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Travel Guide Budget and Itinerary for Osaka

Osaka is one of the biggest cities in Japan, it is also a popular destination in Kansai because of the many attractions within and without it. It is also a great place to eat and shop, there are many parts of the city dedicated for these. I found myself in a sea of people looking for food and shopping.


Osaka is also a mix of old and new like many of the other cities in the country I've been to. You'll find temples and shrines while weaving in and out of alleys, skyscrapers, shopping districts and parts of the city that will elicit a sense of nostalgia.

Places of Interest in Osaka


Osaka Castle



This castle is one of the most recognizable in the city's skyline and cityscape. There is a park surrounding it, you can go on a relaxing walk during your visit. This is also an ideal place to visit during cherry blossom season. You can enter the castle, but I am always underwhelmed whenever I enter Japan's castles, they're very minimalist and some are just reconstructions, so there isn't much to see.

Entrance Fee: JPY600

Shinsekai




This part of town used to be the go-to place for locals, but as the decades came and went, others have taken its place. However, Shinsekai is still a great place to hangout and get something to eat after exploring the city.

Minoo Park






This park provides you with a green getaway after walking around the urban jungle. There are paved walkways and easy to follow trails that lead to the waterfall. For me, the best time to visit is autumn, the weather is just right and the colors perfect for pictures.

Entrance Fee: Free

Hozenji Temple



This ancient temple provides a quiet getaway amid the hustle and bustle of the big city. The temple also has some places to eat around it.

Entrance Fee: Free

Shitennoji




This temple is ancient as ancient can get, it is one of the oldest of its kind in Japan. The building you will see is already a reconstruction, but you can still sense the history emanating from it.

Entrance Fee: JPY300, you can walk around its ground for free




Dotonbori





Most local and foreign tourists visit Osaka to eat. You can find many restaurants that serve local specialties such as takoyaki and okonomiyaki. You'll also find several other Japanese dishes while exploring Dotonbori. You shouldn't miss the iconic Glico Man sign during your visit.

Shopping





Other than eating, Osaka has plenty of shops that sell what you are looking for. Shinsaibashi is just one of the places to hunt for bargains and items.



Cooking Classes

If you want to try a unique experience and learn how to cook delicious Japanese food, you might want to try this. You can learn how to make and cook ramen through a class. You'll be given ingredients to work with and a cook will walk you through the process.



After DIY-ing the city, you might be interested in trying these tours or purchasing tickets or passes in advance.


  • Universal Studios Japan™ - Universal Studios is a fun place to visit not just for kids, but also adults who want to feel like a child again. The rides will remind adults of their childhood and if they already have families, it will be a fun day out. This ticket provides value because you get a 1 day pass along with a Nankai Limited Express Rapi:t round way ticket.
  • JR Kansai WIDE Area Pass - This is a regional version of the JR Pass. It comes in handy and saves you a lot of money if you want to see more of the region in a short amount of time. You can board bullet trains to as far as Okayama with this pass. It covers the usual tourist destinations as well such as Nara, Kyoto and Kobe. You can only use this on JR Lines. You'll have to use it in 5 consecutive days.
  • Kansai Thru Pass - This pass is cheaper than the WIDE Area Pass and allows you to use more lines in Kansai. You can use it not just for metro and long distance train rides, but also a limited number of bus routes. This is handy for exploring Kyoto. With the pass, you don't always have to buy another ticket for train and bus rides within the region. It is valid for 2 or 3 calendar days.


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Day Trips from Osaka


Himeji



You can go on a half day trip from Osaka to Himeji using one of the passes. Its main attraction is the UNESCO-listed castle.

Link to post: Himeji Guide



Okayama



Okayama is a possible inclusion to your itinerary, if you have a pass that allows you to board a bullet train. This cuts an hours long trip to just an hour or slightly less. Visit the castle and the nearby garden, if you have time, go to Furashiki.

Link to post: Okayama Guide


Kyoto



Kyoto deserves more than just a day trip from Osaka, but if that's all the time you have, it is possible to do so. There are many UNESCO-listed temples in the historic center of the city. You'll also find quaint food stalls, shops and alleys you can get lost in to get a feel of ancient Japan.

Link to post: Kyoto guide




Nara



Nara is another ancient city that is worth a day or so from Osaka. The ancient temples and deer park are great places to walk around in and learn about the country's ancient past.

Read more about this destination: Nara guide




*These cities are possible day trips using some of the passes you can buy before or during your trip around Osaka and Kansai.


See More of Japan





There's plenty to see in Japan, that's why I've returned to this country many times already. You may want to see more of the country once you explore Kansai. One way to achieve this without booking another flight is with a JR Pass. This allows you to use limited express trains and the shinkansen along the JR line. You can also use some other modes of transportation during its validity. It comes in 7, 14 and 21 days' passes. If it is within your budget and want to see more cities, it provides good value.

It is also possible to include Tokyo in your itinerary with a JR Pass. You can read about my trip here: Budget and Itinerary for Tokyo.

You can get one here: Whole Japan JR Pass


Getting in and out of Kansai International Airport



Kansai International Airport is easy to get in and out of. You have a handful of public transportation options such as train and bus.

Train

The Rapid Service train goes to Tennoji and Osaka Stations. You'll get to Osaka Station in around 70 minutes for JPY1190. To Tennoji it's about 55 minutes and costs JPY1060.

The Limited Express Haruka is faster but costs more. You will reach Tennoji in just 35 minutes and costs JPY1710. To Shin-Osaka takes around 50 minutes and costs JPY2330. You can buy the one-way ticket here: JR Haruka Airport Express Train.

Another train is the Limited Express Rap:it that travels to Nankai Namba Station. The ride takes up to 37 minutes and costs around JPY1130.

Bus

A bus ride to the city takes around an hour and costs JPY1550. The bus stops at Osaka Station.


Where to Stay in Osaka



You'll have plenty of options when it comes to accommodation in Osaka. I found the hostel dorms cheaper here than other cities in Japan, especially Tokyo. You can stay in Tennoji, Namba and somewhere near Osaka Station. I stayed in Khaosan World Tennoji (very near Tennoji Station, I'd recommend), Ark Hostel & Cafe, 04Village Namba and Lore Hostel in Dotonbori.

Hostel in the city
Hotels near Universal Studios
Hotels near Kansai Airport






Getting Around Osaka



Osaka is a HUGE city but is manageable because of the efficient public transportation system. Everything's within reach because of the interconnected networks even if you plan to do day trips to other parts of Kansai already like Nara or Kyoto.

You can use the JR Pass or the JR Kansai Wide Area Pass on JR Lines, but you can't use it on any other line in the city, you'd have to buy a separate ticket. The Kansai Thru Pass is also a good alternative for exploring the city, but you can't use it for JR Line trains. An Icoca card is another way to explore Osaka conveniently.

The passes I used:

How to Go to Osaka


There are direct flights from Manila to Osaka operated by Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and more recently AirAsia. Alternatively, you can take the bullet train or overnight bus from Tokyo. 


Getting a Visa



I made a more detailed post about getting a Japanese tourist visa.





Budget for Osaka (Sample Only)



*Everything is in Japanese Yen unless otherwise stated.

25000 - Food and drinks
12000 - Kansai WIDE Area Pass (5 days)
4380 - Two-day Kansai Thru Pass
18000 - 6 nights (dorm accommodation)
600 - Osaka Castle entrance fee
1040 - Himeji and Kokoen entrance fee
640 - Okayama Castle and Korakuen entrance fee
600 - Todaiji Great Hall entrance fee
500 - Ginkakuji entrance fee
400 - Kinkakuji entrance fee
800 - Nijo Castle entrance fee                                          
63960 - Total for 7 days

*This is only a sample, you can add or subtract depending on your interests and other factors such as sleeping at a friend's place, couchsurfing, finding a cheaper place to stay, hitchhiking and if you're going shopping or visiting a theme park.

I would recommend Earth Explorers Travel and Tours for bookings or apply for a visa, if you don't have the time to plan your own trip.

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4 comments:

  1. Hello, just wanted to say, I liked this blog post.
    It was practical. Keep on posting!

    ReplyDelete
  2. nice article. very infotmative

    ReplyDelete
  3. How about Tokyo?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Here's my post about Tokyo: https://www.thewanderingjuan.net/2020/01/travel-guide-budget-and-itinerary-tokyo.html

      Here are my other posts about Japan: https://www.thewanderingjuan.net/search/label/Japan

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