The Best Things to do in Osaka

After our stay in Kyoto and the wonderful sights we saw there, we headed to Osaka. It was a sunny late October morning, when we went to Kyoto Station and boarded our train. I was looking forward to traveling through the country again as well as seeing Osaka. The city is traditionally considered Japan's economic hub and it's a major financial center of the country. Osaka is recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in Japan. Ōsaka means "large hill" or "large slope". It is unclear when this name gained prominence but the oldest written evidence for the name dates back to 1496.

 

This post is part of a multi-part travel series from Japan.

For the other parts click here

 

Traveling from Kyoto to Osaka

Before we arrived in Osaka, we had a quick breakfast in Kyoto. It was a egg sandwich. Of course everything comes prepared and wrapped. But it's so delicious and fresh. Grabbing these snacks in a bakery, a Family Mart or 7 Eleven is a easy option when on the go. The image of the brioche and fruits above was a snack we had at Osaka station. It was also very delicious! There is a fast Thunderbird train going from Kyoto to Osaka every 30 minutes, so getting to Osaka is very easy.

Visiting Osaka Castle

Since we arrived in Osaka very early it wasn't check in time in our apartment, so we left our bags in coin lockers and went to the first sight of the day: the Osaka Castle. The castle is one of Japan's most famous landmarks and it played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century, We visited the outside as well as the inside. Inside the Castle you will find a museum. While it was interesting, the best part of the castle is the view from the top. There is a small observatory form which you get a 360 degree view of the city.

The castle is open to the public and is easily accessible from Osakajōkōen Station on the JR West Osaka Loop Line. If you have the JR pass I mentioned in part one, then you can ride the Osaka Loop Line with it without extra charge. The castle is a popular spot during festival seasons, and especially during the cherry blossom bloom (hanami), when the sprawling castle grounds are covered with food vendors and taiko drummers. The large indoor arena, Osaka-jō Hall, also is located within the grounds of the castle park.

Accommodation in Osaka

The sun started to go down as we arrived at our accommodation. Before that we had lunch at the Osaka Train Station. It was located in the western part of the town on the sea front.

Osaka at Night

This is the major part of this post. Osaka at night transforms into a neon-lit fun town. The Dotombori district is the hub for nightlife, shopping, food and hanging out. Dotombori is one of the principal tourist destinations. It is running along the Dotonbori canal from Dotonboribashi Bridge to Nipponbashi Bridge. Historically a theater district, it is now a popular nightlife and entertainment area characterized by its eccentric atmosphere and large illuminated signboards. One of the area's most prominent features, a billboard for confectionery company Glico displaying the image of a runner crossing a finishing line, is seen as an icon of Osaka within Japan.

We had dinner at one of the many restaurnats here. It was delicious, but we were so tired by the end of the day. We walked so much on our first day in Osaka, and the next destination was around the corner: a day trip to Nara. But more on that in the next part.

 

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