Unmissable things to see and do in Osaka, Japan? -

Hello all. Im in the process of planning a trip to Osaka, Japan where i will meet up with some local freinds and tour the city. Iam thinking of staying in between 1 - 2 weeks. What are the unmissable things to see and do in Osaka? Also bearing in mind costs. Also if possible links to supporting websites etc.. Thank you!

From Osaka, you can take lots of day trips to cut down on your expenses (no hotels, just train fare). Nara is a good day trip - just check out the tourist info centre when you get off the train. They will give you an English map for walking around Nara. Kyoto is also worth a few days (look for a cheap/inexpensive hotel online.... I found one a few years ago on hotwire.com.) Check out any guidebook or online travel source for things that interest you in Kyoto. THere are tons of temples, restaurants, etc. The national museum is excellent. In Osaka - the restaurants are amazing. It:s hard to find a bad one. Tsuruhashi area has lots of Korean places, and consult your friends for places they like. Osaka is known for its food.... so be prepared to try lots of different stuff. The conveyor belt sushi places are a good value. The aquarium is a nice place to go - the admission is a bit steep for those on a tight budget, but if you are into marine life, it is worth it. Osaka castle is cool to see, but I wouldn:t pay to go inside.... I didn:t think it was that interesting. (it:s a replica of the original). Go to Himeji (about an hour outside of Osaka by train) to see an actual historical castle, as well as beautiful gardens. Be prepared to spend some money. It:s expensive for Americans, but there are bargains to be found. Drinks (event tea and soda) can be almost as expensive as food. Drink water to save money :) Check weather.com to find out the weather for the time of year you are coming. It:s cold in winter and bloody hot in summer. Osaka is a very cool city, with friendly people. Enjoy!

Like others said, you have to check out Dotonbori for the food and Osaka Castle to see a Japanese castle. Otherwise, Osaka isn t exactly known for tourism as much as business. But if you like record shopping, America mura (village) is the place to go. If you are staying in a large hotel, the concierge can give you a map and highlight your interests on the map. Local friends though are the best. I m sure they will have places in mind to take you already.

http://www.osakacastle.net/english/park/... http://www.kaiyukan.com/eng/index.htm the above 2 / u shouldn t miss!! i hv been there2. really memorable....

Osaka is known for its food! It s traditionally considered the quot;nation s kitchenquot; or the gourmet food capital of Japan. Visit the Museum of Oriental Ceramics. It houses 2000 pieces of ceramics. It s very interesting! I traveled there March 2007 and would love to return! Visit the Osaka Castle and Aquarium. Try and go in the Spring! It s so beautiful and if between March and May, you can take the quot;Spring Tour in Osaka.quot; Good luck and have fun! http://www.city.osaka.jp/english/ http://www.osaka-info.jp/en/search/list/...

The first place to visit is Dotonbori (Namba). It is THE shopping/tourist center of Osaka. The places I like to go are the Kuidaore street that is lined with restaurants and Nanba Kagetu, a place where they do traditional Japanese comedy. Also Nipponbashi (the Osaka equivalent of Akihabara) is closeby. Then next would be Shin-Sekai. Be sure to go up the Tsutenkaku. Also I like Senba, Ame-mura, ATC bld.