Osaka Castle was built by the Imperial Regent Toyotomi Hideyoshi between 1583 and 1598. The castle was built on a magnificent scale, but was destroyed just 17 years later after the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the destruction of the Toyotomi clan in the Siege of Osaka in 1615. Thereafter, the castle was rebuilt by the Tokugawa shogunate under the command of Todo Takatora but was once again lost due to a fire caused by a lightning strike. The current castle tower is the third generation to stand here and was completed in 1931 through donations from local citizens. The interior of the castle is a history museum and visitors can enjoy information about the history of Osaka Castle and dioramas. The castle was registered as a national Tangible Cultural Property in 1997.

A viewing tower located in Naniwa Ward, Osaka City and a famous Osaka landmark. Originally erected in 1912 and modeled after the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the current 108 meter tower is actually the second Tsutenkaku. The fourth and fifth floors are a viewing floor overlooking Osaka. There are figures of the Seven Gods of Fortune on the fifth floor as well as a statue of Billiken which is said to bring good luck when the soles of its feet are rubbed. The tower is filled with other interesting things to see and do, including the Kinnikuman Museum; a café produced by Mother Farm; and showroom shops by Morinaga, Glico, and Nisshin.

This long-standing amusement park, located near Hirakata-koen Station, has a long history in the country. It contains a wooden rollercoaster, free fall ride, a large Ferris wheel, and several other attractions that can be enjoyed all day by adults and children alike. There’s also a small zoo and petting facility as well as restaurants, shops, and many other features. Events are held throughout the year, and there’s a pool open in the summer and an ice skating rink in the winter. Popular entertainers often serve as brand ambassadors, which has garnered the park fame.

The biggest outlet mall in Kansai, you’ll find this facility in Izumisano City, Osaka Prefecture across from the Kansai International Airport inside “Rinku Town.” It has two areas, the “Main Side” and the “Sea Side,” and each is two floors. You’ll find top-class overseas brands as well as casual brands, lifestyle goods, and more in the approximately 200 shops onsite. It feels like a beautiful resort, and there’s even a playground for kids. It’s popular as a spot where you can spend all day shopping.

One of Japan’s largest consumer electronics mass retailers, Yodobashi Camera Multimedia Umeda is located right in front of the North Gate of JR Osaka Station. The store boasts an impressive range of products, from home appliances to PCs, cameras, games etc. It is the core tenant of the Yodobashi Umeda mall, and attracts large numbers of visitors, including not only Osaka locals but also foreign tourists. The fifth to seventh floors of the Yodobashi Umeda mall are occupied by popular fashion boutiques and miscellaneous goods stores, etc. The “Yodobashi the Dining” area on the eighth floor has a large number of restaurants.

Nicknamed “Tenman no Tenjin-san,” this Shinto shrine is dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane, the god of scholarship, and accordingly bustles with hordes of students during entrance examination season. Together with the Gion Festival in Kyoto and the Kanda Festival in Tokyo, the Tenjin Festival, held each year in July, is one of Japan’s three largest festivals. Throngs of tourists press close to watch the boats fireworks as well as the boats traveling to and fro on the river carrying sacred objects.

An observatory facility located at the top of the 173 meter high Umeda Sky Building skyscraper located in Osaka City’s Kita Ward. Visitors can enjoy a 360 degree panorama of the streets of Osaka from the open air Sky Walk circular gallery, and many tourists both Japanese and international alike come to this famous spot to view the setting sun and Osaka’s nightscape. At night, the area is lit up by small, foot-level lights, creating a magical atmosphere. There is a fence at the site where lovers can attach a heart-shaped padlock to vow their love for one another, a popular destination for couples on dates. There is also a café on the 40th floor where you can take a break while enjoying the view.

A municipal zoo located in Tennoji Ward, Osaka City first opened in 1915. The zoo cares for some 200 species and around 1,000 individual animals and is famous the efforts it takes to recreate their natural environments. Popular zoo areas include the African Savanna Zone, home to giraffes, lions, and hippos; Reptile House; Asian Tropical Rain Forest, site of the popular elephant exhibit; and the Friendship Square, a favorite for children where they can pet sheep and goats. Visitors can also watch animals such as the elephants, lions, and penguins being fed.

Known affectionately as “Sumiyossan,” the Sumiyoshi Taisha (Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine) is a Shinto Shrine located in the Sumiyoshi Ward of Osaka City, in Osaka Prefecture. It is the head shrine of all the Sumiyoshi shrines in Japan, of which there are around 2,300 in total. The Sumiyoshi Taisha is one of the most popular shrines in the Kinki region for the Hatsumode (the first visit to a shrine in the New Year), and it is thronged with worshippers every January. The founding of the Sumiyoshi Taisha is recorded in the Nihon Shoki (“Chronicles of Japan”), which notes that the Empress Jingu ordered the construction of the shrine to worship Sumiyoshi no Ohkami. Sumiyoshi no Ohkami (which is actually three Shinto deities in one) is renowned as the god of the sea and the god of exorcism. The four halls that make up the Hon-den (main hall) of the Sumiyoshi Taisha are built in the architectural style known as Sumiyoshi-zukuri; all four have been designated as National Treasures.

This popular shopping mall is filled with an abundant variety of restaurants; cafes; and establishments offering things such as fashionable apparel, interior decor, accessories, beauty treatments, and foods. There's also a movie theater where you can take in a flic before or after shopping. Additionally, the mall holds a variety of events such as cosplay events and child raising get-togethers.

The Umeda Arts Theater Main Hall is located inside the Chayamachi Applause in Chayamachi. It was previously known as the Umeda Koma Theater. It moved to its current location from the west of the HEP FIVE building in 1992 and in 2005 it was renamed. You can enjoy a wide variety of performances from Takarazuka Revues, plays, modern and classic musicals, opera, and ballet. The auditorium holds 1,905 seats with a large chandelier in the center. You can enter on the first and second floors with a lobby on each floor, as well as shops and restaurants.

A shopping mall connected directly to Tennoji Station opened in April 2011 and one of the largest malls in Osaka City. The facility is host to some 250 fashionable apparel stores, food shops, lifestyle goods shops, and restaurants. Major retailers such as Ito-Yokado, Bic Camera, and Tokyu Hands can be found here as well as Shibuya 109 Abeno, a shop specializing in the latest young peoples’ fashions. The restaurant area was just remodeled in 2017 and more and more interesting establishments are opening here, including brand-new businesses and companies making their first foray into the Kansai region.

This is the nick name for the area near Nishi Shinsaibashi, Chuo Ward in Osaka. It is also said to be a center of youth culture, and also known as “Amemura”. This is an area for young people which has about 2,500 shops lined up which have developed into selling unique merchandise such as many second hand clothes shops, fashion shops and record stores. Sankaku Koen (Triangle Park) where young people get together has become a symbol of Americamura (America Village). In addition to being a place to meet up or have a rest, there are also events occasionally held here and it is always busy with young people who are aiming at being musicians or dancers. And one of the highlights is also the creative items of artwork.

This multipurpose hall can accommodate full-fledged productions thanks to facilities such as well-designed stage equipment designed for thrilling performances. The hall is part of a complex consisting of the adjoining BK Plaza and Osaka Museum of History which serves as a space for the fusion of broadcasting, history, and culture. The hall has a total of 1,417 seats with 965 seats on the first floor and 452 on the second. There are also wheelchair spaces in the rear of the first floor (included in the first floor seating count).

Osaka Castle Park in Chuo Ward, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture is a municipal park. Inside the large park, there are historic buildings and public facilities. Inside the Tenshukaku (castle tower) of Osaka Castle, which was restored in 1931, is open to the public for a fee as a historical museum and is also popular with overseas tourists. It is also a well-known place for seasonal flowers, such as cherry blossoms in Nishinomaru Garden (fees apply) and plums in the plum grove in Osaka Castle and has many visitors during the flowering seasons. At the Osaka-jo Hall and the Osaka Castle Band Shell, a range of music events, such as concerts, are held.

A symbol of the knowledge, culture, and history of Osaka, construction on Osaka City Central Public Hall began in 1911 with a one million yen donation in building funds from Einosuke Iwamoto, with the hall opening in 1918. Brick reinforced with steel beams in construction, with three floors above ground and one basement level, the architecture of this extravagant building applies the Neo-Renaissance style as its basic tone while also presenting majestic baroque touches. In addition to concerts by celebrated orchestras from around the world, the hall has also played host to lectures by historical figures such as Helen Keller. The building was registered a national Important Cultural Property in 2002.

This art museum is located in Nakanoshima, Kita Ward, Osaka City. Founded in 1977, it relocated to its current location in 2004. It is notable for being one of the only underground art museums in the world. The museum primarily collects and exhibits works of modern art from the post-war era to now. In addition to exhibiting its collection, the museum also holds exhibitions and seminars about a range of art genres with a focus on contemporary art. Other events organized by the museum include workshops for children.

Located on the western side of the site where the fifth National Industrial Exhibition was held in 1903, the approximately 92 thousand square meter neighborhood of Shinsekai was created to be “new highlight” of Osaka. Just to the north of the center of the area, visitors can find the Tsutenkaku Tower. Janjan Yokocho Alley, located in the southeast of Shinsekai, is lined with shops selling Osaka specialties like kushikatsu (fried pork and onions on skewers) and doteyaki (beef sinew in miso and mirin). The retro atmosphere, reminiscent of the Showa period, makes Shinsekai an extremely popular tourist attraction.

A museum located inside Expo’70 Commemorative Park where visitors can enjoy exciting, novel exhibits which go beyond the boundaries of a dedicated aquarium, zoo, or art museum. Based on the concept of coming in contact with various sensibilities, the facility is divided into seven zones designed to stimulate the viewer’s sensitivities through animals viewed from a variety of perspectives, including colors, abilities, and shapes. The facility also has white tigers and numerous exhibits featuring waterside mammal’s such as miniature hippos and the popular capybara. There is a picnic-themed café in the museum as well as a souvenir shop. The closest station is Bampaku-kinen-koen Station.

Forming part of the “Shin Umeda City” development project in the Kita Ward of Osaka City, the Umeda Sky Building is a skyscraper that is 173 meters high. With its unique design, consisting of twin towers that are linked at roof-level by the Floating Garden Observatory, it has become a prominent landmark in Osaka’s Umeda district. From the Floating Garden Observatory, visitors can enjoy 360-degree panoramic views of the Osaka cityscape while feeling the wind on their faces; the Observatory is very popular with foreign tourists and couples.

This is a 70-meter tall work of art created by artist Taro Okamoto and is a symbol of the Japan Expo held in 1970 in Osaka’s Suita City. Even now it still remains in the Expo Commemoration Park which is a cultural park created on the site of the exposition grounds and serves as a popular photo spot. With a unique design that is modeled after a crow, the tower has three faces which represent the future, present and past. The inside is hollow and has a giant monument called the Tree of Life. Currently visitors are not permitted to tour the inside of the tower due to reconstruction work, but it is scheduled to reopen in March of 2018.

This temple in Minoh City, Osaka Prefecture is devoted to Koyasan Shingon Buddhism, and is said to have been founded by Fujihara no Munetada’s sons Zenchu and Zensan when they built thatched huts here in 727. It is famous as the “temple of luck” and the “temple of the darumas of victory.” Many people travel here from all over the country to pray for luck, and those whose prayers are granted donate daruma dolls, which line shelves and various spots throughout the temple. The large site is famous for its cherry blossoms, rhododendrons, hydrangeas, and fall foliage. Many visitors come during hydrangea season (from the beginning of June until mid-July) and fall foliage season.