Osaka · Things to do

The keep is a 1931 reconstruction housing a museum on Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the sieges of 1614–15, open 9:00–17:00 with last entry at 16:30 and closed 28 December to 1 January. The park, moats and stonework around it are free and worth the walk even if you skip the tower.

Built around a single deep tank holding whale sharks, with the route spiralling down past Pacific Rim habitats floor by floor. It is at Osakako on the Chuo subway line. Hours change month to month, so check the calendar on the site, and buy a timed ticket to skip the queue.

The Kuchu Teien Floating Garden Observatory joins the twin towers at the 39th and 40th floors and on the open rooftop ring, running 9:30–22:30 with last entry at 22:00 — those late hours make it the best night view in the city. Ten minutes north of Osaka station through a pedestrian underpass.

A 580-metre arcade of around 150 stalls at Nipponbashi, a few minutes' walk from Namba — fish, fugu, wagyu, fruit, and a lot of grill-it-in-front-of-you street food. Individual shops run roughly 8:00–17:00 or 18:00, so this is a morning stop.

Japan's first state-founded Buddhist temple, attributed to Prince Shotoku, a few minutes from Shitennoji-mae Yuhigaoka station on the Tanimachi subway line. The outer grounds are free to walk; the central precinct, the treasure house and the Gokuraku-jodo garden are each ticketed separately.