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Sights in Osaka City Kansai Japan

Osaka is a capital city of Osaka Prefecture in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan, it is also the largest sector of the Keihanshin Metropolitan Area. In size, it is also the second largest metropolitan area in Japan after Tokyo. It is home to over 20 million inhabitants, among the largest in the world. Famous landmarks in Osaka City includes Osaka Castle, Osaka Aquarium and shopping districts. Let’s check them out!

The view of Osaka from Umeda ward
Overview of Osaka city from the Umeda ward.

Notably, Osaka City is a hub of economic activity and is a major Japan financial center. Also, it is home to the Osaka Securities Exchange as well as the multinational electronics corporations Panasonic and Sharp.

Check out Osaka Castle

Moreover, a key Osaka landmark is the city’s Castle. Osaka castle was built 1583 and occupied from 1583 to 1845. Additionally, the castle played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century of the Azuchi-Momoyama period.

The historical Osaka castle, now a large public park
The historical Osaka castle, also, now a large public park for all to enjoy!

Today, the entire castle grounds is a public park. The castle grounds are shielded by large fortified walls with moats. Also, you can enter the castle grounds one of the many large gates. The gates are permanent held open into the now public park.

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Castle moat
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Inner courtyard
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Exhibits within

Here, you enter a vast courtyard within the first level gates. Also, subsequent park gates brings you further into the castle grounds through a “compound in a compound”.

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Displays
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Holographic
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Infographics

Inside the castle grounds

Furthermore, the entire castle grounds covers about 61,000 square meters (15 acres). Also, most of the courtyard areas used to be a village town. It comprises of contain thirteen structures. Today, these were designated as important cultural assets by the Japanese government. Also, notably, the final top inner-most castle courtyard has a European looking building. which serves as a visitor center with shops and restaurants.

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Viewing deck at top
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Palace courtyard
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City distance

Additionally, the interior of the castle is transformed into a museum. It houses several artefacts and informatics area talking about the castle’s designer, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Also, for 600 yen, you can enter inside the Osaka castle museum to view these artefacts from the era. The climax of the visit is a viewing deck at the castle top. It is balcony viewing area offering 360 degree overviews of the surrounding district.

View from the top of Osaka City Castle
View from the top of Osaka Castle.

Namba and Dōtonbori shopping districts

Moreover, a highly recommended night spot in Osaka City is the Dōtonbori. It is filled with illuminated signboards at night. Additionally taking center stage here in Dōtonbori are lines of shops and restaurant eateries which opens till late.

Dōtonbori shopping district, a buzzing night spot
Dōtonbori shopping district, a buzzing night spot.

Also, the street runs along the Dōtonbori canal spanning the entire shopping street. Also, you can opt for a touristy canal boat ride if you wish to see the shopping district from the river.

Osaka City Dotonbori Canal
Dotonbori Canal.

Moreover, Dotonbori is where you can find a range of affordably eateries too. There are a number of delectable Okonomiyaki restaurants as well as hole in the wall ramen shops where you can grab a 2 course meal easily for under 800 yen. A bargain for what otherwise is a rather affluent and touristy area of town. Also, in the Dōtonbori district is the American Village too. It is also a popular district for dining & theatre.

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Buzzing!
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Okonomiyaki!
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Lots to see!

Ride the Donki Ebisu Ferris wheel or do the Gilco man Pose!

Moreover, notable Dōtonbori icons here includes the Gilco man by the Ebisu Bridge. It is a lit LED animated advertisement billboard landmark synonomous with Dōtonbori. Also, doing the Gilco man pose here has its cult following. It is similar to tourists taking picturing themselves pushing the Tower of Pisa. But you get the point.

Doing the Gilco pose by the Gilco man
Doing the Gilco pose by the Gilco man!

Also, an interesting establishment to check out here is Don Quijote Dotonbori. Moreover, it is the only Don Quijote with a custom oval shaped ferris wheel (called the Ebisu Tower ferris wheel) built onto the external building façade itself.

Don Quijote Dotonbori with the odd shaped Ferris wheel on the building
Don Quijote Dotonbori with the odd shaped Ferris wheel on the building.

In addition, the wheel costs 600 yen person to ride. You can read more of my visit to the Don Quijote Dotonbori and Ferris wheel in its own article here.

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The capsules
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On the wheel!
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From river

Osaka Nippombashi Denden Town

In addition to Dotonbori is the Namba region, other known as Osaka’s Nipponbashi Denden Town. Notably, it is a pop-culture shopping street. It is a vibrant area in the Namba region featuring stores selling toys, anime & manga, video games, included used video games.

Hobby shops and anime goods stores at the Nippombashi Denden Town
Hobby shops and anime goods stores at the Nippombashi Denden Town.

Simply put, Den den town is tad like a mini Akihabara. Also, on a walk around, denden town does have a similar ambience of the Tokyo counterpart, only much smaller.

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Denden town street
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Toy shops
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Animate store

Moreover, there is a large Animate manga store, as well as the usual suspects like yellow submarine. You can find lines of toy, manga, gaming and electronics hardware shops here too.

Retro Game shops
Retro Game shops!

Additionally, a super potato gaming shop can be found here too. The stores offer a large selection of used gaming consoles and cartridges. Also, the store items here are also notably cheaper and have more variety than their Tokyo counterparts. This could be partly due to slower moving stocks in this less crowded neighborhood.

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Lots of retro games
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Yellow submarine
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Anime shops

Topping up Denden street offerings, the street also has its fair share of quirky adult shops, which opens till late. Notably, the only Mandrake complex here, a staple in such pop-culture streets we saw in Tokyo is located in Udmeda district of Osaka instead.

Shinsekai Tsutenkaku food district

A more minor area of Osaka night districts is Shinsekai. Through my walkaround, I found the street more of a food than a shopping street. Shinsekai is a relatively buzzing food district of Naniwa-ku, though much quieter and more “Osaka-style” than Dōtonbori.

Shinsekai food district and Tsutenkaku Tower
Shinsekai night food district and Tsutenkaku Tower.

For the record, Osaka City is tad bit more run down than cities of Tokyo and Kyoto. Hence, the term “Osaka style” which is used to describe unkempt areas in its raw form.

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Shinsekai Street
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Junk street
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Lots of food!

Also, a well-known landmark here is the Tsūtenkaku tower. It is known in Japan as “Tower Reaching Heaven”. It is owned by Tsūtenkaku Kanko Co., Ltd. The tower stands 103 meters tall, with an observation deck is at 91 meters mark.

Shinsekai food district is buzzing, full of small discount stores, restaurants and takeaway eateries
Shinsekai food district is buzzing, full of small discount stores, restaurants and takeaway eateries.

Moreover, at night, this old downtown food district is buzzing, full of small discount stores, restaurants and takeaway eateries. Also, the streets are lined with several notable decorations which are nicely lit up at night.

Additionally, if you need to chill or relax in an Osen, there is a large Spa World (Shinsekai branch). You can enter unlimited all day access to the baths, pools, and gym for just 1,000 yen. It is a good way to relax after a whole day of sightseeing and shopping!

Shrines in Osaka City

Furthermore, Osaka is of course, not a city without culture and religion. Notable shrines to visit includes the Shitennō-ji Buddhist temple and Sumiyoshi taisha (Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine). Also, Shitennō-ji is sometimes regarded as the first Buddhist and oldest officially administered temple in Japan opened in 593AD.

Namba Yasaka Lion head Shrine
Namba Yasaka Lion head Shrine.

Moreover, a peculiar one would be the Namba Yasaka Lion head Shrine. Also, it is a performance area and temple located a walk away from the Nipponbashi Denden Town. It does offer some great photo opportunities.

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

The whale shark is a highlight and showboy of the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
The whale shark is a highlight and showboy of the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan.

Another must-see attraction is Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. It is a great spot for families and kids. Opened in 1990, the world’s largest aquarium is located in the ward of Minato on the western side of Osaka city. Also, it sits beside the Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel near Osaka Bay.

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Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel
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Osaka bay
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The giant tank

Furthermore, the highlight of the aquarium is a vast central tank housing a variety of deep ocean marine life. Also, it is home to a variety of ocean fishes, includes sharks and even whale sharks. Additionally, you circle around this expansive tank which sits over three stories tall as part of your tour of the building. Also, there are notably also dolphins and seals in the aquarium. But they are housed separately from this massive shark tank.

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Rain forest area
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Dolphins
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Rays

The world’s largest aquarium

Here, in a linear route fashion, you start off from the top of the building. Also, it follows running along the side exploring various exhibits in the aquarium, like a tropical rainforest area housing otters and Amazonian fishes. Moreover, you can pop in-out various minor exhibits along the route. Also, examples includes one dedicated to jellyfishes, spider crabs, little cute (kawaii) marine animals and even a petting zoo.

The tank is vast! with several shark species and fishes
The tank is vast! with several shark species and fishes.

Additionally, aquarium entry tickets cost 2,550 yen for adults. It takes about at least 3 hours to explore all the exhibits in the 26 thousand square meter attraction. Also, notably, if you were to stop by every attraction, it could take almost an entire day. It is after all, the world’s largest aquarium.

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Fishes
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Penguins
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Aquarium building

Universal Studios Osaka

Moreover, a must-visit attraction in Osaka for all thrill seekers will be Universal Studios Japan. Additionally, the attraction is highly accessible via the city’s subway system. Also, the park is great for a day trip of thrills, movie action and roller coasters, with even a Harry potter land. You can read out more of my adventures in Universal Studios Osaka here.

Greetings from Universal Studios Osaka theme park
Greetings from Universal Studios Osaka theme park!

Views from the Udmeda sky building

Lastly, have an overview of the beautiful city of Osaka from the Udmeda sky building observatory viewing deck. Also, the building is located in Kita-ku ward of Osaka, Umeda (meaning “plum field”).

View of Osaka city from Udmeda sky building at sunset
View of Osaka city from Udmeda sky building at sunset.

Notably, it is also a buzzing major ward commercial, business, shopping and entertainment district. Also, the district is well-served by the Umeda Station rail terminus. Notably, when here, you can also find several big name departmental stores. Moreover, examples includes Bic camera, Yodobashi and even a Mandrake 2nd hand store here too.

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Umdea ward
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Osaka metro
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Umdea street

Additionally, the building is a rather peculiar one. It comprises of two separate towers connected via a cantilever deck spanning the towers. Also, this deck is where the observation deck is located. It does look pretty futuristic from afar or even from the ground floor.

Udmeda sky building from ground level
Udmeda sky building viewed from ground level.

The observation viewing deck

Furthermore, you take an elevator up to the ticket office on 39th floor. Here, you head up two more floors via a pretty cool suspended escalator, bringing you to the main viewing deck.

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Top deck
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Up the skydeck!
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Inner deck

Also, this observation deck has an enclosed area with a café, gift shop and toilet facilities. There is also a mini museum featuring infographic displays of how the building observation deck was hoisted up during construction.

The Funky escalators the observation and sky deck
The Funky escalators the observation and sky deck.

Additionally, there is an open roof access which sits on top of the commercial building. It offers unobstructed views of Umeda ward in Osaka. It goes about in a continuous circular loop offering unobstructed views. Also, it can get rather windy up here too, so avoid bringing umbrellas or hats up here.

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At night
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Umdea tower
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Escalators

Moreover, entry to both the observation deck and upper sky walk costs 1000 yen. Also, you are free to roam about without any time limits.

Yodo River at Sunset
Yodo River at Sunset.

Lastly, a recommendation is to visit just before sunset. Therefore, so you can catch both day, sunset and watch the city transform into a sea of night lights. In addition, there are no time limits up here. Moreover, you can hang out at the café seats overlooking the city.

Beautiful Osaka City views at night
Beautiful city views at night.

All in all, Osaka City is a buzzing metropolis with a life and culture of it’s own. It is notably comparable to Tokyo. It has an extensive subway network, cultural sights, castles and shrines, as well as buzzing shopping districts such as Dōtonbori, Udmeda, DenDen town, and Tsūtenkaku to name afew. Definitely a city to visit in Japan.

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