Things to do in  Osaka Prefecture

Dotonbori (also called Dotombori) is a bustling nightlife district in Osaka’s Minami area. It stretches along the Dtomborigawa River, with a multitude of small restaurants, bars, and neon lights that come alive after nightfall. An entertainment neighborhood, Dotonbori is famous for its varied cuisine and huge animated signs.

Among the most famous castles in Japan, Osaka Castle (Osaka-jo) dates back to the 16th century, when it played a major role in unifying the nation. Today the reconstructed castle houses a museum filled with artifacts from the history of Japan and from the castle’s creator, Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The main tower provides a nice view over urban Osaka.

A large covered market selling fresh and cooked food, Kuromon Ichiba Market is nicknamed “Osaka’s kitchen,” because many chefs and home cooks come here for supplies. It has since branched out from purely seafood options, and is typically bustling with locals and visitors hoping to get an inside look at local ingredients and cuisine.

Built in the 6th century by Prince Shotoku—a cultural hero who helped to bring Buddhism to the country—Shitenno-ji is one of Japan’s oldest temples. The complex includes a multi-tiered tower, pagoda, lecture hall, and gate. Though most of the current structures are from the 1963 rebuilding, they still reflect the 6th century design.

A popular Osaka destination for shopping and entertainment for more than 350 years, Shinsaibashi is a 1,698-feet- (600-meter- long shopping arcade. Countless boutiques, specialty shops, department stores, cafes, and restaurants line either side of the strip, making it is a great place to both shop and people-watch.

The narrow, neon-lit streets of Den Den Town (Nipponbashi) are a magnet for shoppers on the hunt for electronics and comics. Multitudes of shops selling anime, manga, video games, action figures, tools, electronic equipment, and even furniture compete for business among young Osakans and visitors alike.

Located in the heart of Nara City, Nara Park (Nara Koen) is famous for the more than 1,000 semi-wild sika deer that roam its grounds. Spanning 1,631 acres (660 hectares), the scenic public park is also home to several popular attractions, including the Todai-ji Temple, the Isuien Garden, and the Nara National Museum.

Kitschy and cute Tsutenkaku, Osaka’s answer to the Eiffel Tower, rises 338 feet (103 meters) above the streets of Shin Sekai. The neon-outlined building was the tallest in town when it was first built in 1912. An observation deck offers stellar nighttime views and the chance to see beloved Billiken, god of “things as they ought to be.”

The narrow alleys, paper lanterns, and traditional tea houses of Hozenji Yokocho are a far cry from the neon lights and pulsing atmosphere of Dotonbori. The historic alley’s most famous attraction is the 17th-century Hozenji Temple, where devotees come to splash water over a moss-covered statue of the Buddha.

Universal Studios Japan—Asia’s first Universal Studios theme park—is second only to the Tokyo Disney Resort as Japan’s most visited amusement park. Beloved characters like Shrek, Hello Kitty, and Spiderman are in attendance, and a spectacular variety of rides, movie simulators, and parades keep all ages entertained.

At 984 feet (300 meters) tall, Abeno Harukas (Osaka Harukas) takes the coveted superlative of Japan's highest skyscraper, narrowly rising above the former title holder, the Yokohama Landmark Tower. Part of the sprawling Abenobashi Terminal Building, it stands atop the Kintetsu Osaka Abenobashi Station and houses a department store, art museum, five-star hotel, and observation deck.

America-Mura (American Village) is the go-to Osaka district if you want to get a taste of the city’s street culture. The area earned its name in the 1970s when it began filling up with shops selling imported goods from the United States. Today it’s an enclave of youth-focused and offbeat stores, as well as cafes, bars, and nightclubs.

Visiting the Osaka Museum of Housing and Living is like stepping back in time to the streets of mid-19th-century Osaka to see how they might have looked during the Edo Period. The museum is laid out in a series of recreated houses—each depicting an element of daily life—including merchant houses, a bathhouse, and a town hall.

Built to protect fisherman and sailors, the 3rd-century Sumiyoshi-taisha (Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine) is Osaka’s most famous shrine. Renowned for its classic Japanese architecture and vivid red-and-white colour, the shrine

Minami, which translates as south, is the go-to Osaka district for a taste of the city’s entertainment scene. With shopping, dining, and nightlife venues stretching from Semba to Namba Station, Minami is ever-popular with visitors and locals.