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U23 Osaka-Kansai Guide: Introduction

U23 Osaka-Kansai Guide Index

 

History of Osaka

593 Prince Shotoku founded the Shitennoji

1583 Hideyoshi Toyotomi build Osaka Castle

1868 Osaka installation

1889 Meiji Constitution promulgation, Osaka, municipal enforcement in Sakai City

1945 Bombing of Osaka, end of World War II

1970 Osaka World Expo

1985 Hanshin Tigers first victory

1994 Kansai International Airport opened

2019 Rugby World Cup

2025 Osaka – Kansai Expo?

 

 

Model Course

What’s most interesting in Osaka is local people. There are two big area. One is Umeda they call “Kita (North)”. The other one is  Namba they call “Minami (South)” . It is fun to see the difference of people and atmosphere in each area.

Shinsekai (The New World) with Tsutenkaku is only unique area in Osaka. Eat more Osaka Food. Universal Studio Japan,  Kaiyukan can spend over one day.

 

7 Days Travel in Osaka

Day 1: Osaka Kita

Spot: Umeda, Tenma, Nakanoshima, Osaka Castle, Osaka Mint, Osaka Expo…etc

Food: Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki, Negiyaki, Kushikatsu, Tempra, Butaman, Gyoza, Sushi, Udon…etc

Reccomend 1-3 days

Day 2: Osaka Minami

Spot: Shinsekai/Tsutenkaku, Namba, Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi, Shitenno-ji, Abeno Harukas..etc

Food: Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki, Negiyaki, Kushikatsu, Tempra, Butaman, Gyoza, Sushi, Udon…etc

Recommend 1-3 days

Day 3: Kyoto East

Fushimi Inari shirine (Thousand gates) Shrine, Kiyomizu-dera, Heian-kyo, Nanzen-ji…etc

Food: Obanzai, Nishinsoba, Otabe, Dango, Kuzukiri, Daifuku, Konpeito, Shibaduke, Senmaiduke, Shichimi…

Recommend 1-3 days

Day 4: Kyoto West

Spot: Kinkaku-ji (Golden Temple), Arashiyama(Bamboo Groove), Ryoan-ji…etc

Food: Obanzai, Nishinsoba, Otabe, Dango, Kuzukiri, Daifuku, Konpeito, Shibaduke, Senmaiduke, Shichimi…

Recommend 1-3 days

Day 5: Kobe, Arima Onsen

Spot: Kobe, Sanomiya, Nankinmachi, Rokko mountain, Venus Bridge, Perl Bridge, Arima Onsen

Food: Kobe Beef, Akashiyaki,

Recommend: 1-4 Days

Day 6: Nara, Yoshiono

Spot: Nara, Todai-ji (Great Budda), Yoshino…etc

Food: Kakinoha-sushi, Asuka-nabe

Recommend: 1-2 Days

Day 7: Himeji

Spot: Himeji Castle, Koko-en, Himeji Central Park, Shosya Mountain, Taiyo Park…etc

Food: Eki-soba, Zundo-Rahmen, Somen, Akashi-yaki, Doroyaki, Himeji Oden, Almond Toast, Hinepon

Recommend: 1-2 Days

Extra: Explore Kansai Local Area

Awaji Island, Takeda Castle, Kinosaki Onsen…etc

 

Next Destination:

West: Hiroshima, Nagasaki

South: Okinawa

East: Nagoya, Mt.Fuji, Tokyo

North: Hokkaido

 

 

Osaka Area Guide

Kita (Umeda, Nakanoshima, Tenma) area

Osaka Station is 4th Busiest Station in the World. There are JR Osaka Station, Hankyu / Hanshin / Osaka Metro Umeda Station, Nishi Umeda Station, Higashi Umeda Station and Kita Shinchi Station.

Umeda Sky Building is Osaka’s landmark which is introduced as the future of thee Arc De Triomphe in foreign countries magazine. Japan biggest Umeda underground shopping center.  Japan longest Tenjinbashi shopping street and more interesting area.

 

Minami (Namba, Shinsaibashi, Nihonbashi) area

Namba, Shinsaibashi, Nihonbashi is most flashy and lively in Japan where Osaka seems neighborhood . Kuidaore means eating until lay down. Dotonbori is Japan’s biggest neon destrict Dotonbori. Nihonbashi has Kuromon market and Denden Town where is electricity and otaku area. You can find every thing in kitchen at Sennimimae tool shop street. American Villages and Horie is hip area.

 

Tennoji, Abeno, Shinsekai area

Must go tourist district Shinsekai with Tsutenkaku Tower. It means New World. You can feel like you had time trip to Showa Age. Shitenno-ji Temple is said to prince shotoku was founded in Japan’s oldest buddhist council. Japan tallest buildings Abeno Haukasu Building.  Spa World is huge and unique hot spring.

 

Osaka Castle, Tsurumi-ryokuchi area

There is Hideyoshi Toyotomi’s Osaka Castle and history museum. Thare are also Osaka Business Park.

 

Bay Area

There are lots of theme park such as USJ (Universal Studios Japan) ,  the world’s largest aquarium Kaiyukan, Tempozan Harbor Village.

 

Osaka City outside

Mino, Kongo-san, Settskyo, Shimoakasaka…

 

 

Access to Osaka

by Airplane

Kansai International Airport

Osaka International Airport (Itami Airport)

Kobe Airport

by Train

Shinkansen Shin-Osaka Station

New Rapid JR Osaka Station

Kintetsu Express Osaka Namba Station

by Bus

Highway Bus to Umeda and Namba from all over Japan

by Car

Meishin Expressway Suita IC, Toyonaka IC

China Road China Suita IC, Toyonaka IC

by Ferry

Nanko Ferry Terminal

 

Osaka Transportation

Train

JR West, Hankyu, Hanshin Electric Railway, Keihan (Keihan Electric Railway), Kintetsu (Kinki Nippon Railway), Nankai Electric Railway, BanSakai train

Subway

Midosuji Line, Tanimachi Line, Yotsubashi line, center line, Sennichimae Line, Sakaisuji, Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line, Tram (Nanko Port Town Line)

Bus

Osaka Municipal Bus

 

 

Basic information of Osaka

Osaka population of about 8.7 million, about a population of about Osaka 2.5 million

 

 

Osaka-Kansai Travel Accommodation

U23 House Osaka Blue

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U23 House Osaka Apple

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U23 Guide produced by World Odyssey: 23 Laps Round The World