3 places to visit in Osaka, Japan

Hello travellers!

Osaka. The third largest city in Japan and still 2,7x bigger than Prague.

Many tourists come here despite the fact that there’s not so much to see than in Kyoto. because it belongs to conurbation Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto.

How long to spend in Osaka?

You can explore the city itself in just one afternoon. But if you have a car, definitely spend two nights in Osaka and head for a unique place called Nara, which is located a few kilometers outside of Osaka. More about Nara further down:)

3 places to visit in Osaka

1 – Osaka Castle

The old castle in the middle of a modern city, surrounded with skyscrapers, looks like it doesn’t even belong here. Reserve at least two hours to visit the castle and prepare your feet for several kilometers. The area is huge. There’s no entry fee to entry the premises, but prepare some yens in case you want to check out the inside of the castle.

2 – Osaka Harukas

Abeno Harukas Building, where you can find the Marriott hotel, is the tallest building in Japan. It has 60 floors, measuring 300 meters. And what does it mean? That there’s a spectacular view from its top!

The observation deck, located on the 58th, 59th and 60th floor, reveals Osaka from every possible side. The entry fee is 1500 yens.

view from harukas observatory osaka smog

3 – Nara Park

The town of Nara, which is basically one huge park, is unique from one simple reason.

There are about 1000 sika deer living in Nara. They are so used to people that they can be fed by hand or even pet. Once you rustle with a plastic bag, dozens of deer come close to you and wait for something to eat. They even hang out on the roads, so if you come here by car, drive carefully.

In addition to deer, there are also interesting pagodas and temples to see. The one worth mentioning is the Buddhist Todaiji Temple, which until recently was the largest wooden building in the world. Its original appearance was built in 752. Inside you’ll find the largest bronze Buddha in Japan – it measures 15 meters. When you get closer to him, his toe is as big as your upper body! There’s an entry fee to get inside the premises, and if you want to see the Buddha statue, the ticket is slightly more expensive.

Another Buddhist temple Kofukuji comes from a similar time. Don’t miss that one either!

There are also several famous Japanese gardens in Nara. The most famous one is called Isuien (900 yen entry fee). Together with the ticket, you get a guide, who explains the tea tradition and describes every building in the garden. Another garden we visited was Yoshikien (250 yen).