Osaka [大阪府] is a province located in the Kansai region, and also a beautiful city. It ranks third among the most populous cities and provinces in Japan. Its province has over 8 million inhabitants while the capital Osaka has more than 2.5 million. The province of Osaka has 33 cities and 5 districts, and is considered the second most industrialized province.
Both the city of Osaka and the entire province offer numerous attractions for tourists, various places to explore, and a culture different from Tokyo, a different dialect, and different customs. While the population of Tokyo is shy and reserved, the people of Osaka are extroverted and straightforward. It is also a city known for its gastronomy and nightlife.
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The Main Attractions of Osaka
It is in Osaka that we find Universal Studios, one of the best theme parks in Japan. The city also offers endless amounts of shops, with more than 30 shopping malls and outlets. Shinsaibashi, Dotonbori, and Minami (Namba) are the famous urban centers of Osaka, with countless shops and restaurants.
The Osaka city aquarium, also known as Kaiyukan, is one of the most spectacular aquariums in Japan. It showcases various forms of life that inhabit the Pacific coast in a very well-organized and impressive manner. You can also find the National Bunraku Theatre, a puppet theater. This is one of the best places to watch this performance.
There are many museums, the main one being the National Museum of Art Osaka, which has an excellent collection of contemporary Japanese, Asian, European, and American art. The National Museum of Ethnology has a collection of 255,000 cultural artifacts from around the world.
We also have the Osaka Museum of History with 10 floors, featuring some interesting artifacts, photos, and large-scale models. And the fun Science Museum with the 5th largest planetarium in the world.
We have the Tsutenkaku tower located in the Shin Sekai neighborhood, which is famous for being a poor and dangerous area, but it is still interesting. It has a large number of cheap restaurants, souvenir shops, clubs, mahjong parlors, and pachinko.
We also have the famous Osaka Castle which witnessed a large number of battles that changed the course of Japanese history. During World War II, the castle was used as an ammunition factory employing 60,000 people.
It was completely destroyed by a bomb in 1945. Today, the castle has been rebuilt and looks very much like it did in the 19th century. Many of the moats, walls, and buildings managed to survive.
In Osaka, festivals such as Tenjin Matsuri, Toka Ebisu, and other seasonal events also take place. You can also find some temples and shrines like Shitennoji Temple, Hozenji Temple, Isshinji Temple, Tenmangu Shrine, Sumiyoshi-taisha Shrine, and thousands of others in the region.
Kaiyukan – The Osaka Aquarium
The Kaiyukan Aquarium located in the bay of Osaka city was inaugurated on June 20, 1990. It is considered one of the largest metropolitan aquariums in the world, with a total capacity of 11,000 tons of water.
The aquarium is divided into 15 tanks, each representing a natural environment from 10 regions of the Pacific Ocean. The complex has 8 floors and its main tank holds 5,400 tons of water. In this main Pacific Ocean tank, you can find whale sharks, hammerhead sharks, and various other fish coexisting together without eating each other.
Getting to Know the Osaka Aquarium
Let’s leave an official map of the place for you to better understand Kaiyukan. It is worth noting that the aquarium may undergo modifications, so the map is not 100% accurate.
It takes about 2 hours to walk through the entire aquarium. Upon entering the aquarium, you find a tunnel that passes through the fish called Aqua Gate. Along the way in the aquarium, you will make several loops around the giant Pacific Ocean tank.
The route passes through the Japanese forest, followed by small tanks representing the Aleutian Islands, Monterey Bay, Panama Bay, Ecuadorian Rainforest, Antarctic Continent, Tasman Sea, Great Barrier Reef, Seto Inland Sea, rocky coasts of Chile, Cook Strait, seabed of Japan, and the Jellyfish Pavilion.
At the end of the tour, you come across a tank where you can touch sharks and rays. When I visited, I encountered an exhibition of fish from the movie Finding Nemo or Dory. And also a small ice tank and another tank with surfing penguins from the movie Surf’s Up.
If you want to learn more about the Osaka aquarium, watch the video I recorded from my trip to Japan in 2016 below. Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel and leave your comments and likes.
Nearby Attractions to the Osaka Aquarium
Besides the Osaka aquarium, next to Osaka Bay you will find a shopping mall and a Ferris wheel called Tempozan. On site, you will also find a themed ship called Santa Maria, and there is a line that crosses Osaka Bay to the other side where Universal Studios park is located.
Next door, there is a building where some conventions always take place; when I went, there was an exhibition of dinosaur fossils. If you are visiting Osaka, do not miss the aquarium and the attractions around it.
Information about the Osaka Aquarium
- Osaka Kaiyukan Aquarium
- Address: Kaigandori 1 chome No. 1-10, Minato District
- Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture,
- ZIP Code: 552-0022 Japan
- Phone: +81-6-6576-5501
- Fax: +81-6-6576-5510
Osaka – Hozenji Yokocho Alley
Hozenji Yokocho Alley is a collection of 60 small izakayas, bars, and restaurants in an alley behind Hozenji Temple in Osaka. The street has been filled with nightlife since the 17th century when the area was a theater district.
Hozenji Yokocho Alley is popular among local celebrities, such as actors, writers, and artists. It is located south of Dotombori. A narrow street 80m long and 2.7m wide extends from east to west centered on “Mizukake Fudo Myoo”.
At the end of the alley, you will find a statue of the God Fudomyoo. Fudomyoo is the God of fury. He has a frightening appearance. Locals believe he grants wishes and protects people from evil.
His statue in Hozenji is among the most sought-after Buddhist sites in Osaka. Visitors often pour water over the statue in an act of purification and make a prayer. The statue has had so much water poured over its head that it is completely covered in moss. It is visually stunning.
Abeno Harukas – The Tallest Building in Japan
The tallest building in Japan is located in Osaka city. The building Abeno Harukas is situated in the Abeno district of Osaka city. It has a total of 60 floors and reaches a height of 300 meters. And yes, although it does not compare to the tallest in the world, this is the tallest building in all of Japan.
It is the building of the planned alternative station for Abenobashi Station, the terminal of the Kintetsu Minami Osaka Line. Its space is about 100,000 square meters, making it the largest department store in Japan.
But if we count all types of structures in the country, it ranks third, behind Tokyo Sky Tree and Tokyo Tower. Among its various facilities, Abeno Harukas includes the large Kintetsu department store, an art museum, a hotel, and offices.
It contains the new main store of the Kintetsu department store, the Marriott International hotel. And also the new headquarters office of Sharp Corporation. In addition, it also has an observatory on the top floors of the building.
Abeno Harukas, especially its observatory, is often crowded on holidays. It is common to find a long waiting line to go up to it. “Harukas” is an ancient Japanese expression that means “to illuminate, to brighten.”
Abeno Harukas and its Floors
Abeno Harukas has a shopping center that occupies from the basement -2 to the 14th floor. On the 16th floor is the Abeno Harukas Museum, which organizes exhibitions of contemporary Western art.
The exhibitions are temporary and vary according to the season. Such exhibitions have been organized with national treasure pieces, as well as works from the national cultural heritage. In addition to others related to the history of the railways in the Kinki region.
The observatory is named “Harukas 300”. It is an open-air structure with gardens. When the weather is favorable, the view is spectacular. It is undoubtedly a place that cannot be missed when traveling to Osaka.
- 58-60 floors: “Harukas 300” Observatory
- From the 38th to the 55th floor and the 57th floor: Osaka Marriott Miyako Hotel
- 57th floor: restaurants
- 38th to 55th floor: rooms
- 21st to 36th floor: offices
- 19th and 20th floors: Osaka Marriott Miyako Hotel (lobby)
- 17th and 18th floors: offices
- 16th floor: Abeno Harukas Museum, rooftop garden
- 2nd basement – 14th floor: Abeno Harukas Tower Building of Kintetsu Department Store [4]
- 1st basement and 1st floor: Osaka Abenobashi Station
- 3rd and 4th basements: parking
Videos about Osaka
There are many other places in Osaka and in other cities of the province that we did not mention. Always follow the website for new articles about some cities or attractions within the province. To finish, I will leave some videos of adventures in this beautiful city. You can also comment on a specific place you like. I appreciate all comments and shares.
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