Osaka 3 day itinerary

A 3 day Osaka plan built from our catalogue. Each stop shows a photo, why to go, the hours it keeps and how to reach the next stop; the hours are checked against the weekday it falls on.

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Day 1 · Fri 4 Dec

Osaka Castle · Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street · Shinsekai · Dotonbori

Covers Chuo Ward, Naniwa Ward and Namba. 4 sights and 2 meals. Travel between stops: 5 legs, about 71 min in all (ride times are estimates).

09:00–10:30
Osaka CastleChuo Ward
Photo: Dick Thomas Johnson, CC BY 2.0
A castle built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, whose main keep is a museum. Source
Catalogue hours 09:00–18:00
Admission ¥1,200 · official page
About 32 min to the next stop: walk 16 min to Osaka Business Park, Osaka Metro Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line from Osaka Business Park to Shinsaibashi (6 stops, about 11 min), walk 5 min
10:50–12:35
Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping StreetChuo Ward
Photo: Mc681, CC BY-SA 4.0
A long covered shopping arcade running near Shinsaibashi Station. Source
No hours in the catalogue
11 min walk to the next stop
12:45–13:45
Tsurutontan SoemonchoChuo Ward
A udon restaurant opened in 1989 where you eat freshly boiled udon at a seat by the Dotonbori river. Source
Catalogue hours 11:00–06:00
About 11 min to the next stop: walk 3 min to Nippombashi, Osaka Metro Sakaisuji Line from Nippombashi to Ebisucho (1 stop, about 3 min), walk 5 min
14:00–15:30
ShinsekaiNaniwa Ward
Photo: Guilhem Vellut, CC BY 2.0
An old Osaka district under Tsutenkaku where skewered-fry shops cluster. Source
No hours in the catalogue
About 16 min to the next stop: walk 9 min to Imaimiyaebisu, Nankai Koya Line from Imaimiyaebisu to Namba (1 stop, about 3 min), walk 4 min
15:45–17:45
DotonboriNamba
Photo: Martin Falbisoner, CC BY-SA 4.0
A lively quarter of Osaka’s Minami where restaurants and signs line the riverside. Source
No hours in the catalogue
1 min walk to the next stop
18:00–19:15
Harijyu Dotonbori Honten (Japanese Dining)Chuo Ward
Photo: 妖精書士, CC0
The main restaurant of a black wagyu specialist founded in 1919. Source
Catalogue hours 11:30–15:30, 17:00–21:00 · Closed Tue

Day 2 · Sat 5 Dec

Umeda Sky Building · Nakanoshima Park · Osaka City Central Public Hall

Covers Kita Ward, Nakanoshima and Honmachi. 3 sights and 2 meals. Travel between stops: 4 legs, about 37 min in all (ride times are estimates).

10:15–11:45
Umeda Sky BuildingKita Ward
Photo: Kakidai, CC BY-SA 4.0
A building with an observatory on floors 39 and 40 and a rooftop floating garden. Source
Catalogue hours 09:30–22:30
Admission ¥2,000 · official page
11 min walk to the next stop
12:00–13:00
Okonomiyaki Kiji HontenKita Ward
A popular shop in the Shin-Umeda Shokudogai where okonomiyaki is cooked for you at the iron griddle. Source
Catalogue hours 11:30–21:30 · Closed Sun
About 15 min to the next stop: walk 1 min to Umeda, Osaka Metro Midosuji Line from Umeda to Yodoyabashi (1 stop, about 3 min), walk 11 min
13:20–14:35
Nakanoshima ParkKita Ward
Photo: Kansai explorer, CC BY-SA 3.0
A city-centre rest area between rivers, good for walking and linking the park with modern architecture. Source
Open 24 hours
6 min walk to the next stop
14:45–16:00
Osaka City Central Public HallNakanoshima
Photo: Kakidai, CC BY-SA 4.0
A red-brick public hall on Nakanoshima, a space for civic activities and events recognised for the cultural value of its exterior and interior decoration. Source
Catalogue hours 09:30–21:30 · Other closing days apply
5 min walk to the next stop
17:30–18:45
Honke ShibatoHonmachi
A long-established Kamigata (Osaka) style grilled-eel restaurant founded in the Kyoho era (1716–1736), now said to be in its 15th generation. It is at Koraibashi. Source
No hours in the catalogue

Day 3 · Sun 6 Dec

Sumiyoshi Taisha · Abeno Harukas · Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan · Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel

Covers Sumiyoshi Ward, Abeno, Tennoji and Shinsekai, Tempozan and Minato Ward (Tempozan). 4 sights and 2 meals. Travel between stops: 5 legs, about 86 min in all (ride times are estimates).

09:00–10:30
Sumiyoshi TaishaSumiyoshi Ward
Photo: Saigen Jiro, CC0
The head shrine of Sumiyoshi shrines nationwide, with four national-treasure main halls. Source
Catalogue hours 06:30–17:00
About 24 min to the next stop: walk 4 min to Sumiyoshi, Hankai Tramway Uemachi Line from Sumiyoshi to Tennoji-Ekimae (9 stops, about 17 min), walk 3 min
11:00–12:30
Abeno HarukasAbeno
Photo: Oilstreet, CC BY 2.5
A 300 m super-tall complex building with an observatory. Source
Catalogue hours 09:00–22:00 · Last entry 21:30
15 min walk to the next stop
12:45–13:45
Kushikatsu Ohji Shinsekai HontenTennoji and Shinsekai
A kushikatsu specialist whose main shop is in Shinsekai; its official site promotes kushikatsu and takoyaki scented with bonito broth. It has shops at sightseeing areas such as Shinsekai and Dotonbori. Source
No hours in the catalogue
About 37 min to the next stop: walk 10 min to Shin-Imaimiya, Osaka Loop Line from Shin-Imaimiya to Bentencho (4 stops, about 8 min), change at Bentencho (4 min), Osaka Metro Chuo Line from Bentencho to Osakako (2 stops, about 6 min), walk 9 min
14:25–16:25
Osaka Aquarium KaiyukanTempozan
Photo: 663highland, CC BY 2.5
A large aquarium where you see the animals along a journey around the Pacific Ocean. Source
Catalogue hours 10:00–20:00
Admission ¥2,700 · official page
5 min walk to the next stop
16:30–18:00
Tempozan Giant Ferris WheelMinato Ward (Tempozan)
Photo: そらみみ, CC BY-SA 4.0
From 112.5 m high, look down over Osaka’s harbour for about 15 minutes. Source
Catalogue hours 10:00–21:00
Admission ¥900 · official page
5 min walk to the next stop
18:05–19:20
Kushimaru Tempozan MarketplaceMinato Ward (Tempozan)
A restaurant on the 3rd floor of Tempozan Marketplace serving unlimited kushikatsu. Source
Catalogue hours 11:00–21:00

Weekly closing days

The plan runs Friday to Sunday. If you shift it to another weekday, check these first: Day 1: Harijyu Dotonbori Honten (Japanese Dining) (Tue); Day 2: Okonomiyaki Kiji Honten (Sun).

Getting around

Tap in and out with a Suica or Pasmo IC card on the trains and metros below (the catalogue lists no fares, so none are quoted here). Walking times follow streets; ride times are estimates. Lines this plan rides: Osaka Metro Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line, Osaka Metro Sakaisuji Line, Nankai Koya Line, Osaka Metro Midosuji Line, Hankai Tramway Uemachi Line, Osaka Loop Line, Osaka Metro Chuo Line.

Where to stay

Stay within walking distance of a station on one of the lines above: every ride in this plan uses them. The three days cover Chuo Ward, Naniwa Ward, Namba, Kita Ward, Nakanoshima, Honmachi, Sumiyoshi Ward, Abeno, Tennoji and Shinsekai, Tempozan and Minato Ward (Tempozan).

Where you sleep: Fri 4 Dec to Sun 6 Dec, 2 nights

Descriptions are English translations of our catalogue notes, each linked to the page it was taken from.

Walking times follow OpenStreetMap streets. Ride times are estimated from the line length, not a timetable. Line and station names are from OpenStreetMap (ODbL).

Hours are the official times in our catalogue for the weekday each stop falls on. Check the official page before you go.

See the Osaka travel guide