By rail
Shin-Osaka, ~2.5 h by shinkansen from Tokyo
East Asia · Japan
Osaka, Japan
Japan's kitchen: neon, street food and a castle
Getting there
By air
Kansai International (KIX), ~50 km; Itami (ITM) for domestic flights
Best time to visit
March to May and October to November — mild and dry
Don't miss
Osaka Castle
Dotonbori
Shitenno-ji
The Umeda Sky Building
Things to do
Eating through Dotonbori
Osaka Castle
Universal Studios Japan
Day trips to Nara and Kobe
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: 663highland · CC BY 2.5
What to pack
Comfortable shoes and an appetite
A quieter corner
Shinsekai's retro streets and kushikatsu
Questions travellers ask
What's the best season for a trip to Osaka?
March to May or October to November, when the weather is mild and dry.
Which airport should I use for Osaka?
Kansai International (KIX), about 50 km out, or Itami (ITM) for domestic flights. From Tokyo, the shinkansen reaches Shin-Osaka in around 2.5 hours.
What's the must-eat food in Osaka?
Takoyaki and okonomiyaki as you eat your way through Dotonbori, then the Kuromon market. For kushikatsu, head to Shinsekai's retro streets.
Can I take day trips from Osaka?
Yes — Nara and Kobe are both day trips from here. Back in town, there's Osaka Castle and Universal Studios Japan.
About Osaka
- Coastal
- Riverside
Where it is
Osaka, capital of Osaka Prefecture, lies on Osaka Bay at the mouth of the Yodo River in the Kansai region of Honshu, Japan, with Kyoto to the north-east and Kobe to the west.
History
As Naniwa, Osaka was one of Japan's early capitals, and its harbour linked the country with Korea and China. Toyotomi Hideyoshi began building Osaka Castle in 1583, and under the Tokugawa shoguns the city became the country's great rice market and merchant centre, known as the nation's kitchen. It grew into an industrial city in the 20th century and hosted world expos in 1970 and 2025.
People
Osakans speak Japanese in the Kansai dialect, Osaka-ben, and the city is the home of manzai double-act comedy and of bunraku puppet theatre. Its merchant tradition lives on in long covered shopping arcades such as Tenjinbashi-suji, and each July the Tenjin Matsuri sends a procession of boats along the river.
Known for
- Takoyaki and okonomiyaki
- Dotonbori's canal and neon signs
- Osaka Castle and its park
- Kuidaore, eating until one drops
- Bunraku puppet theatre
Did you know?
The main keep of Osaka Castle is a 1931 reconstruction in reinforced concrete; earlier keeps were lost to war and lightning.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.