Osaka in 3 days

Trip at a glance

Your first day

Add your first day to see each day's date, weather, sunset and closing days.

Day 1: Osaka Castle, Kuromon and Dotonbori

The castle in the morning, then markets, kitchen shops and a lion-head shrine, and dinner in Dotonbori.

1
9:00 AMOsaka CastleThe tower is a 1931 rebuild: the view from the top and the moats are the highlights.About 2 hours 45 min here
Main tower: ¥1,200 (about $8) · Park grounds free
Official fees: Osaka Castle MuseumLast verified Nov 3, 2026
Subway, about 20 min
2
12:00 PMKuromon MarketLunch from stall to stall; many close by late afternoon.About 1 hour 45 min here
Pay as you go
Walk about 10 min
3
2:00 PMDōguyasujiBrowse Japanese knives and the plastic food models restaurants put in their windows.About 1 hour 15 min here
Pay as you go
Walk about 15 min
4
3:30 PMOptionalNamba Yasaka ShrineThe lion head is said to swallow bad luck; it makes a striking photo.About 1 hour 15 min here
Free to visit
Walk about 15 min
5
5:00 PMHozenji YokochoSplash water on the moss-covered statue, then wander the stone lane.About 1 hour 30 min here
Pay as you go
Walk 3 min
6
6:30 PMDotonboriTakoyaki from a street stall, then okonomiyaki cooked at your table.
Pay as you go

Before you go

Get an IC cardICOCA, Suica and PASMO work on the subway, JR and most private railways, including the Kintetsu trains to Nara, and in convenience stores.
Stand on the rightOn escalators, people in Osaka usually stand on the right, the opposite of Tokyo. Follow the people ahead of you.
Carry some cashStreet food stalls, market stands and small izakaya are often cash only. Convenience store ATMs usually accept foreign cards.
Mind the deer in NaraFeed the deer only the crackers sold in the park, and keep paper and plastic bags out of reach. Deer can nip or butt when they want food.
Carry your trashPublic trash bins are rare, so keep a small bag for wrappers and skewers from the food stalls.
No need to tipTipping isn't customary in Japan, in restaurants, taxis or hotels.

Where to stay for this plan

Stay in Namba: Dotonbori and Kuromon are on foot, and Kintetsu trains to Nara leave from Namba.

Hotels in Osaka

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