Perfect One Day in Osaka – A Local’s Ultimate Itinerary for 2024

Recommended by a woman who knows Osaka well. Welcome to this one-day tour packed with the charms of Osaka!

With a population of approximately 9 million, Osaka is the second largest city after Tokyo and is extremely popular with both tourists and Japanese, making it a city full of attractions worth visiting.

In addition, Osaka is only about 30 minutes from Kyoto by train, and about 2.5 hours from Tokyo and Hiroshima by Shinkansen bullet train, so it can be said that access to other tourist destinations is good.

The people of Osaka are extremely friendly and the city is full of entertainment. Just walking around Osaka is an interesting discovery.

Osaka was once known as the “kitchen of the nation,” and delicious foods have long been gathered here. Nowadays, there is such a thing as a “kuidaore trip” (Japanese name for a trip to Osaka to enjoy delicious Osaka gourmet food). Drinking in a friendly atmosphere is also very enjoyable especially in Osaka.

I hope that you will experience the atmosphere of Osaka, which is a bit different from that of other cities in Japan.

Is one day in Osaka enough？

Having visited Osaka many times, my personal opinion is that you cannot fully enjoy Osaka in one day; a stay of two nights and three days is best.

However, I understand that some people want to visit other parts of Japan within a limited time. I have come up with an itinerary based on my knowledge of Osaka and where I would go in a one-day stay in Osaka.

The easiest means of transportation and the time required will also be listed for your reference。

Some time-saving techniques will also be introduced.

Great Deals ✌️

Good news for those of you who will be traveling by Osaka public transportation for the day!
if you ride the subway many times, we recommend that you purchase a one-day pass (Enjoy Eco Card).
The one-day pass allows unlimited rides on all subway lines and Osaka City Bus.

For example, it costs 240 yen from Osaka Station to Namba Station. So, on weekends and holidays, you can save money if you ride three times.

In addition, with a one-day pass, you can get discounts on admission fees to popular tourist attractions such as Osaka Castle, which will be introduced later, so this is a very economical ticket for tourists, so please consider it.

By the way, tickets can be purchased from ticket vending machines at each subway station. Ticket machines are available in English, Chinese, and Korean.

Itinerary ⏳

🕘 09:00 (9:00 am) – Morning in Osaka castle 🏯

Osaka Castle, a symbol to the people of Osaka, is considered one of the three most famous castles in Japan. Osaka Castle was built in 1583 and became a fortress symbolizing the end of the Warring States Period in Japan.

Today, Osaka Castle is known for its beautiful keep and gardens, which can be enjoyed in all four seasons. This is one of the places you must visit in Osaka to experience its history and natural beauty. The castle also houses a museum with many historical exhibits. The exhibits are also written in English, so it is no problem if you do not understand Japanese.

Access to get to Osaka Castle 🚃

The time required is one to two hours. The most you can estimate is about three hours.

However, the grounds of Osaka Castle are large, and some visitors may wish to take their time to view the gardens, especially in the spring when the flowers are in bloom. Also, please note that it is a 20-minute walk from the nearby station.

Especially on holidays, there are lines of people waiting at the Osaka Castle ticket window to buy admission tickets; for those who want to see Osaka in one day, waiting in line is fatal. There are two solutions to this situation.

Time saving technique 💪

Purchase in advance on the web 📱

You can purchase from several websites. Since these are open tickets with no specified date and time, you should purchase them in advance if you plan to visit Osaka Castle anyway.

The advantage of the one-day pass offer

For those who plan to buy the one-day pass (Enjoy Eco Card) I mentioned earlier. With it, you can buy tickets right away from the special lane without having to wait in the regular line. You can kill two birds with one stone, since you can shorten the waiting time and also get a discount. The special lanes are indicated right in front of the ticket windows.

About museum 🔍

Osaka Castle is an eight-story building, so going up the stairs can be tiring. One option is to go up to the top first and come down while touring.

However, on holidays, you will have to wait in line to take the elevator. Therefore, it may be a good idea to take the stairs up one floor at a time to visit the museum.

There is a corner where you can try on the helmets and kimonos of the warlords for free.

🕛 12:00 (12:00 pm) – Lunch in Dotonbori 🍴

When you finish visiting Osaka Castle, it will be before noon.

For lunch, you can go to Dotonbori, where you can choose from a wide variety of Osaka’s gourmet foods. Dotonbori is also a famous photo spot, so it is a good idea to take some pictures at this time.

Access 🚃

Enjoy eco card 🎫	From	To	🚃How	⏳Time	💰How much	🔁Transfer
🙅‍♀️🙆‍♀️both	Tanimachi yonchome station	Namba station	Subway Tanimachi Line（Purpole）＋ Sennichimae Line（Pink)	3minutes by first subway🚇 ＋3minutes by second subway🚇 + 6minutes by walk🚶‍♀️	240Yen	Direct

There are many restaurants around Dotonbori, including takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and kushikatsu. However, in the plan I am going to introduce, you should eat something other than kushikatsu for lunch since we are planning to visit a famous kushikatsu spot at night.

Recommended restaurants for takoyaki and okonomiyaki are listed in our best local foods and where to eat in Osaka article. Along with the name of the restaurant, I have included a photo of the restaurant and its address for your reference.

Takoyaki and okonomiyaki can be shared, so we encourage you to taste a variety of foods. You can expect to wait in line at any takoyaki restaurant, but the turnover is fast, so you should not have to wait as long as you think you will.

There is a large shopping street near Dotonbori. This shopping street is 580 meters long! Clothing stores, general stores, pharmacies, daily necessities, and many other things are sold at low prices. Just walking around here is very enjoyable.

When you are hungry, you must try 551’s pork buns, which are sold in packages of two or more. These are so popular that 170,000 are sold in a single day, making them a famous Osaka souvenir.

The fluffy, slightly sweet dough is super simple, with just pork and onions, but it is excellent. I am sure there are lines at all the stores, but it is worth it, so please try it. Click here to see the location of the restaurant near Dotonbori.

🕒 15:00 (3:00 pm) – Game and dinner in Shinsekai 🗼

Shinsekai is relatively close to Dotonbori. Shinsekai is famous for Tsutenkaku Tower and kushikatsu.

Access 🚃

Let’s play game 🎮

Here, before having kushikatsu for dinner, I would like you to first enjoy an old game that is unique to Japan. You may think it sounds boring, but to your surprise, it gets so hot that you will lose track of time once you start playing.

A word of caution here: cards are not accepted as payment in this old style Japanese game. You will need Japanese cash.

If you like these more unique things to do in Osaka, we have many more tips in that article!

🕔 17:00 (5:00 pm) – Let’s eat Kushikatsu 🍖

Kushikatsu is a specialty of Osaka, where meat and vegetables are skewered, coated with batter, and deep fried. I am convinced that there is not a tourist who comes to Osaka who does not try it.

Time saving technique 💪

All kushikatsu restaurants have lines at dinner time, so you need to be in line at least before 6:00 p.m., when the crowds start to gather.

If you start lining up around 5:00 p.m., you should be safe.

Please check our best food to try and where in Osaka article for a list of popular kushikatsu restaurants.

🕗 20:00 (8:00 pm) – Drink alcohol in Temma 🍺

Tenma is located near Osaka Station. It is home to a collection of old standing bars and izakaya (Japanese style pubs).

In Tenma, where the retro atmosphere and the warmth of the locals mingle, you can enjoy Osaka’s gourmet food and drinks at reasonable prices.

There is a drinking street called Chochin Dori (lantern street), where many lanterns are hung, creating a very Japanese atmosphere, so be sure to visit this area as well.

Access 🚃

🕙 22:00 (10:00 pm) – Night view near Osaka station 🌃🌛

The night view of the big city of Osaka is very beautiful. I hope you will end your day with a night view of Osaka.

Access 🚃

Osaka Ekimae Daisan Bldg. has an observation deck on the 33rd floor with a relaxed atmosphere.

And, to our delight, you can go to the observation floor for free. You can enjoy a panoramic view of the Umeda building area through the large window glass.

Conclusion

We have introduced the case for a 1-day stay in Osaka. If you plan to stay for more than 2 days, we would recommend you to visit Osaka USJ (Universal Studios Japan) and Kaiyukan as well.

Please check our best spots to visit in Osaka article for even more authentic and exciting places to visit and how to get there if you have time for more!