Why You HAVE to Visit Osaka | The Complete Osaka Guide | Don’t Miss It

Why You HAVE to Visit Osaka | The Complete Osaka Guide | Don’t Miss It

is Osaka on your Japan itinerary is it worth visiting osaka has a lot to offer and after this video it may become the star of your Japan trip Let’s go to Osaka Ladies and gentlemen we will be stopping at Shin Osaka [Music] Hey guys Wong here and today we are going to take an indepth look at Osaka and why it’s worth adding to your Japan itinerary over other places in Japan I know someone who just got back from Japan last week and she told me that Osaka was the best part of her trip even over Tokyo Why let’s dive into it Osaka as a whole is a very popular city in Japan and it is Japan’s third most populated city Osaka has city vibes kind of like a smaller Tokyo but culturally is more relaxed and a bit more loud than Tokyo for lack of a better word There is plenty to do here in Osaka and one of the most popular and noticeable attractions in Osaka is the Osaka Castle The castle is surrounded by moes and fortifications and it is breathtaking to see The castle itself does have a lot of history and was originally destroyed by fire in 1665 Rebuilt reinforced with concrete and modernized with elevators in 1931 and renovated to look like its historical Edeto era splendor in 1995 which completed in 1997 All that to say it’s been redone more than other castles in Japan and it is quite modern at least on the inside The outside still has that Edeto era vibe and wherever you are around the castle you’ll be able to take amazing photos The park around the castle offers beautiful views of the castle itself especially in the spring when the cherry blossoms are out offering amazing landscapes to frame the castle making for unforgettable photos However as with any place with cherry blossoms and great scenery it can get very crowded so plan time accordingly Currently the admission to enter the main tower of Osaka Castle is 1,200 yen for adults and 600 yen for college and high school students Anyone younger than that is free Adults aged 65 and older are also free along with people with disabilities This is an increase from the 600 yen entrance fee for adults that was raised at the end of 2024 Whether or not that makes it worth it to enter is up to you but in my opinion the outside of the building is really where all of the splendor is If you are really into museums and history then going inside may be worth it because the inside of the castle is a very modernized museum The castle park grounds are free to walk around but there is a separate fee for the Nishomaru Garden which is 200 yen and increased to 350 yen during cherry blossom season The castle itself is basically a modern museum with a historical facade Speaking of modern and historical the next spot on our list is one that combines that into a new world record The largest wooden architectural structure on Earth This is the Grand Ring The Grand Ring covers an area of 61,35 m or 656,980 ft It was built using traditional Japanese wood joining techniques meaning that it requires no nails to hold it together The Grand Ring was created to surround the area set aside for Expo 2025 which is the World Expo that is currently ongoing as of the making of this video It started Sunday April 13th 2025 and will run through Monday October 13th 2025 This is the second time that Osaka has hosted the World Expo having hosted it previously in 1970 The Grand Ring is illuminated at night and this makes for some pretty nice photo opportunities As for the expo itself some compare it to more of an educational Epcot for those who have been there in Florida in the United States It’s basically a gathering of countries and cultures from around the world to showcase both culture and technology Lines can get quite long there And while I do say that about a lot of places in Japan because it’s true here especially so So be prepared for some long wait times Many popular booths require timed reservations Though if you aren’t able to get those there are some that don’t require reservations and you can just get in line albeit a long line If you are planning a trip to Osaka before October 13th 2025 it may be worth checking out If you’ve been I’d love to hear your thoughts on the expo down below Going back to the less temporary things in Osaka we’ll go to spot number three and this is probably the most iconic Osaka spot there is This is Dobbori The Doburi area is a bustling area filled with massive neon signs with shops and restaurants lining the streets This is a very stimulating area Think Shinjuku in Tokyo This is Osaka’s most famous tourist destination and you will find plenty of Osaka classics here like their famous street food mainly the okonomoyaki which is a Japanese savory pancake and the takoyaki which is a ball-shaped snack typically containing octopus These two items in particular are extremely popular and you will find long lines at street stalls for these amazingly delicious Osaka classics Osaka is called the kitchen of Japan for a reason So if you’re here you’re going to eat some amazing food Osaka also has their own take on ramen and soba noodles and those can be found in the area as well As for popular desserts tayyaki which is a pastry dessert traditionally filled with red bean paste is a classic along with dauku mochi which is mochi filled with something typically strawberries which are a very refreshing snack to eat after eating tons of takoyaki Okay so this area has a lot of food And Osaka’s nickname is Japan’s kitchen for a reason But what else is there well there is the Doniote store often abbreviated as Donkey and this is a classic must visit place with its iconic non-traditional looking ferris wheel on the top of the building This is the world’s first oval ferris wheel and each cabin has four seats inside The ride takes 15 minutes and is 1,000 yen per person It’s also pretty unique in that the seats rotate 180 degrees so that everyone is facing outward and has the same view After enjoying a ride on the ferris wheel do some shopping in the donkey store there because Don Kyote is a staple of Japan and it is one of the most iconic and recognizable stores in Japan Though if you are going to Tokyo then I would hold off on shopping here until you go to Tokyo because you’ll probably end up buying a lot and you don’t want to have to lug and bring all of that around as you take the train to Tokyo After leaving the store also in the area is the Ebisu Bridge where you will find the famous Glico Man sign which is one of Osaka’s most photographed locations The Doon Borei area as a whole is very lively fun and vibrant So don’t miss it It may even be worth staying in a hotel in this area so that you can enjoy it some more Next for another cultural experience make your way to the Shitanoi Temple which is the oldest officially administered temple in Japan This temple has been around since the year 593 like 593 not a thousand before that This temple has been destroyed and rebuilt countless times and since then they have tried to keep it as true to original form as possible This temple has a large annual event on April 22nd to celebrate Prince Shotoku the temple’s founder There is a beautiful and stunning fivestory pagota here and you won’t want to miss this The temple is also illuminated at night and that offers its own beauty as well The next spot on our list is a hit or miss depending on what you’re into but it remains a popular tourist destination as a whole and that is Universal Studios This is the third most visited amusement park in the world with its main attraction Super Nintendo World featuring rides like Mario Kart Koopa’s Challenge and Yoshi’s Adventure Universal Studios here also has the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Minion Park home to the Despicable Mi Minions and Jurassic Park amongst other attractions The theme park is very convenient to get to compared to others in Japan like Disneyland and Disney Sea which are a bit farther from the downtown core of Tokyo It’s roughly a 20 to 30 minute train ride from the central area of Osaka to Universal Studios And once you walk to the front of the park you will instantly recognize the big Universal Studios Globe Tickets for the park start at $8,900 yen or around $60 and go up from there depending on how many days you plan on staying Though there is a night pass for anyone looking to enter the park after 5:00 p.m which is 5,300 yen or around $37 Expect crazy crowds here during peak season especially in Nintendo world I’m a bit mixed about Universal Studios especially if you have been or are able to go to some of the other parks such as the one in Los Angeles California in the United States or Orlando Florida because Universal Studios in Osaka used to be unique with Nintendo World being the main attraction but they opened a Nintendo World in February 2023 in LA’s Universal Studio Park and a Super Nintendo World just opened in Orlando Florida’s Universal Studios on May 22nd 2025 So I personally don’t think that Japan’s Universal Studios is currently unique enough to go out of your way for unless you are really into Universal Studios and amusement parks But that’s just my take on it Let me know what you think about Osaka’s Universal Studio Amusement Park down in the comment section below Next let’s go to one of the most unique buildings in all of Japan This is the Umeda Sky Building This building has one of the most iconic urban escalators ever These escalators on the 35th floor of the building take you up to the 39th floor and you are basically floating in the air surrounded by glass There’s nothing underneath these escalators and the open design of the building just makes all of this super unique The floating garden observatory on the top floor offers breathtaking 360 degree views of the city of Osaka This is the real deal Full 360 unlike other places with support beams and other things in your way It’s also open to the elements meaning that it is often very windy and rain can make the visit a bit uncomfortable Umbrellas are not allowed up here as the winds can easily take the umbrellas for a ride right off the top of the building So if it is looking rainy in the forecast you may want to bring a rain jacket You can also get a laser engraved padlock with your name and the date which you can add to the heart lock wall if you wish or you can take it home as a souvenir Underneath the observatory you will find a cafe where you can enjoy the experience in a more enclosed space while you look out over the city Now from the sky let’s make our way down to the depths of the ocean as we make our way to the Kaukan Aquarium in Osaka which is among the top 15 largest aquariums in the world It has eight floors that surround a central massive tank that houses a whale shark This unique design allows you to get close to the glass not only at the base but allows you to go up the aquarium allowing you to get a great view of everything inside The aquarium has over 620 species of sea animals including otter sea lions dolphins penguins rays and jellyfish The aquarium is about to celebrate its 35th anniversary this year in July with limited edition stickers and items at the aquarium Tickets for the aquarium start at 2,700 yen which as of now is around $19 and you can expect to spend around 2 to 4 hours here depending on how much time you want to take it all in Next up we have a tower that is over 100 years old and it is the iconic Sutenkaku Tower The tower itself was built in 1912 and was made to look like the Eiffel Tower on top of the Arct Triumph At the time it was built it was the tallest tower in the east The original tower was dismantled due to fire in 1943 but was rebuilt in 1956 The tower is easily metro accessible and is pretty easy to spot Inside you will find the tower slider which is a 200 ft or 60 m slide that runs from the third floor and runs four floors down into the basement floor It costs 1,000 yen to ride and takes around 10 seconds to get you down And it is quite steep so you do pick up momentum fairly quickly You’re also laying inside of a bag that makes you slide down pretty quick They do provide you with a video of your experience that you can download from a QR code that is included in your ticket price At the top of the building you will also find the enclosed observation deck where you can view the city And then for an additional fee you can go to the outer observation platform which runs around the building and has a ledge that extends outward from the tower with see-through floors to really test your fear of heights At the top of the tower is a large light that shines different colors depending on the weather forecast for the next day This can best be seen at night and it shines a combination of white orange or blue to match the forecast with white being sunny red for cloudy and blue for rain Now on to more food Our next spot is one that just opened March 21st 2025 and this is a first for this chain in Asia and this is the Timeout Market Osaka The Timeout Market chain is a place that aims to provide all of the best food from a city under one roof and to provide the best version of that food as well My cousin was just there last week and said that it was some of the best food that she had in Japan and she would go back to Osaka just to go here It is essentially a food hall with 17 restaurants and two bars And you will be able to enjoy some of the best food including popular Osaka street foods here all while surrounded by art from local artists and even some musical performances and DJs If you are a foodie this is the place to be While I personally haven’t gotten to go here yet from the photos that I’ve seen and from her recommendation I’m adding this place to my next Osaka stop and you should too Last up on our list is the Abino Harukas in Osaka which was the tallest skyscraper in Japan until 2023 The Harukas 300 named because the building is 300 m tall or nearly 1,000 ft is the observation deck here with its massive floor to-seeiling glass windows and it really allows you to experience Osaka in a way unlike anything else Part of the observatory also has glass floors which make you feel like you are floating in the sky The bathrooms also have floor to-seeiling windows so that’s fun In my opinion what makes this observatory so unique compared to nearly every other skyscraper in Japan is that there are so few skyscrapers or tall buildings in Osaka And that means that you can really see so incredibly far and it really does make it feel like you are towering above everyone else literally Once you are done admiring the view you can go shopping in the largest department store in Japan which is the bottom 14 floors and two basement floors of this building If you want a high-end stay in Osaka then the floors between the department store and the observation deck are the Osaka Marriott Mako Hotel which offer luxurious rooms and floor to ceiling windows overlooking Osaka Osaka is filled with amazing things to do see and especially eat So this is a place you definitely don’t want to miss on your Japan trip Everyone has their preferences but Osaka is the fun city vibes of Tokyo combined with a more relaxed and fun cultural experience And my cousin said that she preferred it over Tokyo What do you think what are your favorite things to do in Osaka let me know in the comments section down below and I will see you guys in the next On [Music]

Osaka is like Tokyo but better. Come explore why you need to add Osaka to your Japan itinerary and what the best things to do in Osaka are. We will look at the most popular attractions and see if it’s worth the hype.
There are some new ones and some temporary ones as well so don’t miss this.
Let’s go to Osaka.

Follow my adventures on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hoang.pham.photography/

My Current Camera Gear:
DJI Osmo Pocket 3(Game Changing Video): https://amzn.to/3zhdsdt
Sony A7iv(Photos): https://amzn.to/33ObCBb
Tamron 28-75 2.8: https://amzn.to/3fVMTx4
Peak Design Tripod: https://amzn.to/38YsaG2
DJI Mavic 3 Pro: https://amzn.to/416EhuQ
DJI RS3 Gimbal: https://amzn.to/4gVMcB4

Wonder where I get the awesome music I use in my videos?
Epidemic Sound: https://share.epidemicsound.com/ymmv4d

Chapters:
0:00 – Intro
0:40 – Osaka Intro
1:01 – The Legendary Castle
2:13 – Castle Fees
3:10 – The Grand World Record
3:45 – Temporary World Expo
5:05 – The MOST Famous Tourist Destination
6:13 – Don’t Forget Dessert
6:40 – The World’s First Oval Ferris Wheel
7:40 – Osaka’s Most Photographed Location
8:02 – Oldest Temple in Japan
8:51 – A Whole New Universe
10:17 – My Thoughts On The World’s 3rd Most Visited Park
11:10 – The Most Unique Building In Japan
12:41 – To the Depths
13:45 – The 100 Year Old Tower
14:19 – The Slide of a Lifetime
15:35 – Brand New Top Tier Food Hall
16:44 – The 2nd Tallest Skyscraper in Japan
18:14 – Final Thoughts

As an Amazon and Epidemic Sound Associate I earn from qualifying purchases using the links above at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting my channel.