Where to Eat, Stay, Play in Osaka, the In-Your-Face Cousin of Tokyo
Nikada/Getty
If you’ve experienced enough of cosmopolitan Tokyo and need a change of pace from serene Kyoto, then you’ll need a list of the best things to do in Osaka, the spirited heart of the western Kansai region. Osaka is known as “the kitchen of Japan,” best known for signature Japanese delicacies like takoyaki, ball-shaped snacks often made with octopus meat; and okonomiyaki, savory pancakes made on teppan (Japanese metal grill plates). The city’s massive food scene features all types of dining spots, ranging from street vendors to Michelin-starred restaurants. Osaka is also an entertainment capital where you can meet Mario and Luigi at Super Nintendo World, part of Universal Studios Japan, or catch a baseball game at the Osaka Dome with over 36,000 fans from all over the world.
Osaka is lively and in-your-face, but new developments in the city are giving it a level of relaxed refinement, too: The city unveiled some big hotel openings recently, including the Four Seasons Hotel Osaka and The Osaka Station Hotel, Autograph Collection, with more on the way from luxury names like Waldorf Astoria and Patina. The city also recently cut the ribbons on the Grand Green Osaka, a new urban green space that connects Osaka Station to recreation areas, event and exhibition venues, and verdant lawns with trees that offer color beyond cherry blossom season.
Visiting Osaka is a great idea any time of year, but mark your calendars for 2025, when the city will host the World Expo from April to October. This time around, the theme is Designing a Future Society for Our Lives, meaning the development of sustainable cities. For the event, the city is building an island called Yumeshima, where a new metro station is being built, improving accessibility to the six-month-long fair for both locals and visitors. With Japan’s famously efficient public transport system, it’ll be easy to see, do, and eat as much as you can in Osaka and, itinerary permitting, beyond.
To get more of the best things to do in Osaka—the absolute must-dos, plus some insider tips only locals would know—I spoke to an array of experts on Japanese travel, including: Jessica Klauzenberg, the Japan travel specialist at Timbuktu Travel; Makoto Kawai of Four Seasons Hotel Osaka, who was born and raised in the city; and Sara Aiko Coe, a Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist and founder of Curated Kyoto, based in nearby Kyoto. Here’s how to visit Osaka, and all the best things to do once you’re there.
Getting there and around
Traveling to Osaka is easily done by plane: Kansai International Airport has nonstop flights coming in from San Francisco and Los Angeles in the United States; Vancouver and Toronto in Canada. A train from the airport to Osaka Station takes about 45 minutes. Naturally, Tokyo has more direct connections to hubs all over the world, so you can fly there and easily take the high-speed train to Osaka; it takes about two hours and thirty minutes and costs about $90.
Thanks to its connectivity to the rest of the Kansai region, Osaka can serve as a great base from which you can explore nearby destinations like Nara, famous for its temples; Kobe, named one of our Best Places to Go in 2024 for its ascendant design scene; and of course Kyoto. The JR Kansai Area Pass gives you unlimited use of local trains and buses. At minimum, a one-day pass costs about $20; the longest four-day pass costs $50.
If you plan to stay within the city, the Osaka Metro with its subways and buses will serve you well. Get a one-day unlimited pass for commute-heavy sightseeing days (about $5.70); for all other days where you plan to walk around a lot, you’re better off paying as you go. Use the ICOCA card, which you can credit with money and tap through the turnstiles for access to the subway. (You can also add a virtual ICOCA card to your phone and use that, but the physical card makes for a cute souvenir.)
Osaka Castle, Japan
Things to do in Osaka
The cultural symbol of Osaka is undoubtedly Osaka Castle, with its moats, defensive walls, and signature green-roofed main keep. Much of the site was reconstructed in the 1990s, after the city was bombed during World War II, and exhibitions and events on the grounds feature dives into Japanese history, art, and culture. Klauzenberg of Timbuktu Travel suggests planning your visit toward the end of the day, when the lights are all turned on: “Seeing the illumination of the castle makes it even more special.”
Given its history as a major Japanese port, Osaka has many canals that wind their way through the city, most of which are traversable by water bus. “It’s a tranquil mode of transportation that allows you to glide through the city, bypassing the usual traffic concerns,” says Kawai of the Four Seasons. Try the Tombori River Cruise at night to see Osaka’s modern period: the boat will take you down the Dotonbori Canal, lined with buildings glowing with neon lights and the famous Glico Running Man sign. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Osaka Castle–Nakanoshima route on the Aqua-Liner Water Bus with a view of the castle’s main keep, gives a magnificent sense of place and history, especially when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom along the river.
For a dose of fine art, Aiko Coe of Curated Kyoto recommends the Fujita Museum, which has a collection of about 5,000 antiquities amassed by the eponymous Denzaburo Fujita, a prosperous merchant of the Meiji era, and his descendants. It’s one of the foremost privately owned museums in Japan, boasting 9 officially-designated National Treasures and 53 Important Cultural Properties. Given the museum’s location in the eastern suburbs, Aiko Coe says, “It’s still a hidden gem—and although I want to keep it that way, I also don’t want people to miss out.”
If shopping for artistic goods is more your speed, Aiko Coe recommends Orange Street for the present-day creative energy of Osaka. Located in the Minami district, this fashion-oriented lane was once a hub for furniture makers and is now a trendy tree-lined area filled with cafés, vintage shops, and boutiques that sell works by local designers, many of which have unique pieces that blend traditional Japanese craftsmanship with modern style. It’s the perfect destination for travelers who have an eye for design and fashion.
And of course, there’s nothing quite like watching a baseball game in Japan. It’s the country’s national sport and the Osaka Dome promises an electrifying atmosphere, according to Kawai, especially when the home team, the Orix Buffaloes, takes the field during Japan’s baseball season, from late March to October. If your trip doesn’t coincide with the season, then you can get your thrills at Universal Studios Japan, particularly at Osaka’s Super Nintendo World. If your hotel has one, a concierge can help you score seats to a game or tickets to the theme park for the best access.
Once you need a breather from all the activities and excitement, find a moment to chill out at the Grand Green Osaka, a new urban development and commercial strip centered around Umekita Park, opening this weekend. It’s directly connected to Osaka Station, and so finding a moment to rest and appreciate the verdant environment will be easy—even in the heart of buzzing Osaka.
Where to eat in Osaka
If you’re in Osaka, chances are you’re here to eat. Visit the new food-haven KITTE Osaka, which opened in July 2024 next to Osaka Station. It features over 50 new dining spots, embodying the essence of “Japan’s kitchen.” Keep an eye out specifically for two specialties of Osaka: okonomiyaki, which are savory pancakes often made with cabbage, meat, and seafood; and takoyaki, skewers of ball-shaped snacks typically filled with minced octopus. Takoyaki is prevalent throughout the city, as is okonomiyaki, but for a restaurant focused on the latter, Ajinoya in Namba is one of the best. They even sell ready-to-take-home frozen okonomiyaki as a souvenir. (You’d have to cook it wherever you’re staying, however, lest airport officers confiscate the stuff at customs.)
But perhaps the best way to try Osakan food culture is by taking to the streets. Hozenji Yokocho, a tucked-away alley just a couple of blocks from Ebisubashi Bridge, is full of local watering holes and hole-in-the-wall izakayas—and everywhere you turn here, there’s sure to be takoyaki. Klauzenberg says, “Yokocho is a great area where you can get a taste of Osaka’s casual cuisine and the culture of kuidaore, literally, ‘eating oneself to bankruptcy.’” And to rub elbows with the locals, Kawai suggests that visitors check out the Osaka Ekimae Buildings, connected to Osaka Station. It’s a complex of four interconnected spaces, where “the basements are packed with little bars and eateries that offer a wide range of flavors and experiences. In the evening, it turns into a bustling place with after-work crowds.”
That lively and vibrant energy is also represented at the eponymous counter-style restaurant of Noguchi Taro, one of Aiko Coe’s favorite food destinations in Osaka. This Michelin-starred spot is hidden on the third floor of an unassuming building near—yet again—Osaka Station. “When you get there, you might wonder, ‘Am I in the right place?’” says Aiko Coe. “But once you open the door, you’re warmly welcomed into a cozy, dimly-lit ten-seat space by energetic chefs, including Noguchi-san himself.” The prix fixe menu is composed of 13 to 15 dishes, featuring seasonal and unique creations by the self-taught Noguchi, whose chicken wings are some of the best in Osaka.
Where to stay in Osaka
Since some of the best things to do in Osaka are just a stone’s throw away from Osaka Station, where better to stay than the new Osaka Station Hotel, Autograph Collection? It occupies the 30th to 38th floors of a building that’s right on top of the station, making it a serene retreat from the hustle of the city below. The rooms are all elegantly designed with clean lines and neutral tones that allow your eyes—and the rest of you—to rest; plus, there are over 400 of them, so chances are there will always be room at the inn, so to speak.
For peak-luxury in the city, the Four Seasons Hotel Osaka is the way to go. Though it doesn’t straddle the train station, this new property is just a few blocks away. In addition to the five-star service and suites you’d expect from the global brand, its new entry into the Osakan market also features a special floor called Gensui, a sort of hotel-within-a-hotel concept with 21 rooms modeled after ryokans (traditional Japanese inns commonly found near hot springs), with tatami mat flooring, sliding doors, and Japanese design principles—all with Four Seasons touches like exclusive check-in desks and concierge services.
Other Traveler-approved options include the St. Regis Osaka (yes, near the station) and the W Osaka, a trendy hotel as ever, given its location in Namba. Also in 2025, keep an eye out for Waldorf Astoria Osaka, connected to the Grand Green Osaka development; and Patina Osaka, right across from Osaka Castle.
Originally Appeared on Condé Nast Traveler
The Latest Travel News and Advice
Want to be the first to know? Sign up to our newsletters for travel inspiration and tips
These Are the World's Most Powerful Passports in 2024
The Oldest Country in the World Is This Microstate Tucked Inside Italy
This Rural Region in Spain is Paying Remote Workers $16,000 To Move There
