I personally think 3 days is a great amount of time to explore Osaka. A 3-day Osaka itinerary includes 2 full days for Osaka itself and a day trip to nearby cities like Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, or Himeji.
In general, 2 full days in Osaka will allow you to enjoy nightlife, food, shopping, and visit highlight attractions like Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi, Osaka Castle, and Kuromon Market.
How long is enough really depends on the time you have, what you want to do, and the pace you prefer. Many travelers just take a day trip from Kyoto and spend a day in Osaka, still able to see the highlights. If you have more time, you can explore the city in depth or make many more day trips to the Kansai region.
The general rule of thumbs is you choose top attractions and activities that you want to do and see. The city has incredible public transport infrastructure, so you can easily get around.
You can consider buying Osaka Amazing Pass, which has one or two days options, that will cover public transit except JR and give you free/discounted admission to a range of attractions.
I recommend booking your accommodation in central locations like Kita (Umeda) and Minami (Namba). These areas have excellent connections to public transportation and close proximity to major things to do and see in Osaka.
How to Spend 3 days in Osaka (My Itinerary)
Day 1: Osaka Castle, Tennoji, Namba, and Dotonbori
You can spend day 1 exploring major sights and attractions in Osaka. These highlights are concentrated in the areas of Osaka Castle, Tennoji, Namba, and Dotonbori.
Start your morning by visiting Osaka Castle, which is one of the most famous landmarks in Japan and a must-see in Osaka. The castle is open daily from 9am to 5pm. It is easily reachable by train to numerous stations nearby including Ōsakajōkōen, Morinomiya, Tanimachi Yonchome, and Temmabashi Stations.
You can spend time strolling around its grounds, taking photos, exploring its museums, and visiting its extensive park, which is especially beautiful during cherry blossom season. You can consider taking a boat tour along the lake.
The entrance fee to the castle is 600 yen, and to Nishinomaru Garden is 200 yen during normal time. It is free if you bought the Osaka Amazing Pass.
After finishing exploring Osaka Castle, you can head to Shinsekai area and explore its nearby attractions like Tsūtenkaku Tower, Shitenno-ji temple, and Abeno Harukas.
Shinsekai New World is a colorful retro district where you can browse many yakiniku restaurants, izakayas, souvenir shops, and visit the 103-m Tsūtenkaku Tower. I think it is a fun place to get plenty of shots of photos.
Tsūtenkaku Tower is open daily from 10 am to 8pm. You can buy a ticket to go up for a lookout on the tower. The price of admission is relatively cheap. But, in my opinion, you can head to Cosmos Tower, Umeda sky building, or Abeno Harukas for a better view.
I suggest checking out the observation deck at Abeno Harukas, which is Osaka’s tallest building. It is located only 20 mins walk from Tsūtenkaku through the green Tennoji Park. It is open from 9am to 10pm daily.
The admission is 1500 yen but it is well worth it. You can enjoy a magnificent sunset view and night view of the City. I suggest buying tickets online as it is cheaper compared to buying onsite.
Within walking distance nearby, you can check out the Shitennoji Buddhist Temple, one of the oldest temples in Japan. Usually open from 8:30am to 4:30pm, it is a peaceful place to walk around and take photos. The temple hosts the flea market twice a month and the matsuri festival in January each year.
If you love anime, manga, video games, vinyl records, and vintage electronics, be sure to check out Den Den Town. It is known as the Akihabara of Osaka where you can find anything animation related.
Within a 15 mins walk from Den Den Town, you can head to the beautiful Namba Yasaka Shrine, visit its garden, take a photo with the lion temple, enjoy the quiet moments, or browse souvenirs and amulets at its onsite gift shop. This Shinto shrine is open from 6am to 5 pm and you can consider visiting in the early morning to avoid crowds.
Another must-visit in Osaka while in the Namba/ Minami area is the Kuromon Ichiba Market. This is a great place to experience local daily life and try yummy seafood, but be sure not to walk while eating. The market is usually open from 6 am to 6 pm.
You can spend your evening exploring the famous nightlife and entertainment district of Oska called Dotonbori. This area has high concentrations of bars, restaurants. It is also home to the famous Ebisubashi Bridge, as well as many neon signs, including the Glico Man.
Osaka is a haven for foodies, and in Dotonbori you can try many Japanese foods such as takoyaki, gyoza, Okonomiyaki, ramen, sushi, tempura, and yakiniku.
Depending on what you want to do, you can just wander around exploring its alleyways like Hozenji Yokocho Alley, head to nearby Shinsaibashi and Amerikamura just north of Dōtonbori for more nightlife and shopping. You can consider taking the Tombori River Cruise, or watch a plat at the National Bunraku Theatre, Shochikuza Theatre or the noh theater.
Day 2: Osaka Bay and Kita District
For day 2, depend on what you want to do and see, I have few options for you to choose from:
Option 1: You can spend a day exploring the Osaka Bay area by visiting Tempozan Park, Harbor Village, Ferris Wheel, Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, and Sumiyoshi Taisha.
Option 2: You can take Asahi Suita Beer Tour (book online in advance ) and explore Kita district where you can visit the Umeda Sky Building, explore Museum of Housing & Living, as well as go shopping at many modern shopping malls and department store like LINKS UMEDA, Grand Front Osaka, LUCUA Osaka, Daimaru Umeda, HEP FIVE, and Tenjinbashi-suji shopping street.
Option 3: You can spend a half day exploring the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan/Tempozan Ferris Wheel area and half day exploring Umeda/Kita district.
Here are some note about major attractions for this second days:
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is one of the world’s largest aquariums, and a must-see in Osaka especially for families with children. You can explore a variety of marine life including sharks, dolphins, sunfish, and Japanese crabs. It is open 10am-10pm, and is easily accessible from Osakako Station on the Chuo Line.
The aquarium is a part of The Tempozan Harbor Village, which is a great place to look around. You can do shopping, enjoy dining, check out Legoland, or take a ride on the ferris wheel.
After spending your morning exploring the Tempozan entertainment complex, you can head to Sumiyoshi Taisha in the southern part of Osaka, or head back to Downtown Osaka in Kita to do shopping and visit some museums.
You can rent a kimono at the Osaka Museum of Housing and Living and take a walk just like people from the past. It is a fun place to see how the local life looked like in the past during the Edo period. They have an English audio tour and cost only 100 yen. It is open from 10am to 5pm daily.
Day 3: Day trips from Osaka
Osaka is a great base to explore the Kansai region of Japan. You can easily take day trips to popular cities and attractions like Kyoto, Minoh Park, Nara, Kobe, Minoh Park, Himeji. You can also spend a day at Universal Studios Japan.
Option 1: Osaka – Kyoto
Kyoto is acinivent capital of Japan where you can visit many famous temples, shrines, and attractions like the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest, Kinkaku-ji temple, Fushimi Inari Shrine with its iconic red torii gates, and the Kiyomizu-Dera Temple with its huge wooden stage. You can wander around the historic Gion district, spot geisha on their way to work, and attend a traditional tea ceremony.
Kyoto is located only a 30-50 mins train ride from Osaka. There are several train lines connecting these two major cities, including the shinkansen bullet train, JR Kyoto Line, Hankyu Line, and Keihan Main Line.
Option 2: Osaka – Nara
Nara is a popular day trip from Osaka. The city has a rich history where you can meet the deer, explore Nara Park, and some cultural attractions such as the UNESCO World Heritage Site Todai-ji Temple, Kasuga Taisha Shrine, and explore Naramachi, home of many Japanese shops, and tea rooms.
Nara is only one hour train ride east of Osaka. It is easily reachable by taking a train from JR Osaka Station or Tennoji Station to JR Nara Station. You can also take the Kintetsu train line from Namba Station in Osaka to Nara Station.
Option 3: Osaka – Kobe
You can take a day trip to Kobe, or combine between Himeji in the morning and Kobe in the afternoon. Kobe is known for its beef and sake brewery. Himeji is known for its UNESCO World Heritage site castle.
Kobe is located 25 to 45 mins west of Osaka. You can take the shinkansen train from Shin-Osaka Station to Kobe Station (fast and economical way if you have a Japan Rail Pass). Other train lines serving between two cities include Hanshin Main Line, the Hankyu Kobe Main Line, and JR Kobe Line.
Himeji is a 30 mins shinkansen train ride from Osaka. If you take the JR Kobe Line to Himeji Station, it can take 1 hour. There are also other options but it takes a longer journey.
Option 4: Osaka – Minoh Park
Minoh Park is a beautiful area known for its waterfall and colorful autumn foliage. It is a 30 mins train ride from Osaka. You can catch the Hankyu Takarazuka Line from Osaka-Umeda station to get to Ishibashi Hyundai-mae Station, then change to Hankyu Minoo Line to get to Hankyu Minoo station.
In addition to the waterfall, you can hike up to the observation deck, visit some temples like the Ryoanji Temple, Katsuo-ji Temple, and Shoutengai Saykoji Temple.
Option 5: Universal Studios Japan
Universal Studios Japan is a popular destination in Osaka for visitors of all ages. It is a must-see day trip to Osaka for families with children. It is a very well maintained theme park, located in the Osaka Bay area, a 10 mins train ride from Osaka Station.
I recommend buying tickets in advance, including fast pass tickets, which are more expensive but give quicker access to popular rides. I personally loved Nintendo World and Harry Potter World.
See more:
- 10 days in Japan Itinerary for first-timers
- 5 Best areas to stay in Osaka
- 7 Best places to visit in Japan
There you have it, my suggestion for a 3 Days Itinerary in Osaka. You can always adjust to suit your available time. Many visitors do Osaka on one day in Osaka as a day trip from Kyoto, while others spend 6 days in the city and use it as a base to explore the Kansai region.
So what are you planning for Osaka? How long do you want to stay? Feel free to comment down below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.