Things to do in  Osaka

Osaka is known for its friendly, down-to-earth residents, lively nightlife, and outstanding street food. The takoyaki (balls of octopus in fried dough) and okonomiyaki (savory pancakes) served by Osaka’s street vendors are some of the best in Japan. The Dotonbori canal and Osaka Castle are two of Osaka’s best-known attractions.

Eat your way around Osaka’s street food stalls, make new friends at the neon-fronted bars around glittering Dotonbori, go shopping in the retro-futuristic America Mura, explore ancient temples and the 16th-century Osaka Castle, and get sweeping views of the city from the towering Umeda Sky Building.

While you could easily spend a week or two in Oska without getting bored, three days should be enough time to see all of the main attractions, get a feel for the city, enjoy the restaurant scene and nightlife, and even take a day trip to Nara or Himeji Castle.

Osaka’s greatest asset is its people. Osakans are typically more casual and blunt than people elsewhere in Japan. They also are known for their sense of humor and distinctive accent (Osaka-ben). So take a seat at a bar and get chatting with some locals: it may be the highlight of your trip.

Osakans are famous for their sense of humor, so it’s no wonder that the city is home to a number of comedy clubs. Japanese-speakers can enjoy traditional rakugo (one-man storytelling) at the Rakugo Theater Tenma Tenjin Hanjo Tei, while English-speakers can head for the exclusively English ROR Comedy Club.

No. While Osaka does have a higher crime rate than most Japanese cities, it is a very safe destination to visit compared to American or European cities of its size. However, visitors should keep their wits about them in and around Tobita Shinchi (the red light district), and preferably not drink alone in the area’s bars.