In this page we describe a sightseeing programme suitable for a 2-day visit to Osaka. While the city is rich in sightseeing places and offers plenty of opportunities for a pleasant travel experience, Osaka is often visited with a hasty one-day tour.
The article is intended to help those who have never visited Osaka before and want to organise everything on their own.
Osaka 2-day itinerary: suggested programme
The programme described below aims to offer a travel experience as wide as possible. As the time available is very limited, it is important to organise the journey in a rational way. This can be accomplished by choosing a hotel in a convenient position.
Day 1 – Osaka city centre
A day can be spent in Osaka in many different ways. Here we describe a programme that strikes a balance between traditional sightseeing and exploring the ordinary city.
Umeda
Umeda is a neighbourhood in Kita, the northern centre of Osaka. In the vicinity of Osaka Station is a sprawl of high-rise buildings, steel and glass towers, shopping malls and department stores (Yodobashi Camera, Daimaru, Isetan, only to mention a few). These are among the most popular in the country and there is a certain value in this modern architecture.
Amid all this amount of concrete, steel and glass and their coldness, lies an ancient modest and graceful shrine. The stories linked to it are hearth-warming. It is Tsuyu-no-Ten-Jinja.
If you like walking reach Tenjinbashi, Japan’s longest shopping arcade.
Osaka Castle, Museum of History
Symbol of the city, Osaka Castle is a large military architecture surrounded by a large park and a complex systems of tall walls and vast moats. Most impressive are the huge megalithic walls. Some stones are so large that up to now it is not clear how they were moved and taken to the site.
Though beautiful, the castle is a post-war reconstruction. The work did not make use of the original structural design. Inside the main structure is a museum.
The park is amazing, especially in autumn and spring. Nishinomaru garden lies in the area.
At the south-western corner is Osaka Museum of History.
Kaiyukan
Kaiyukan is a large aquarium displaying a large variety of marine wildlife. The visit route proceeds from the top to the bottom of the building. As you move downward you periodically see the huge central tank where the biggest inhabitants live. Among them whale sharks.
The aquarium features a detailed description of environments lying along the Ring of Fire.
Oniric music accompanies the visit with a relaxing effect perfectly matching your humbling enjoyment of the might of mother Nature.
Day 2 – Southern Osaka
The second day is spent in the southern part of the city. Alternatively you may opt for a side trip, even a half-day one. Interesting destinations near Osaka are Himeji and Kobe.
Tennoji
Near Tennoji Station are a few sightseeing spots. Most notable are the Museum of Fine Arts and beautiful Keitaku-En garden. Above the station is the huge Abeno Harukas skyscraper. The view from the top across the bay is fantastic.
A historical temple, Shitenno-Ji, is a few hundreds of metres away. It does not look as impressive as other temples you have visited by now but its historical significance is notable.
Sumiyoshi Taisha
If you choose to end your journey with an image of traditional Japan, visit Sumiyoshi Taisha, a large shinto shrine in the southern periphery of Osaka. You can reach it by train from Osaka Station. The Sumiyoshi Station lies within walking distance of the shrine.
Kishiwada
Between Osaka and Kansai Airport, conveniently served by the passing railway lines, is Kishiwada, a small town where you can visit a small but beautiful castle. The site is a popular cherry blossom sightseeing spot.
In the evening
After you are done with the sightseeing, head to Dotombori (near Namba) and plunge into the chaos, colours, sounds and allurements of Osaka’s nightlife scene.
Where to stay in Osaka
If you choose to stay in Osaka, we recommend that you choose an accessible area. The best neighbourhood is Namba, in the southern centre of the city, close to the night life scene, well served by public transport and with a huge range of hostels and hotels.
If you travel on a high budget you can also consider the area close to Osaka Castle or Umeda.
This programme is ideally part of our recommended Japan 10-day itinerary.
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