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Osaka
Osaka

Best Things to Do in Osaka

Get an exclusive sneak peek into the 5 best things to do in Osaka with this comprehensive list curated just for you.

By Cruise Booking Team

Cruises from Osaka

Osaka is Western Japan's capital and the second largest city after Tokyo. It is affectionately known as the Nation's Kitchen. Osaka is more than just cuisine, though. The temples, museums, and other historic monuments all contain traces of Japan's rich ancient times.

Osaka is regarded as a welcoming and energetic city. It has various museums significant to Japanese heritage, the biggest retail street in Japan, medieval temples as well as the tallest skyscraper in Japan. For your trip, we have curated a list of 5 best things to do in Osaka -

The 5 Best Things to Do in Osaka

1. Osaka Shochikuza Theater - Enjoy A Traditional Japanese Play

This is the first on our list of top things to do in Osaka. The only kabuki theater in Osaka is Shochikuza, where you may see a genuine Japanese drama. A visually stunning display of song, mime, and dance- kabuki was included in UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. It is a remarkable structure that stands out from the neighborhood owing to its Neo-Renaissance design, which was inspired by Milan's La Scala Theater.

2. Admire the Fish In The Kaiyukan Aquarium

One of the best aquariums on the globe is undoubtedly the Kaiyukan aquarium. More than 30,000 marine animals are housed there in 15 distinct habitats that are meant to transport visitors through the many conditions prevalent in the Pacific Rim. It's soothing to witness the mesmerizing patterns of fish swimming into or out of coral.

3. Taste Sukiyaki in Kansai Style In Kitamura

Enter Kitamura through the sliding glass doors and enter the realm of sukiyaki. Finely chopped meat, veggies, and other seasonings are often boiled and cooked in a combination of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin (sugary rice wine) for this classic Japanese stew-like meal, which is served in a hot pot. For a unique Osaka experience, sit down at a tatami-mat table and see your hot-pot dish being prepared right in front of you.

4. Minoo National Park - Try a Roasted Maple Leaf

Minoo National Park is just a fast 30-minute railway journey away from Hankyu Umeda station. Although it isn't a section of Osaka city, it's worth a stop to get away from the sprawling suburbs. The primary route to the park follows a picturesque river and is bordered by historic structures and shrines. The park's beautiful waterfall, which pours down from an elevation of 33 meters, is its major appeal (108ft).

One of the most loved locations in Kansai to watch fall foliage is Minoo, which is particularly widely renowned for its vivid crimson maple trees. Don't miss the chance to try a fried maple leaf, which is the region's specialty and is offered by sellers along the side of the road leading back to the station.

5. Explore the Ancient Osaka Castle

The crowning glory of the city's tourism highlights is Osaka Castle. The castle was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the late 1500s, making it one of Japan's most important historical landmarks. Even though the current castle has undergone multiple reconstructions, many parts of the park still qualify as cultural landmarks, including the Otemon Gate with its wooden beams. There are several exhibitions representing the 16th and 17th centuries held within the castle itself.

The castle gardens are a highly loved area in Osaka to stroll and unwind, and they look especially lovely in the late winter when the plum tree branches are barren and as well as the start of spring when the flowers blossom in bright pink and white.

Final Words

Osaka in Japan is a city that has so many wonderful things to offer you, and now that you know about the ultimate things to do in Osaka, get your bags packed and tickets booked. For more details about traveling to Osaka, you can also visit www.cruisebooking.com.

Header Image by lifeforstock at Freepik

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