Osaka in 2 Days: Ending Our 11-Day Japan Adventure in Japan’s Third Largest City
Osaka is Japan’s third largest city and the final stop on our unforgettable 11-day journey across the country. Known for its food scene, modern skyline, and energetic neighborhoods, Osaka felt like the perfect place to wrap up our adventure.
Over the course of two days, we explored historic landmarks, futuristic viewpoints, bustling tourist districts, and one of the largest aquariums in the world — with a few honest opinions along the way.
Our Japan Itinerary Before Osaka
Before arriving in Osaka, we covered a lot of ground in just under two weeks:
Tokyo – One whirlwind day exploring Japan’s largest city
Kanazawa – 36 hours discovering one of Japan’s most beautiful and underrated cities
Kyoto – Three days in this iconic cultural hub (which was absolutely not enough time)
Day trips to Nara to see the famous bowing deer and Hiroshima for its powerful history
Osaka was our final stop, and we were excited to see how it compared to the other cities on our route.
Getting Around Osaka: What You Should Know
Osaka is served by one of Japan’s oldest and largest subway systems. The Osaka Metro was established in 1933 and now includes over 130 stations across the city.
Fares are distance-based
You can use IC cards like SUICA, which we already had from Tokyo
That said, out of all the cities we visited in Japan, Osaka’s metro was the most challenging to navigate. Directional signage felt sparse, stations were massive, and it wasn’t uncommon to walk what felt like miles underground before reaching the correct platform.
This isn’t meant to scare you — just a heads-up that a little pre-planning (and Google Maps) will make your time in Osaka much easier.
Things to Do in Osaka
Osaka Castle
No visit to Osaka is complete without seeing Osaka Castle, one of Japan’s most famous landmarks.
Originally built in the 16th century, the castle has been destroyed and rebuilt several times. The structure standing today is a concrete reconstruction completed in 1931. It sits atop a hill, surrounded by a moat, with expansive grounds covering about 15 acres — so be prepared to walk.
Travel tip:
Buy your ticket online ahead of time. When we arrived, the ticket lines were massive, but e-tickets allowed us to skip about an hour of waiting.
👉 Tickets for Osaka Castle:
https://www.klook.com/activity/30110-osaka-castle-ticket/
Inside, theी the castle functions as an eight-floor museum detailing the history of Osaka and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. To be completely honest, the narrow hallways, constant stairs, and heavy crowds made it less enjoyable than we expected.
However, the observation deck at the top was absolutely worth it, offering fantastic views of the city.
Where We Stayed: Aloft Osaka Dojima
We stayed at Aloft Osaka Dojima, and after days of nonstop sightseeing, it felt luxurious to finally have a comfortable place to relax.
Hotel details:
Aloft Osaka Dojima
2 Chome-1-31 Dojimahama, Kita Ward, Osaka, 530-0004, Japan
👉 Hotel website:
https://www.marriott.com/search/findHotels.mi?pageType=advanced&searchType=NearAddress&destinationAddress.location=Aloft+Osaka+Dojima
Highlights for us included:
A modern bathroom with a great shower
A surprisingly spacious room
And best of all… a couch — our first place to sit comfortably the entire trip
Sometimes it’s the small things.
Umeda Sky Building
Next up was the Umeda Sky Building, one of Osaka’s most unique architectural landmarks.
Built in 1993, this futuristic skyscraper consists of two towers connected by a floating sky bridge on the 40th floor. From the top, you’ll get panoramic views of Osaka in every direction.
The 39th floor features a large gift shop
There’s also a café with snacks and an impressive beer list
We lingered here with locals and tourists alike, watching a beautiful sunset over the city — one of our favorite moments in Osaka.
Dotonbori: Worth It or Overrated?
Dotonbori is often described as the heart of Osaka — a neon-lit district packed with street food, restaurants, and entertainment.
Everyone told us this was the place to be.
And while we’re glad we saw it… in our (possibly unpopular) opinion, it was overrated. The crowds were intense, and after about an hour we were completely exhausted. Maybe we just missed the best spots.
If you’ve been to Dotonbori and loved it, we’d genuinely love to hear your tips for future travelers.
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
Our final major attraction was the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, located about 30 minutes from downtown Osaka and close to Legoland and Universal Studios Japan.
This aquarium is one of the largest in the world, and even though it was busy, it felt well-spaced and thoughtfully designed. We never felt overwhelmed by the crowds.
Highlights included:
Multiple whale sharks
A massive central tank
A special experience where we watched the whale sharks being fed from above
This ended up being one of our favorite experiences in Osaka.
The Best Meal We Had in Osaka
Osaka is known as Japan’s food capital, but surprisingly, nothing truly stood out to us until our last day.
Near the aquarium, we stumbled upon a small local restaurant where I had katsu curry that instantly earned a spot in my top 10 favorite meals in Japan.
Best restaurant we visited:
Kobanzame
3 Chome-8-8 Chikko, Minato Ward, Osaka, 552-0021, Japan
Sometimes the best meals really do happen when you least expect them.
Final Thoughts on Osaka
Osaka was a fitting end to our 11-day journey through Japan. From historic castles to modern observation decks, bustling streets, and unforgettable food, the city offered a little bit of everything.
This trip was filled with incredible cultural experiences, and we’re so grateful we’re able to travel and share them with you. We started this channel to fill the travel content gaps we were searching for ourselves, and we truly hope our experiences help you plan your own adventures.
If you’re planning a trip to Japan, let us know where you’re headed next — you might just inspire our next journey.
