm)
-My CUPNOODLES Factory - 300 yen for each CUP NOODLES
Ever so popular with tourist is making your cup noodle. You can draw or write anything on the cup and they help you pack it inside a protective bag to take back home. My brother made a soup base of spicy tomato with cheese bits which he super loves. There are many fillings and soup base to choose from.
Day 5:
Osaka to Nara:
JR line is covered by the Japan Rail Pass, but the Kintetsu Line is not! there are two options to get to Nara which is if you have the rail pass or not.
Japan rail pass:
The JR Yamatoji Line: Traveling from Osaka Station the Yamatoji Rapid Service - 50 minutes for 800 yen
No rail pass:
The Kintetsu Nara Line: Traveling from Osaka Namba Station, a Rapid Express train on the Kintetsu Nara Line - 39 minutes for 560 yen
My family used the Kintetsu line and said it was really easy to navigate and cheap half day tour away from Osaka. I suggested them going to Kyoto as well since they spend a lot of days in Osaka. But they don't know how to navigate by themselves and scared to get lost so they opted out. instead just stuck with Nara which is easy to go to.
Nara's main points of attraction:
- Deer feeding - Buy their favourite snack (shika sembei deer biscuit) to feed them, Deers bow if you bow at them
- There are a few shrines/temples but I would recommend only going to one if you're not that interested in temples. But if you have time and are interested the temples there are a few I listed down and you can go to the ones that are your preference.
- Todaiji Temple - The present structure is completed in 752; The largest wooden building in the world and has a 50-foot Buddha. Admission fee is 500 Yen
- Visiting Kasuga Taisha Shrine - As you walk to the shrine there are around 2000 stone lanterns along the walkway. Once inside the shrine, there are around 1000 bronze lanterns hanging from the building. Admission fee is 500 Yen
- Kofukuji Temple - Over a period of time the temple has been destroyed, however, there are a few that still remain and they are amazing!
Over time, the temple’s buildings have been destroyed, however, a few still remain and are quite spectacular – especially the five story pagoda, which is Japan’s second tallest
- Shinyakushi-ji Temple - A Buddhist temple that was founded in 747 by Empress Kōmyō, it suffered from fire damage and deteriorated
- Nara National Museum - Another option if you're more interested in a history of the places that you are exploring!
Day 6:
Usually I will plan the last day with 'Anything that hasn't been done!' like souviniers shopping or any shopping; last minue conveince shopping or anything you want to eat!Thank you for reading!
