Osaka is a vibrant city with an exciting nightlife. While in the city, you can do some activities that are not necessarily related to Osaka but fun!
Osaka is known for its otaku culture, which centers around watching television and manga. Many popular nightclubs and bars have eccentric Rod Serling-esque announcements titled NHK-gai, or “Night Watch,” referring to the hours they are open.
Since they are closed on Sunday, this is a nice way to learn how to dance if you don’t know how to do so in advance. It is also possible to go dancing after church on Sunday, so don’t be afraid to show up if you are that way trained!
Another fun activity is going onsen (hot springs), which are Japanese saunas.
Have dinner at a Japanese restaurant
You can do this for a day. There are so many Japanese restaurants in Osaka that it is hard to choose one.
Many are called Dai-ya (Japanese pancake) or teppanyaki (where you cook your own food on a grill) restaurants. Many serve gyoza (boiled potatoes), tempura, and yakitori ( roasted horse-raccoon or chicken skewers) foods.
Some specialize in noodles, dai-ichi-ya (ramen), and kaiseeya (noodles with vegetables) while others only serve one type of food. Either way, they are all delicious!
After dinner you can enjoy some drinks or take a stroll on the street where the night is dark and windy.
Go to the Tokyo Sea Life Center
If you have a day left, take the opportunity to go to the Osaka Sea Life Center. It is located just off of Nishi-odori-dori, east of Osaka Station.
The aquarium has several environments including a tropical rainforest, an icy water lagoon, and a fascinating community ocean where visitors can learn about marine life and how it functions.
Additionally, the grounds include beautiful plant and animal gardens, a children’s area with interactive elements such as sea life displays and Legos for kids to play with, and a wonderful view of the city skyline from the top floor.
There are also several attractions inside the aquarium that visitors can visit such as The Lost City exhibition which explores aquatic life hidden below the surface of an ancient lake. When visited in conjunction with sunset, this exhibition is a truly mesmerising experience which viewers will not want to end.
Browse the many shops
Many people visit Osaka for its vibrant street markets. At the same time, the government has promoted urban planning and redevelopments have decreased the number of streets very significantly, making it easy to explore the city on a day trip.
Many of the big marketplaces are located in each district, so you can just wander around and check out some of the fresh products and fun places to shop. The best areas to visit in a day is likely Yanokubo-nuri (Carpet Market), Namba-nuri (Beauty Market), and Kasukurei-nuri (Furniture Market).
If you have more time, you can also explore some of the interesting sites such as Kioicho Park or Nakanoshima Park. Both offer beautiful scenery and activities for people of all ages.
Check out the Nakano Shopping Street
Check out the Nakano Shopping Street in Osaka. This is the largest shopping street in Japan with over 200 shops and platforms.
The Nakano Shopping Street is located just east of Nihombashi on central Osaka’s Shijo-dai. You can easily find it because there are many large property banners covering the area.
It takes about an hour to explore the Nakano Shopping Street in detail so make your time well spent!
Many high-end brands have shops on this street making it a popular destination for fashionistas. You can also visit some of these locations within Osaka if you have time!
If you are short on time, we suggest you look into one of the many property banners on the street.
Take in the views from Osaka Castle
Climb the 160-step Osaka Castle Tour to get a bird’s eye view of the city. Once on top, you can look down upon the city and castle from a serene vantage point.
An entertaining way to do this is by taking the tour in groups of up to 14 people! Each group member receives a complimentary ticket, so you get to share the experience with your friends.
Alternatively, you can do it as an individual and climb alone, but be careful – there are glass windows on the climb that can be shattered by strong winds or heavy rain. You would then need to go back down and start again!
As mentioned before, this attraction is located at Osaka Castle, so if you want to see it from a different perspective, hop in your car or motorcycle and take one of the many driving tours available.
Visit the Horai Hall Museum
The Horai Hall Museum displays items from the period in which rice was still cultivated in Japan. You can experience this era by visiting!
Visiting the Horai Hall Museum is an informative experience, so don’t fret if you are not familiar with rice agriculture during that time. There are informative displays and resources to help you learn about this fascinating time in Japanese history.
Along with displaying artifacts from that period, the museum also has a comprehensive timeline of Japanese history. This way, you can explore history together with your children as they learn about different eras of Japanese history together.
A highlight of the museum is its collection of rice jars. These were used to store food and drinks during that time and were typically decorated with flowers or figures.
Take a stroll along the Dōtonbori River
Rijubao River, Dōtonbori is one of the city’s main rivers. You can choose to wander or to swim!
Dōtonbori is a trendy district with a lot of coffee shops, tattoo parlors, and night clubs. It’s also known for its strip clubs, which are very welcoming and nonjudgmental.
If you’re looking for an alternative experience in Osaka, head to the riverbank and take in the gorgeous scenery. You can also go swimming if you are confident in water safety!
Also notable is Yaeza Takashimaya, a large shopping mall that has many department stores and upscale shops. Both areas are easy to find using the map below.
Shop at Underground Shopping Center Bolario
Bolario is one of the largest underground shopping centers in Osaka. It has over 30 different malls with more than 3500 stores and over 100 businesses.
Most of them are well-known Japanese brands such as Doraemon,星宿店, and Isetan. There are also a few large foreign brand shops like New York & Company and Nike.
Most of the stores are open Monday through Friday from 9 until 19 with some limited business hours on Saturday and Sunday. Most companies do not operate on Christmas and New Year’s times, so they have holiday decorations around town!
There are also a few fair-like events held at Bolario every year, such as the Christmas Market or the Toy Show.
