Japan: Visiting Osaka (大阪) in One or Two Days

If you arrive Osaka via KIX or via Kyoto, here are the top attractions you may want to consider.

Osaka Bay Area

The Osaka Bay Area is a collection of young city districts on man-made waterfront islands and peninsulas, built to accommodate Osaka's sprawling growth. The districts host a variety of tourist attractions, such as museums, theme parks, observatories and shopping centers.

While staying in Osaka Bay Area, you can visit the following top-visited destinations:

○ Universal Studios Japan 

• Opened in March 2001 in the Osaka Bay Area, the theme park occupies an area of 39 hectares and is the most visited amusement park in Japan after Tokyo Disney Resort.

○ Osaka Aquarium (Kaiyukan 海遊館) 

• Is one of Japan's most spectacular aquariums. 
• Marine life is displayed in 15 tanks, each representing a specific region of the Pacific Rim.

Other Attractions

Osaka Castle (Osakajo 大阪城) 
○ The castle tower is surrounded by secondary citadels, gates, turrets, impressive stone walls and moats. 

• Nishinomaru Garden
• The Nishinomaru Garden, encompassing the former "western citadel", is a lawn garden with 600 cherry trees, a tea house, the former Osaka Guest House and nice views of the castle tower from below. 
• Unlike most of the rest of the castle grounds, the garden requires an admission fee.

Osaka Shopping Centers (see this article to access and get around)
○ Umeda and Namba

• The city's two largest shopping districts are Umeda in the north and Namba in the south. 
• The Umeda area (also known as Kita) is served by JR Osaka Station 
• Umeda Station, while the Namba area (also known as Minami) is served by Namba Station.

○ Shinsaibashi Suji (心齋橋)

• Is a covered shopping arcade In between Umeda and Namba
• One of Osaka's oldest and busiest shopping destinations which runs about 600 meters in length. Shinsaibashi Suji's collection of brand name shops, chain stores, independent boutiques and variety of restaurants makes it popular with nearly every kind of shopper.

○ Dotonbori (道頓堀)

• Dotonbori is often selected as a scene in the Japanese and foreign movies as the symbol of Osaka.
• Dotonbori is a large scale downtown along the south bank of the Dotonbori-gawa Canal.
• At Dotombori, Shinsaibashi Suji becomes Ebisubashi Suji, though the same shopping atmosphere remains.

More What-to-see

References

1. Osaka Travel Guide (Japan-Guide.com)
2. Osaka Shopping Guide  (Japan-Guide.com)
3. Minami (Namba) — with nice map of the shopping districts
4. Hyperdia (good)
• "HyperDia" is a service which offers the route and the timetable of the railway and the aviation of Japan.
5. Public toilets in Japan
• "Public toilets are usually readily available all over Japan, and can be found in department stores, supermarkets, book stores, CD shops, parks, most convenience stores, and in all but the most rural train stations."
• Do carry some toilets just in case. 
6. Osaka: Annual Weather Averages
7. Osaka (Wikitravel)
8. Rail Passes for the Kansai Region (important)
• A myriad of tickets and rail passes are available to help tourists save some money
9. 12 Things to Do in Osaka, Japan (Must See Attractions; video)
10. Tips: Traveling in Japan (Travel for a Purpose)
11. Osaka Street Food Guide: Dotonbori ★ WAO✦RYU!TV ONLY in JAPAN #23 大阪道頓堀食い倒れ挑戦  (video)
12. Hotels (Japanology on Youtube)
13. Best Things to do in Osaka - Overnight City Guide (video)
14. The Best of Dotonbori