TOP 10 Places to Visit in Osaka | Osaka Itinerary for First-Time Visitors

TOP 10 Places to Visit in Osaka | Osaka Itinerary for First-Time Visitors

Osaka, the city that gave the world conveyor belt sushi, instant ramen, and the loudest neon canyon in Japan, is waiting for you. Whether you’re chasing the scent of sizzling takoyaki or the future at Expo 2025, this is the only guide you’ll need. Stick around till the end for the perfect 3-day itinerary. Number 10, Team Lab Botanical Garden, Osaka. We start in the south inside Nagai Park where Team Lab has turned a 240,000 square meter botanical garden into a luminous wonderland. At night, sensors awaken floating orbs and digital fireflies. The art isn’t projected onto nature. It collaborates with it. Cherry blossoms pulse pink. Bamboo glows emerald. And every step triggers its own soundtrack. [Music] Number nine, Sumioshi Taiisha. Hop on the retro Hankai tram to Osaka’s oldest shrine, founded in 211 AD. Unlike Kyoto’s ornate temples, Sumioshi’s style is purely Japanese, straight roofed, vermilion posts, and a steep photogenic arched bridge called Sorihashi. Local families still dress in kimono for blessings, giving you a living history lesson. [Music] Number eight, Kuromon Ichiba Market. They call it Osaka’s kitchen. 190 m of seafood stalls, Wagyu skewers, and chewy mochi the size of tennis balls. Vendors will grill giant scallops right in front of you for pocket change. Pair it with a 300 yen cup of pure melon juice and you’re fueled for hours. Number [Music] seven, Shinsukai and Tsutenkaku Tower. Built in 1912 as New World, Shinsukai mixes Parisian boulevards with Coney Island vibes. Neon puffer fish signs promise the city’s famous kushikatsu, deep fried everything on a skewer. The 108 m tutenaku tower offers a 360° deck, plus bilikin, Osaka’s quirky god of happiness. Rub his feet for good luck. Your travel footage will thank you. Heat. Heat. [Music] Number six, Umeda sky building and floating garden. Two glass towers joined by a ringed observatory. Think sci-fi arct triumph. Ride the glass escalator that seems to fly through open sky. Then step onto the rooftop for wind in your hair panoramas of the Yodo River and Akashi Straight Bridge. [Music] [Music] [Music] Number five, Osaka Aquarium, Kaukan. One of the world’s largest aquariums, Caillou spirals you down an 11story tank starring a 30foot whale shark. Each floor recreates a Pacific ecosystem from illutian sea otterters to the lush great barrier reef. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Number four, Universal Studios Japan. Ready, Player One? Race a 3D Mario Kart punch coin blocks with an NFC wristband. Then head to the brand new Donkey Kong Country expansion for a minecart coaster straight out of your childhood console. [Music] Number three, Osaka Castle and Nishinamaru Park. Erected in 1583 by warlord Toyotomy Hideoshi to unify Japan. The castle has burned, been bombed, and risen again. Most recently in 1931, with a museum elevator cleverly hidden inside. Spring brings 3,000 cherry trees. Autumn sets the moat ablaze with crimson maples. [Music] Number two, doten bori and shinsashi. If Tokyo’s Shabuya is a technop single, Doenbore is an Osaka rock anthem. Loud, unfiltered, and impossible to ignore. Strike the iconic glyco running man pose. Then crawl the canal for takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and yes, cheese loaded ramen. [Music] [Music] Number one, Expo 2025, Yumashima. Opening April 13th, 2025. Expo 2025 is Osaka’s boldest project since the 1970 World Expo. Even before the gates open, you can ferry past Yumashima Island to watch Sufujimoto’s wooden grand ring take shape. 2 km of timber engineering that frames Osaka Bay like a halo. That’s Osaka in 10 unforgettable stops. Drop your favorite in the comments. Share this with your travel buddy and don’t forget to subscribe for more dreamw worthy itineraries. Until next time, keep chasing wonder and I’ll see you in the next diary entry. [Music]

Welcome to Osaka, Japan
This is your complete Osaka travel guide — the top 10 best places to visit in Osaka, what to eat, where to go at night, and how to plan the perfect 3-day Osaka itinerary.

In this video, we explore Osaka’s most iconic attractions, hidden gems, street food, nightlife, temples, and theme parks, including:
• Dotonbori & Shinsaibashi (Osaka nightlife, neon streets, street food like takoyaki and okonomiyaki)
• Osaka Castle & Nishinomaru Park (history, samurai era, cherry blossoms)
• Universal Studios Japan / Super Nintendo World (best theme park in Osaka, Mario Kart, Harry Potter World)
• teamLab Botanical Garden Osaka (night light art show in Nagai Park)
• Kaiyukan Osaka Aquarium (one of the largest aquariums in the world)
• Umeda Sky Building Floating Garden Observatory (best Osaka city view)
• Kuromon Ichiba Market (Osaka street food tour / seafood market / wagyu skewers)
• Shinsekai & Tsutenkaku Tower (retro Osaka, kushikatsu food alley)
• Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine (traditional Japanese shrine & famous red bridge)
• Expo 2025 Osaka / Yumeshima Island (future Osaka travel spot)

This video is perfect if you’re planning:
• a first time trip to Osaka
• a Japan travel itinerary in 2025
• a day trip from Kyoto / Nara / Tokyo to Osaka
• or if you just want to know the best things to do in Osaka at night.

You’ll also get:
• How to get around Osaka by metro and JR trains
• What area to stay in Osaka (Namba vs Umeda vs Shinsekai)
• Where to find the BEST food in Osaka
• Osaka budget tips + money-saving passes

WHY OSAKA?
Osaka is known as the food capital of Japan, the birthplace of takoyaki and okonomiyaki, home to some of the best nightlife in Japan, and easily one of the most fun cities to visit in the world. If you’re choosing between Tokyo vs Osaka vs Kyoto, Osaka gives you the crazy neon, the comfort food, and the energy of Kansai.

If you found this helpful, drop a comment: Which Osaka spot is #1 on your bucket list?

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