Things to do and of course... what to EAT!
Hi there!
I will be doing a Japan series for the next couple of blog posts. We’re going to kick off with Osaka! In this post, I will share a 3 day itinerary to Osaka, along with a mini day trip to Hiroshima by Shinkansen.
There are a ton of places to go and eat in Osaka… So many options to the point where there are too many to choose from. I personally got a little overwhelmed, but in this post, I listed the places I ate at. To be quite honest, there were not that many restaurants that I disliked, so I would definitely recommend all of them! Generally speaking, a two person meal at a sit-down restaurant would cost between ¥3000 to ¥5000 (~$23.00 to $38.00 based on current rates as of Dec 2022/Jan 2023).
I did not include Universal Studios Japan in this itinerary. So if you’d rather go to USJ over Hiroshima or add another day to your trip, please do so! Still, I definitely encourage anyone coming to Japan to learn more about the tragedy that Hiroshima experienced.
When traveling around Japan, I bought a JR Rail Pass online. This was super convenient and worth the cost because we were able to travel to Osaka, Hiroshima, Nara, and Kyoto using the JR Line and Shinkansen with no extra costs (unless you decide to take the local train lines). No need to reserve seats on the Shinkansen, just hop on the train and find an open seat in the unreserved cars. In some cities, there are also certain bus lines and ferries that accept the JR Pass. I definitely recommend buying this pass if you plan on traveling to multiple cities around Japan! Also, most train stations have a coin locker big enough to be able to fit at least one carry-on suitcases and a couple duffle bags. These bigger lockers cost around ¥700 for unlimited time. But contact your hotel or Airbnb stay if you can drop your luggage off earlier or be delivered to.
I try make my itineraries short, sweet and straight to the point. The best way to learn about a place is to actually go there anyways. So with that being said, let’s jump into the itinerary.
Day 1 Osaka
Arrive in Osaka
Leave in the morning, arrive in the afternoon/late morning.
Lunch and Food Stall Hopping in Dotonbori - Lots of restaurants and food stalls to choose from.
Kinryu Ramen
551 Horai - Pork buns and shumai. Only in Osaka.
Futami no Butaman - Pork buns
Rikuro-Ojisan no mise - The best jiggle, fluffy cheesecake I’ve ever had.
Thrift Shopping in America-mura - There are a ton small owned business thrift shops. I shopped at the big ones like Kinji because they tend to be a tad cheaper than those smaller ones.
Kinji
Trefac Style
Coffee Break at Lilo Coffee Roasters
Loved the staff there. They were eager to teach you about how they brew their coffee. Some staff could speak English as well.
Dinner in Dotonbori
Okonomiyaki Mizuno - A small restaurant serving only okonomiyaki, or Japanese savory pancakes that earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand. No reservations, must wait in line.
Be sure to check out the iconic Glico Running Man sign on the river!
Bar hopping in America-mura
Good Times Reggae Bar - No cover charge
200 Yen Bar Moon Walk - ¥500 cover charge. We probably spent a little over ¥3000 for six drinks, two plates of food, and the cover.
Day 2 Osaka + Hiroshima Day Trip (or Universal Studios Japan)
Day trip to Hiroshima (About 1 hour 40 min one way by Shinkansen)
Leave in the morning
Things To Do in Hiroshima
Hiroshima Castle/Ninomaru- Free to walk around the castle grounds, must pay to go inside for ¥370 (Adult)
Atomic Bomb Dome - Free
Peace Memorial Park - Free
Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum - ¥200 (Adult)
Lunch in Hiroshima
We were quite hungry and really wanted to eat something near the Peace Memorial Park. We walked to a nearby mall called SOGO and ate at Tamago to Watashi (Egg and Me). It is an omurice (omelet rice) restaurant.
But if I had to restart, I would have gone to Okonomimura or “Okonomiyaki Village.” There are multiple booths serving different kinds of okonomiyaki. Be sure to try Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki!
Travel back to Osaka (About 1 hour 40 min one way by Shinkansen)
Leave late afternoon
Things to Do in Osaka Day 2
Harukas 300 Observatory - Get a fantastic night view of the city!
We got there too late so we ended up going there the next day in daylight, which was still beautiful!
Hours: 9AM to 10PM
Can purchase tickets at the door or in advance online.
¥1500 (Adults)
Dinner in Shinsekai - Similar to Dotonbori, there are multiple restaurants and bars to eat and drink at in this neighborhood.
Couldn’t tell you the name of the horumon (beef/pork organs bbq) restaurant that we ate at because it doesn’t even show up on Google Maps. BUT I would eat at Kushikatsu Daruma. Think of this place as a tapas bar serving small dishes. Kushikatsu is deep fried meat and vegetables on skewers.
Day 3 Osaka
Breakfast/Lunch on Kuromon Street - Shopping area with multiple food stalls and restaurants specializing in seafood.
Price range: ¥1000 - ¥2000
Osaka Castle
Great picture spot. We did not go inside the castle, but you do need to purchase a ticket.
Solaniwa Onsen
Enjoy bathing in hot spring water in this public bath house with nine baths to include an outdoor bath, restaurants, massages, rest area, and a game room.
They have private baths as well!
Weekdays: ¥2,640 (Adults), ¥1,320 (Children)
Saturdays, Sundays, Holidays: ¥2,860 (Adults), ¥1,430 (Children)
For more information and guidance on how to use their facility, go to their website at https://solaniwa.com/en-us/
As a small disclaimer, we did not go here and instead, we wanted to watch the new Avatar movie hehe.
Special Mention: Near our Airbnb, there was a coffee shop where my boyfriend and I ate breakfast for two days. It’s called 来夢来人. This coffee shop is run by a friendly old man. This place has a retro vintage vibe. There are locals who come by here every morning to read the morning newspaper while they smoke and drink coffee. We ordered the ¥400 breakfast set that comes with toast, hard boiled egg, a small bowl of fruits, and coffee. Super simple, but the taste of the coffee was so delicious the first time that I had to come back. I thought about keeping this place a secret to ourselves, but I loved this place, its coffee, and the old man too much to keep it a secret :)
This wraps up my 3 day itinerary in Osaka. If you plan on extending your time in the Kansai region, follow my next blog post on Nara and Kyoto! See you soon :)
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