Are you heading to Japan, but not sure where to go? Do take in charming Osaka, a city often overlooked in the typical Tokyo-Kyoto schedule.

Osaka, the second largest of the cities in Japan, can feel like a bustling maze to many visitors. We squeezed in two days to explore Osaka in our hectic 3-week Japan-by-rail schedule. Here’s what we did in those two days.

2-DAY OSAKA ITINERARY

Day 1 – Visit the grand Osaka Castle and the enormous Osaka Aquarium. 

Osaka Castle

Osaka castle or Osaka-jo as it is called in Japan is formidable – that’s the first impression we got when we approached it. It is one of the most famous and historic castles in all of Japan.

The castle has huge walls, deep and wide moats, and carefully placed turrets.  This castle was the center of power in Japan in the Samurai era, 16th and 17th centuries, when Japan was unified with the sword and bow.

The massive castle tower at the center is 55 meters high, with a commanding view all around. There is a museum inside with eight floors of displays related to the castle’s history. There are historical artifacts, colorful screen painting, samurai costumes that you can try on for a fee and a scale model of the original 16th century castle town. The Observation deck on the 8th floor provides panoramic views of Osaka city.

Kaiyukan – Osaka Aquarium

Kaiyukan, located on the shores of beautiful Osaka Bay, is Japan’s largest aquarium housing marine animals from the Pacific Ocean habitats, including an enormous whale shark. We walked through tunnels, spiralling down 8 floors, for an inside view of the huge water tanks.  An interactive exhibit gets you up close with penguins, seals, and rays in enclosures that replicate the animals’ natural living environment. Don’t miss Antarctica, which recreates the icy polar environment and houses various types of penguins.

After viewing the aquarium, we took a leisurely stroll along the beautiful Osaka harbour watching the ships at sunset.

Day 2 – Visit  Nara Park

Nara or Nara Park

Nara is a beautiful town scattered with many temples which are UNESCO World Heritage sites – ancient temples, amazing landscapes, and of course, ‘deer’! Nara is just a short train ride away from Osaka.

We started with the historic Tōdai-ji Temple, which houses the largest bronze Buddha statue in the world – almost 50 feet tall and weighing 500 tonnes. Even its ears are huge, each over 8 feet tall. The Kōfuku-ji pagoda is five stories tall, the second tallest in Japan.

Yoshiki-en Garden in Nara is three gardens in one. You can wander through a moss garden, a pond garden, and a tea ceremony garden, with unique plants and aesthetics – a great way to get multiple experiences in one place! 

Ah, the deer! They are everywhere, and quite fearless, too. But, beware! Do not tease them. We saw a boy teasing a deer with food, until it got annoyed and butted him in the stomach. Lots of crying, anxious parents….and the deer walked off nonchalantly.

In either day 1 or day 2 or both,  you could stroll around the popular shopping and dining areas in Osaka.

Gourmet Dining in the Nation’s Kitchen

The food is not to be missed.  Osaka is called ‘The Nation’s Kitchen’ because this gastronomic city has award-winning restaurants on almost every block.  You must try out some of Osaka’s delicacies – Takoyaki, Okonomiyaki, Fugu, Kushikatsu and Yakiniku, not to mention a famous Kobe steak. 

The famous Shinsaibashi and Dōtonbori by the canal are probably the best shopping and dining areas. Explore the huge array of shops, cafés, restaurants and bookstores, and experience a bit of the daily lives of Japanese business here.

We had a great glimpse of Osaka. Try it – you will like it too!  

Osaka castle and Nara deer
Dotonbori in Osaka, Japan

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Leisurely Drives
Osaka Castle, Japan
Osaka castle and Nara deer
Dotonbori in Osaka, Japan
Kobe – The perfect base to explore Japan
Odaiba – Getaway from busy Tokyo
Mount Aso – Japan
Scenic Hokkaido – Japan’s North Island
Japanese Ryokan – Our Experience
A Day Trip to Shikoku – Japan
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