Best Things to Do
left-leaf
trip-best
Best Things to Do
right-leaf
Top 20 Best Things to Do

Top 20 Best Things to Do in Osaka - 2023

Save
Discover the top attractions, sightseeing spots, activities, landmarks, and unforgettable experiences in Osaka. Plan your perfect itinerary and make the most of your visit to this vibrant destination.
Updated Sep 2023
  • No.1
    4.8/5
    15,357 Reviews
    From59.19
    taCommentScoreUrlbased on 10872 reviews
    "mario and Harry Potter parks are very recommended. The scenery of the two parks is good. I didn’t buy a fast pass. All queued for a long time but it’s worth going."
    Osaka
    7.1km from downtown
    Highlights: Universal Studios Japan is located in Osaka and is the world's third Universal Studios theme park after Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Studios Florida. Visitors can go on exciting rides, watch performances and shows, and new attraction launches each year, attracting a large number of visitors.
    Show Less
  • No.2
    4.7/5
    2,509 Reviews
    taCommentScoreUrlbased on 6695 reviews
    "This aquarium is huge! It's one of the best aquariums I've been to. You need more hours to see most, if not all, of the animals and species. There are different varieties of marine life here, so it's very impressive."
    Osaka
    8km from downtown
    Highlights: The Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is located in the ​Mount Tenpo area of Osaka Bay. It is very suitable for families and children. Walk down the spiral staircase around the central water tank, and see the huge whale shark swimming in the water tank. There are displays of a large number of marine life and attractions suitable for the entire family.
    Show Less
  • No.3
    4.8/5
    4,982 Reviews
    Free
    taCommentScoreUrlbased on 6963 reviews
    "Every year, every place in Japan starts the cherry blossom season in mid-March, and Osaka is that the cherry blossoms in mid-March are white first cherry, and the cherry blossoms turn red. Osaka Castle Park is worth visiting. The best place to punch in and take pictures, 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻"
    Osaka
    2.3km from downtown
    Highlights: Osaka Castle Park is a large park in the Osaka downtown area which features the famous Osaka Castle within. In addition, there is also a forest park and public facilities such as the multipurpose sports ground, baseball field, open-air music theater, and football field. The park is rich in vegetation, with cherry blossoms and plum blossoms attracting a large number of tourists every year.
    Show Less
  • No.4
    4.6/5
    3,275 Reviews
    Free
    taCommentScoreUrlbased on 22 reviews
    "Shinsaibashi is a shopping mall in the central district of Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. A row of department stores and specialty stores are the representative central business district of Osaka. In narrow sense, it refers to the Shinsaibashisuji, which extends north and south to the east side of Midosuji, but generally includes the west side of Midosuji, centered on the Osaka City Campground, Shinsaibashi Station. The American village, known for its popular fashion letter, is a concentration of premium brand specialty stores, fashion stores and coffee shops. Shinsaibashi is really good. There are all men and women who want to buy in Japan, and the restaurants, coffee shop are all good, and there are many Japanese snacks, small balls, ice cream pancakes, yogurt. You can eat it when you are hungry. The place at the end of Shinsaibashi Sugiri is where you can visit affordable clothing such as ZARA, H&M, UNIQLO, FOREVER 21, and there are also high-priced "Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Store" in the middle. These familiar brands are not introduced. On the contrary, I especially want to introduce a few to Shinsaibashi, which is worth visiting. It belongs to the Japanese young style brand "WEGO". The goods are also very design. For young friends with budget constraints, this one is quite good. Other brands such as Lowrys Farm and Spinns are also very good to buy."
    Osaka
    2.4km from downtown
    Highlights: Shinsaibashi is a well-known commercial shopping district in Osaka. It is centered on Shinsaibashi Commercial Street. It has a variety of boutiques, specialty stores, and department stores, as well as a variety of shops where you can buy Japanese groceries. Of course, you can also shop big brands. It is a must-visit shopping paradise. You can also find food from all over the world as well as local speciality such as Okonomiyaki, fried skewers, takoyaki, and ramen.
    Show Less
  • No.5
    4.7/5
    2,163 Reviews
    Free
    taCommentScoreUrlbased on 12526 reviews
    "Very lively place 🔥 There are many restaurants, street snacks, drugstores, souvenir shops, Jiaduo shops 🧸 There are many shops open at 12 o'clock and 1 o'clock! Eat late and drink well~"
    Osaka
    2.8km from downtown
    Highlights: Located at the southern end of Shinsaibashi, Dotonbori is a well-known and bustling business district, famous for its neighboring theaters, commercial and entertainment venues, and as the birthplace of Osaka cuisine. Japanese people often say "eat in Osaka", which shows that there are many restaurants here. There are huge billboards on both sides of the river with exaggerated and attractive shapes. Among them, the big crab signboard of Glico's signboard and Kani Dōraku's crab are the places where tourists take photos of the most. At night when the neon lights are flashing, you can also take a sightseeing boat and enjoy the night view of the city.
    Show Less
  • No.6
    4.6/5
    1,884 Reviews
    taCommentScoreUrlbased on 7985 reviews
    "Beautiful area with plenty of history! I loved the bridges & the scenic walk to the castle. Overall I loved the museum experience & the view point so I definitely recommended however, the museum has a very modern feel to it. I was expecting an older traditional feel. We visited in summer & it was about 35 degrees which was quite exhausting. Recommend this place to all tourists & people in the area."
    Osaka
    2.3km from downtown
    Highlights: Located in the center of Osaka, Osaka Castle is a major landmark of Osaka. It is also listed as one of the three famous castles in Japan's history together with Nagoya Castle and Kumamoto Castle. The Osaka Castle is divided into inner, middle, and outer castles (i.e., Honmaru, Ninomaru, Sannomaru). The magnificent city gate, the steep walls and the wide moats inside and outside are very spectacular. The pavilion also overlooks the streetscape around Osaka Castle. In the parks of the castle, plum blossoms and cherry blossoms bloom in their respective seasons, and they are famous places to enjoy plum and cherry blossoms in Osaka.
    Show Less
  • No.7
    4.6/5
    1,388 Reviews
    "The Tianshou Pavilion is located in Osaka City, Japan. It is a famous city in the world built by Toyoson Sukiyo, and is a symbol of Osaka. It is the role of military buildings and watchtowers. It is also the place of residence in the city."
    Osaka
    2.3km from downtown
    Highlights: The Main Tower of Osaka Castle is a key landmark building of Osaka that was built in 1583 and is also known as "Hideyoshi Castle". The castle interior has now been transformed into a museum that provides information on Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the castle's history, while the floor offers great views over Osaka. The castle is built on an elevated platform and features white walls with green tiles, while the end of each flying eave is adorned with a magnificent tiger or shachi formed out of gold foil . Every spring and autumn, the ancient charm of the castle is ever more prominent against the cherry blossoms or red maple leaves.
    Show Less
  • No.8
    4.7/5
    495 Reviews
    "If it’s not on your list of things to do while your in Osaka... add it. Now. Utterly fantastic! The ride was phenomenal and the Olivander’s wand shop experience was brilliant. The Butterbeer was gross though. More like ButtBeer."
    Osaka
    7km from downtown
    Highlights: Located at Universal Studios Japan, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a theme park based on the stories and characters of the well selling Harry Potter series. Visitors must walk past gigantic rocks and follow a path lined with trees three storeys high before the great doors to this magical world spring into sight. Besides housing many attractions and games related to the Harry Potter movies, the park also features many sites found in the books, including restaurants and shops. All of these help make visitors feel as if they have truly walked into a world of magic.
    Show Less
  • No.9
    4.6/5
    700 Reviews
    taCommentScoreUrlbased on 1169 reviews
    "from this tower, we can see Umeda City. very beautiful place to visit in Osaka."
    Osaka
    1.7km from downtown
    Highlights: The Umeda Sky Building is located in the Umeda district of north Osaka. A rather uniquely designed building, it consists of two towers that are connected at with a rooftop observatory deck, from which visitors can view the dazzling streets below. The building has become a landmark in Osaka, with visitors coming to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.
    Show Less
  • No.10
    4.4/5
    271 Reviews
    "Legoland on the third floor of Dabaoshan Shopping Mall is an indoor environment, and it is surprising that there are small trains inside. The Lego showroom is also very good, there will be day mode and night mode. There are not many queues, Lego will have earthquake mode after the good, check your Lego is strong enough. Fun is still relatively strong."
    Osaka
    7.8km from downtown
    Highlights: Legoland Discovery Center Osaka, located in Mount Tenpo, is an indoor amusement park ideal for children. The park makes use of Lego bricks to recreate well-known attractions and street scenes around Osaka, such as Tsutenkaku, Dotonbori, and Hanshin Koshien Stadium. Tired visitors can also watch a 4D movie or grab some food from the park's restaurant.
    Show Less
  • No.11
    4.5/5
    259 Reviews
    Free
    taCommentScoreUrlbased on 1533 reviews
    "The new world has been very hot recently. Although the surrounding security is not dripping, it is really suitable for tourists to take pictures and punch in! It is very close to Tongtian Pavilion. If it is convenient, you can play together~ The signboard here is too eye-catching! Any shot is a blockbuster. In the summer vacation, there are really few Chinese people, but there are many tourists in Southeast Asia! There are many small shops to visit, but cute love small gifts to buy and buy! The most famous here is the fried skewers, Yuanzu is the most popular, a difficult to find. In fact, fried skewers can be tried, but the shops feel that they are all for tourists. Finally, we ate an izakaya on the street far from the attractions and tried the fried skewers. The experience was good. The surrounding security is not very good at night, and the people are fearless! Now think about it a little scared... It is recommended to check in during the day, and there are fewer people taking pictures."
    Osaka
    4.7km from downtown
    Highlights: Shinsekai is Osaka's famous old neighborhood that encompasses Tsutenkaku Tower and many historical shops. Many iconic scenes are found here, and it is especially known for the image of puffer fish lanterns set off against the tower. The area has also appeared in many films and television programs. The grassroots sentiment of this district has not changed much over the years, and this is a good place to discover the past prosperity of Osaka, with the communal atmosphere of the city fully reflected here.
    Show Less
  • No.12
    4.5/5
    543 Reviews
    taCommentScoreUrlbased on 1844 reviews
    "Nothing special to see, nothing clear at night, entry 900 yen per person."
    Osaka
    4.6km from downtown
    Highlights: Located in the Shinsekai district of Osaka and patterned after the Eiffel Tower, Tsutenkaku has become an iconic landmark building in Osaka. At night, the tower is lit with colorful lights and is an attractive sight in this southern city of Japan. Visitors to the observation deck can enjoy beautiful views of the streets below while taking in the bustling city from a different perspective.
    Show Less
  • No.13
    4.5/5
    365 Reviews
    Free
    taCommentScoreUrlbased on 3258 reviews
    "The seafood food there is fresh and cheap, but you have to go early to choose more, because many of them close our store very early, and there are also some Osaka bracelet shops that can buy hand letters."
    Osaka
    3.2km from downtown
    Highlights: Kuromon Market, also known as Osaka's kitchen, is a lively market where local people go to buy fruit and vegetables. Because of the cheap prices of food and goods here, the market has attracted a number of visitors. The specialty pufferfish restaurant, with its seemingly simple storefront full of freshly caught seafood and sashimi, or the luxurious Kobe beef, are also some of the great attractions of this market.
    Show Less
  • No.14
    4.7/5
    471 Reviews
    taCommentScoreUrlbased on 1689 reviews
    "A great place to visit. Entry 950 yen/person. 15 minutes ride. Beautiful view of of Osaka city, port and Sea. Colorful wheel."
    Osaka
    7.7km from downtown
    Highlights: Located next to Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, the Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel features a spectacular "skyrocket fireworks" lighting effect at night, in which the Ferris wheel is colorfully lit with beautiful patterns. These lights also act as a real-time weather forecast for the next day's weather. At the visitors can look over the busy Osaka Port and gaze far into the distance to Kansai International Airport in the south and Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in the west.
    Show Less
  • No.15
    4.6/5
    328 Reviews
    Free
    "Hankyu Umeda Store (Hankyu うめだ Our Store) has a surprise on the top floor. The whole floor of the top floor was originally a stalk snoopy special store. The whole floor was concentrated on all snoopy products. There is everything. Snoopy fans should not miss it!"
    Osaka
    1.1km from downtown
    Highlights: Located in the north of Osaka, Umeda is one of the city’s major commercial and business districts. With Osaka Station at its center, the area gradually developed into shopping region with department stores and restaurants surrounded by skyscrapers. Attractions such as the Umeda Sky Building and various five star hotels are also in the vicinity.
    Show Less
  • No.16
    4.6/5
    384 Reviews
    taCommentScoreUrlbased on 1218 reviews
    "The all-red Ferris wheel is super suitable for taking pictures and taking the subway to Umeda. Follow the signs and go directly to the underground elevator of the mall. You can see the Ferris wheel on the 7th floor by taking the elevator! You can buy it and you can use it. You can find the staff at the entrance to scan the QR code to play! Very convenient, and cheaper than buying on-site tickets is 600"
    Osaka
    1.1km from downtown
    Highlights: Mounted on the roof of the HEP FIVE shopping mall, the red HEP FIVE Ferris Wheel has become a landmark of the northern Umeda district of Osaka. The Ferris wheel is equipped with air conditioning, and visitors can plug in their phones or music players to listen to their own music while enjoying commanding views of Mount Ikoma, Osaka Bay, and the entire city.
    Show Less
  • No.17
    4.5/5
    420 Reviews
    taCommentScoreUrlbased on 1110 reviews
    "According to the Japanese Book Chronicle, before the war, the St. Dev Prince who practiced Buddhism and the anti-Buddhist Ministry of Things, the St. Dev Prince who was in a bad situation made a wish to the four-day king of the Fa god, and after defeating the Ministry of Things, a monastery will be established for the four-day king. In 593 AD, the victorious Prince Satoshi established the Shitennoji in Osaka, a representative temple building in the era of Japanese birds. The middle gate, tower, golden hall and lecture hall of the four-tennoji temple are arranged in a straight line from north to south, this galan layout is modeled on the architectural style of China at the time, and the Nara World Heritage Falong Temple is listed as a representative of the Bird-era monastery buildings built from the end of the 6th century to the first half of the 7th century. At the beginning, the monastery was also committed to good and good, and it was divided into Xerox Hospitals for the elderly and young children, giving medicine to poor patients, and pioneering the cause of social welfare in Japan."
    Osaka
    4.6km from downtown
    Highlights: Osaka's Shitennoji Temple is said to have been constructed under the auspices of Prince Shotoku. With red pillars and white walls, the buildings are unified in style and feature religious characteristics from the Chinese Northern and Southern Dynasties. This does not, however, diminish the elegant style of the Asuka period. The distinctive stone birds outside the temple are very rarely found in Japan. The turtle pond in the middle of the temple features a stone stage in its center, which was used as a sacred place for offering sacrifices and dancing in ancient times.
    Show Less
  • No.18
    4.7/5
    144 Reviews
    taCommentScoreUrlbased on 375 reviews
    "I didn't want to go, but I found it unexpectedly fun. Although it was not big, there were not many people. The sons had a great time. They had almost played for a long time. If they didn't play, they could wait for the Japanese to play well. 😂"
    Osaka
    1.4km from downtown
    Highlights: Kids Plaza Osaka provides children with an excellent learning environment as they play. They can adopt the role of various professions including police officer, TV presenter, and business leader, and by doing so, grow their knowledge of the world and have fun at the same time! Staff are there to make the games more interactive and will play along. Even non-Japanese speakers can join in and have a fantastic time.
    Show Less
  • No.19
    4.6/5
    299 Reviews
    taCommentScoreUrlbased on 744 reviews
    "The penguin corner has been renewed and it has been devised so that you can see the water. It is a rare zoo where you can see skyscrapers and giraffes at the same time in the middle of the city. Admission is cheap and helpful."
    Osaka
    4.8km from downtown
    Highlights: Tennoji Zoo is located on the west of Tennoji Park in the south of Osaka. The park is home to a variety of animals, including koalas, raccoons, elephants, and the only kiwi in Japan. In order to promote better understanding of animals' natural habitats and their relationship with the natural environment, as well as awareness of the need for environmental protection, the zoo added a reptile house in 1995. Overall, this is a great place for families to visit.
    Show Less
  • No.20
    4.5/5
    247 Reviews
    Free
    taCommentScoreUrlbased on 377 reviews
    "The American village is located near Shinsaibashi, which is actually a product of the peak period of pro-American Japan. The specific formation time is about the 1970s. The young people's cultural imitation activities are mainly used. The merchants make decorations and changes that meet the needs, and gradually form this area with American street style."
    Osaka
    2.4km from downtown
    Highlights: America Mura refers to the area near Shinsaibashi in Osaka. It takes on a very different style from the adjacent popular Shinsaibashi Shopping Street and the elegant Midosuji Boulevard. The area is filled with hundreds of boutique stores, restaurants, and special hotels, and the American style of the pedestrians will make you feel like you are walking the streets of America.
    Show Less

FAQ

What are some Best Things to Do in Osaka?
Some Best Things to Do in Osaka include:Universal Studios Japan|Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan|Osaka Castle Park|Shinsaibashisuji|Dotombori
What are some highly-rated Best Things to Do in Osaka?
Some highly-rated Best Things to Do in Osaka include:Universal Studios Japan:4.8|Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan:4.7|Osaka Castle Park:4.8|Shinsaibashisuji:4.6|Dotombori:4.7
At what locations in Osaka can Best Things to Do in Osaka be found?
The Best Things to Do in Osaka are mainly located in:Universal Studios Japan:Osaka|Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan:Osaka|Osaka Castle Park:Osaka|Shinsaibashisuji:Osaka|Dotombori:Osaka