Osaka
Japan's kitchen: loud, friendly and always eating.
Osaka is a merchant city that loves food and does not take itself too seriously. Dotonbori's neon and canal are the classic picture, and Shinsekai has old-school kushikatsu bars. Kuromon Market is good for snacks, and Osaka Castle sits in a big park. Hotels often cost less than in Kyoto, and Kyoto and Nara are both under an hour away, so it makes a practical base.
Best time: Spring and autumn for comfortable weather. Summer is hot and humid.
Weather
Average temperature, °C. JMA 1991–2020 normals (Osaka (JMA)).
Top 5
- DotonboriCanal-side neon and street food, best at night.
- Osaka CastleThe castle tower in a large park with moats.
- Kuromon MarketSeafood and snacks; keep moving in the narrow aisles.
- ShinsekaiRetro streets and kushikatsu under Tsutenkaku tower.
- Ura-NambaSmall standing bars made for bar-hopping.
A simple day
- Morning at Osaka Castle.
- Snacks at Kuromon Market.
- Kushikatsu lunch in Shinsekai.
- Rest at your hotel.
- Dotonbori and Ura-Namba at night.
Where to stay
- NambaFood and nightlife, airport trains.
- UmedaBig station hub, easy for Kyoto.
- ShinsaibashiShopping streets between the two.
Places we’ve checked
- Conrad Osakastay site ↗
- Cross Hotel Osakastay site ↗
- Kushikatsu Darumaizakaya site ↗
- Kuromon Marketrestaurant site ↗
- Ura-Nambaizakaya site ↗
- Billboard Live OSAKAspot site ↗
- Nakanoshima Museum of Artspot site ↗
From the psst directory. Opening days and prices change — check the official site before you go.
Getting there
Tokyo → Shin-Osaka: about 2h25 by Nozomi shinkansen.
psst — skip this mistake: Following touts into bars in Namba. Choose places yourself.