3 Day Osaka Itinerary: Best Things to Do, See, and Eat in Three Days

Osaka is such an exciting city, there is a lot to see and do here. We loved exploring as much as possible, the food is great and there is a vibrant atmosphere!

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How to get to Osaka

You are most likely starting or finishing your Japan trip here and arriving by plane as there is an airport here. Alternatively you can get to Osaka on the very extensive Japan Rail System. If you are near the train station look out for the Grenier Umeda Store which is a bakery selling an excellent crème brûlée mille-feuille.

How long to spend in Osaka

Osaka is a huge city full of things to do. We spent three nights here and could have even done a couple more to allow for day trips.

Where to stay in Osaka

We stayed at the Park Central Sakura Hotel which was excellent! The other hotel we recommend is the Super Hotel Premier Namba Shinsaibashi Natural Hot Spring. We love this chain, it really is good value.

Buy the Amazing Osaka Pass!

So before I start this itinerary, I will let you in on a secret…buying the Osaka Pass will make your time in Osaka so much better! We were skeptical but after Mike did the sums he realised that this would give us our most bang for our buck. It includes entry to 40 activities and you can purchase a one day or two day pass. We purchased a two day pass because there was just way too much for one day! In 3 days we crammed in as much as possible. You can purchase a digital Osaka Amazing Pass here which is really simple as you just show it on your phone. We highly recommend this to get the most out of your stay in Osaka! It also includes public transport around Osaka City, you can check out the included transport on this map and also all of the 40 included facilities.

3 Day Osaka Itinerary What to do in Osaka!

This is what we managed to fit into three days in Osaka. I loved this city and would absolutely return.

Day 1 Osaka Itinerary

Osaka Castle

Our first stop has to be to Osaka castle, it opens at 9am and I suggest you get there and in line for opening so you can make the most out of your day! We spend a good couple of hours at Osaka Castle as it has a lot of history inside and you can go up to the top of the tower to see the views as well. If you get there earlier then spend some time walking around the grounds as there are some nice viewpoints to the castle and the exterior is really beautiful. (Included in Amazing Osaka Pass)

Boat around Osaka Castle with Osaka Castle Gozabune

Included in the Amazing Osaka Pass is a boat trip around the castle, now while you dont actually get too many castle views from the boat its always a nice thing to do! Experience the moat of the castle.(Included in Amazing Osaka Pass)

Umeda Sky Building

We headed over to Umeda Sky Building to check out the views, you can also go outside at the top and attach a love lock to the fence. There is a cafe to sit with a beer or icecream and admire the city skyline, watching planes land. (Included in Amazing Osaka Pass)

Kinutani Koji Sky Art Museum

You will also find this art museum very close to the Sky Building, there is a cool 3-D art exhibition as well as some great art pieces to check out. We really loved this and recommend it. The art is really cool, we grabbed a souvenir from the gift store before leaving. (Included in Amazing Osaka Pass)

HEP 5 Ferris Wheel

This is a great activity, the ferris wheel is on top of a building and you go quite high up with views across the city the cabins are clean and air-conditioned. (Included in Amazing Osaka Pass)

The Osaka Museum of Housing and Living

Step into the past in this museum, it is really interesting and a great place to see Osaka before it was the modern city it is today. Definitely worth spending some time here. (Included in Amazing Osaka Pass)

The National Museum of Art

This is so worth a visit, there is some excellent art here. (Included in Amazing Osaka Pass)

Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum

This is an interesting museum housing ukiyo-e prints published in Osaka during the Edo period. They mostly depict actors in Kabuki performances held in Dotonbori. (Included in Amazing Osaka Pass)

Spend the evening In Dontonori

By now would be getting late in the day, spend some time checking out the Dotonbori area, it comes alive in the evening and is a great place to try different foods. This food tour is awesome to try things with the help of a local. You can also do a very cool cooking class here making Ramen and Gyoza (it does often sell out) and if you have allergies then check this Gluten-Free Ramen and Gyoza Cooking Class out! We loved it here, there was a vibe in the evening and by day the ‘big’ signs were so cool to see.

Samurai Training Experience Kendo

This is a unique opportunity to discover the authentic spirit of Kendo with a hands-on experience to try and aster the fundamentals of Japanese martial arts.

Sumo Show & Experience!

Going to a sumo show in Osaka is an absolute must and we found the best one! Finish your day here to watch this Japanese Sumo show. We loved it, the sumo wrestlers were so entertaining and learning about the sport was really interesting. You can take photos with the sumo wrestlers, watch a sumo fight and even enjoy a Japanese hot pot meal. It was truly an excellent experience and absolutely worth it! You can check out our experience on our Sumo Experience You Tube vlog, we had a ball.

Day 2 Osaka Itinerary

Tsūtenkaku Tower

Head back up into the clouds to check out the view and museum. It is a quirky space, the levels below going down are something to see as well…kind of like a Japanese cartoon disco…(Included in Amazing Osaka Pass)

Tower Dive and Walk

Another daredevil activity at the tower! Here you will walk right off the side of the tower! (Included in Amazing Osaka Pass)

Tower slider

Ok so I was a little concerned about doing the tower slider but it was actually less scary than I expected…I really don’t like rollercoasters. This ride takes you around the outside of the tower but it is a lot of fun, and quick.(included in Amazing Osaka Pass) If you are not sure about this one check out our Osaka Travel Vlog here to see what it is like! (while you are there subscribing to our You Tube channel really helps to support us!)

Tennoji Zoo

This is a big zoo with lots of animals in different environments to see, great if you have kids! (Included in Amazing Osaka Pass)

Tea Ceremony and Calligraphy Experience

A tea ceremony in Japan is a must and this private tea ceremony includes a Japanese calligraphy class. Learning something new when visiting a country is always a good idea!

Osaka Museum of History

Again really interesting and also kid friendly, there is a lot to see in here. (Included in Amazing Osaka Pass)

Kuromon Ichiba Market

Located in the center of Osaka, here you will find famous fish such as the conger pike in summer and Fugu in winter. We saw the fugu and it was so interesting seeing them swimming around and also as sushi!

Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street for cookware

This area is really well known for cookware but they also have some good souvenirs, check out Osaka Lacquerware for chopsticks and dishes and take a look in Sakai Ichimonji Mistuhide for knives.

Peace Museum

This is a really important stop, it commemorates peace and tells the story of the Osaka Air Raids.(Included in Amazing Osaka Pass)

Santa Maria Boat Cruise

A huge sailing ship that you can take a harbour cruise on. (Included in Amazing Osaka Pass).

Osaka Wheel

The largest ferris wheel in Osaka (Included in Amazing Osaka Pass)

Traditional Japanese Ceramics Private Experience

This is so cool! Learn how to apply the same techniques traditionally used by potters in Japan in this ceramic class. Make your own ceramic piece to take with you in this traditional Japanese ceramics class.

Dontonori sunset cruise with Wonder Cruise

We had a ball on this cruise, we didn’t make a reservation (you should though) and just turned up, we waited for a spare slot to come up and joined in about a half hour later. It was a lot of fun, the host is really vibrant. Seeing the neon signs from the water is great. (Included in Amazing Osaka Pass)

Day 3 Osaka Itinerary

Day three is a little more ‘choose your own adventure’! There are lots of things to do near Osaka so it is hard for us to choose for you. We did a Nara day trip and loved it but I also want to go back and do each of these as well! Alternatively take it slower on the previous two days and spread out the activities around Osaka, keeping the ones not included in the Amazing Osaka Pass for day 3.

Nara Day Trip

Nara is a beautiful place and the deer are the icing on the cake! I really loved visiting this town and you can read all about our time there in our Nara Deer blog or watch our Nara YouTube vlog on it. To get there you can take a train, there are lots of interesting trains in Japan.

Hiroshima Day Trip

Hiroshima is an important place to visit in Japan and taking a tour in Hiroshima is a good way to better understand this sensitive topic. I intend on doing this on my next trip.

Hello Kitty Shinkansen

Take a ride on the Hello Kitty Themed Shinkansen! You can catch it to Nara to see the deer which we loved! Or head from Osaka to Hiroshima to understand this important place of history in Japan.

Cup Noodle Factory

This museum is dedicated to instant noodles, Cup Noodles and their creator, Momofuku Ando. It is an interesting place to go where you can pay to create your own flavour of cup noodles to take with you! This 90 minute cup noodle guided tour is really well recommended!

Kobe Day Trip

Kobe is an interesting town that is famous for its beef. Trying Hida beef in Hida was awesome so I’m planning to get to Kobe to try Kobe beef there! There is also an antique cable car to ride which connect Kobe to Mt. Rokko and offer panoramic views. You can make the day easy with this Kobe walking tour which shows you the best of Kobe.

Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle is a hilltop Japanese castle and is the best surviving example of Japanese castle architecture, made up of 83 rooms and defensive systems. This castle is really beautiful and I can’t wait to visit. This Himeji Castle tour makes it really simple! Or this day trip that includes the onsen also.

Asahi Brewery Tour

Delve into the world of Japanese beer with their main brand Asahi! You can check it out on the Asahi website, it shows the museum and factory.

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