Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
Aquarium in Osaka, Japan.
Go to the top gallery first and work down; the main tank reads best over the heads of the morning crowd.
Morning · 2 hr 30 minDay 1
Bay, Museums and Two Shrines
National Museum of Art, Osaka
Museum in Japan.
Morning · 2 hr
Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka
Art museum in Osaka, Japan.
Afternoon · 2 hr
Ōsaka Tenmangū
Shinto shrine in Osaka Prefecture, Japan.
Afternoon · 45 min
Sumiyoshi Taisha
Shinto shrine in Osaka Prefecture, Japan.
Its arched Soribashi bridge is the image people remember, and the grounds turn calm as the evening light fades.
Evening · 45 minStart at Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan before the crowds gather, and leave Sumiyoshi Taisha until the end of the day.
Day 2
Tower, Theatre and Castle Grounds
Tsūtenkaku
Observation tower.
The platform takes in Shinsekai and the city line; it is a quick stop best done before the museum.
Morning · 45 min
Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts
Municipal museum in Osaka City.
Morning · 2 hr
Shitennō-ji Temple
Built in 593 A.D., this famous Buddhist temple features a five-story pagoda, statues and turtle ponds.
Afternoon · 45 min
National Bunraku Theatre
Theater.
An hour here fits a single act of the puppetry; check what is playing on the day.
Afternoon · 1 hr
Osaka Castle Park
Park.
The park is larger than an hour suggests; keep to the outer grounds and the moat view of the keep rather than any queue for the tower.
Evening · 1 hr 15 minTsūtenkaku and Shitennō-ji sit a short walk apart in the old quarter, with the National Bunraku Theatre as a quiet hour between them.
Good to know
How should you split two days in Osaka?
Day one runs along the bay: the aquarium, then art and ceramics, then two shrines. Day two crosses the old quarter for the tower, the temple, puppetry and the castle park.
What should a group do first in Osaka?
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. Arriving as it opens keeps the morning clear of the busiest crowds and sets the pace for the rest of the day.
Are the old-town sights close together?
Tsūtenkaku and Shitennō-ji sit a short walk apart in the same quarter, with the National Bunraku Theatre between them for an easy afternoon.
Is Osaka Castle Park worth an evening visit?
The park is open ground and the keep is lit as darkness falls; an hour at dusk is enough to walk the moat side and take in the scale of it.
Plan your own Osaka trip
Tell Triptic your dates and who is going. It starts from this plan and fits it to you, with real flights and a place to stay.
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