We’re in the thick of planning our next trip to Osaka: a city we didn’t expect to love as much as we did! Osaka is one of those cities that completely takes you by surprise. It’s friendly, loud, endlessly fun, and packed with some of the best family attractions in Japan. It’s a complete contrast to Tokyo, which is why I recommend visiting both cities if you have time! And this 3 day Osaka itinerary is perfect for families.

We visited Osaka as a family of four with our two boys and we loved the energy of the city. It feels more relaxed (and a little bit more chaotic!) than Tokyo, but every bit as exciting.

A 3 Day Osaka Itinerary

If you’re wondering how long to stay in Osaka, three days in Osaka is the perfect amount of time, especially if you’re travelling around the country and want to see as many cities as possible.. It gives you the chance to experience the best of the city, from the street food and neon lights to castles, and aquariums. I’ve also made sure to include one day taking in the magic of Universal Studios Japan because, honestly, it was my boys absolute favourite thing to do in Osaka and it’s not to be missed!

In this guide, I’ll walk you through our perfect 3-day Osaka itinerary, including where to stay, what to do, and some of our tried-and-tested family tips.

Heads up! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a very small commission – at no extra cost to you. This helps to keep the blog going. Thanks for the support!

Where to Stay in Osaka

Osaka is a huge city, but it also feels compact and easy to navigate, especially when compared to Tokyo. But your choice of neighbourhood can make a big difference in that ease and convenient feel.

On our first stay in Osaka, we stayed in the Hotel Dans Le Coeur, which is in Umeda. (You can check out this hotel here) I HIGHLY recommend Umeda as a place to stay as it’s bustling and lively, next to great attractions (like the Pokemon cafe, Nintendo Store, and Umeda Sky Building) but it also has great transport links.

Other areas that you should consider are:

• Namba / Dotonbori – This is the perfect destination if you want to be in the heart of the action. You’ll have endless restaurants, shopping, and entertainment right on your doorstep. Now that the boys are a little older, and a little more able to explore the nightlife in Osaka, this is where we’ll be staying when we go back in March.
• Osaka Bay (Universal City) – If the primary reason for your trip to Osaka is visiting Universal Studios Japan then why not stay right next to the park; hotels here often have theme park packages, and you can even get themed rooms that kids will love.

 You can find great Osaka hotels on Klook — we love that you can bundle stays with attraction tickets and airport transfers in one place, and the prices are excellent too.
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Day 1 – Classic Osaka Highlights

Theme: Culture, City Sights & Street Food

Morning: Osaka Castle

For day one of your 3 day Osaka itinerary, I recommend starting your trip at one of Japan’s most iconic landmarks : Osaka Castle. The walk through the castle park is beautiful, and the museum inside is interactive and surprisingly engaging for kids too. You can even head to the top floor for panoramic views of the city.

As an added bonus, this is an incredibly affordable trip, making it a great pick for travellers on a budget. Tickets are £6.05 per adult and kids go free.

 Tip: Pre-book your Osaka Castle entry tickets to skip the queue for tickets on arrival.
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Lunch: Street Food in Dotonbori

After the castle, head to Dotonbori, Osaka’s neon-lit heart. This is where you’ll find the famous Glico running man sign, and some of the best street food in Japan.

This place can get really raucous at night, but you’re not going to want to miss it, so I recommend taking a first visit in the daytime if you’re travelling with kids (to introduce them to the chaos of the area gently). Don’t leave without trying:

• Takoyaki (octopus balls) which are so hot you’ll wonder if you’ve ripped the roof from your mouth!
• Okonomiyaki (Japanese savoury pancakes) which is my favourite thing to eat in Osaka
• Kushikatsu (fried skewers) which are the boys favourite things to eat in Osaka!

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Afternoon: Umeda Sky Building or Hep Five Ferris Wheel

If you’ve got energy left, take a trip up the Umeda Sky Building for the city’s best sunset views or, if you’re travelling with younger kids, ride the HepFive Ferris Wheel which is also located in Umeda.

We LOVED the HepFive Ferris Wheel, which is located on the roof of the HepFive mall and gives incredible views of the city: we combined our visit here with some pop culture shopping in the mall and some time in the Sega arcade.

Evening: Dotonbori After Dark

If you’re travelling without kids, with older kids, or if you’re kids are superhuman and they’ve still got the energy to keep going then return to Dotonbori after dark. When the sky is dark the lights come alive and this area looks even more impressive than it did during the daytime: it’s pure magic, and this is a great place to grab some dinner too.

🍣 TOP TIP: Dotombori can be overwhelming the first time you visit. Why not download a FREE audio guide to help you navigate? We actually listened to this BEFORE we landed in Japan, and it helped to build up the excitement.

Day 2 – Universal Studios Japan

Theme: Adventure & Family Fun

You absolutely can’t visit Osaka without spending a day at Universal Studios Japan (USJ). This is especially true if you’re travelling with kids: In fact, visiting Universal Studios Japan was the main reason we took our first trip to Japan in the first place! This park is absolutely world-class, and one of our boys favourite places in the whole of Japan.

We love this park and i’ve written so much about it: and i’ve still got more to say! Whenever I talk about this place it’s nothing but a string of superlatives. You can read my full guide to Universal Studios Japan here.

 Book your USJ tickets and Express Passes in advance to make sure you don’t miss out. They often sell out weeks in advance, especially during peak periods. Use this link to book.
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The Universal Studios Japan Highlights

I could write a book about Universal Studios Japan, but i’ll try to stick to the highlights reel. Some of the areas you shouldn’t miss when you visit this park are:

• Super Nintendo World (the Mario Kart ride is brilliant) and although the franchise has been expanded to Universal Studios in Florida, this is the only Super Nintendo World park that has the Donkey Kong Country expansion. You can read about visiting Super Nintendo World without expensive Express Passes here.
• The Wizarding World of Harry Potter because it’s been so beautifully well done. You really will feel like you’re walking straight into Hogwarts.
• Minion Park for younger children: even if your kids aren’t big enough for rides, this has amazing bright colours, and such a fun atmosphere.

 Mum tip: Arrive early as the park often opens more than 30 minutes before advertised opening times, and download the USJ app for maps and to track wait times.

If you’re staying at Universal City, you’ll be able to walk straight back to your hotel, which would be a lifesaver after a full day of excitement. But if you’re not don’t worry: we got from Umeda to Universal Studios Japan in around half an hour. I’ve written all about getting to Universal Studios Japan here.

Day 3 – Aquarium, Osaka Bay & Optional Day Trips

Option 1: Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan or further explorations!

Can you believe it’s already the final day in Osaka? You could double the length of your stay in the city and still not see everything! On our next trip we’ll be spending 10 days in Osaka, and we’ve got a whole list of new things to see and do in the city. Three days in Osaka only really gives you time for a highlights reel. So what should you do on your last day in Osaka? Here are my picks, especially for families travelling with kids!

Morning: Osaka Aquarium

The Osaka Aquarium is one of the biggest in the world, and if you or your kids love the world under the ocean then you’ll love this place. The central tank features a massive whale shark, and there are jellyfish tunnels and touch pools to explore for younger guests too.

This is a very affordable aquarium too, and great value given its scale and the huge volume of sealife inside. Tickets costs £12.95 for adults, £6.69 for children aged 7-15, and just £3.35 for children aged 3-6. Under 3s enter for free.

 Queues to enter the Osaka Aquarium can be long so I recommend you book your Kaiyukan tickets in advance to save time at the door.
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Afternoon: Activities in Osaka Harbour

The Osaka Aquarium is located in Osaka Harbour, and this area has been transformed into a tourist attraction in its own right, packed full of family friendly attractions.

Right next door to the aquarium, you’ll find the Tempozan Market Place. This is a large shopping and dining complex, so it’s the perfect place to stop for lunch or to buy souviners (or in my kids case, toys!)

Also in the area is the Legoland Discovery Center Osaka. This is my pick for an afternoon adventure if you’re exploring with younger travellers. There are Legoland Discover Centres all over the world, and they all have similarities, but the one in Osaka boasts an incredible LGO model of the city you’re exploring (making it worth visiting in its own right in my opinion) as well as a LEGO playground, 4D cinema, and laser ride.

Tickets are £8.69 per person, so this is another affordable activity too (great for budget travellers that perhaps don’t want to shell out for Universal Studios Japan!)

🧱 Klook has a 20% discount offer on Lego Discover Centre tickets, so book now for the very best prices
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Option 2: Day Trip to Nara

Looking for something a little more cultural, or more engaging if you’re travelling with older kids/teens? Your 3 day Osaka itinerary doesn’t just have to limit you to Osaka. If you’d prefer a little adventure outside the city, then I recommend you hop on the train to Nara

It’s only around a 45 minute train ride each way, and well worth visiting, but most people don’t stay here during their time in Japan. The most popular and well known activity in Nara is to feed the friendly deer at Nara Park: this activity is completely free of charge, though you can buy a bag of crackers on arrival for 500 yen if you’re feeling brave enough to hand feed the deer. 

After you’ve ran from your life from the deer (they’re cute, but they can be agressive when you have food – be warned!) visit the impressive Todai-ji Temple, which is home to a giant Buddha, and one of the best Buddha’s we saw on our trip. There are plenty of restaurants near the temple to stop for lunch, making this a relaxing, laid back, and ridiculously affordable day out

 TIP: Book your train tickets to and from Nara in advance for convenience, and to be guaranteed at seat on the train.
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Evening in Umeda

No matter which option you choose, I would suggest spending your late afternoon/evening in Umeda. Umeda is best known for its huge shopping complexes, landmarks like the Sky Building, and wide range of dining and entertainment options. Not as famous as Dotonbori perhaps, it’s still an incredible destination in its own right.

You’ll find the Osaka Pokemon Store and Pokemon Cafe here (getting a reservation in this cafe is HARD but i’ve written some tips for getting a booking here) and the Osaka Nintendo Store is here too. It doesn’t matter how long we have in Osaka (a 10 day trip of a 3 day Osaka itinerary) we will always visit here!

We also spent an evening singing karaoke in one of the many karoake centres that you’ll find in Umeda: book a private room and sing your heart out! It’s so much fun! Not many people realise that they can take children into Karaoke rooms (because they serve alcohol) but this is fine if you’re booking a private room.

Also in Umeda, you’ll find the Tsuyu-no-Tenjinja Shrine. This is well worth visiting (no matter what time of day/night) for its fascinating story, and for the change to see the rare pink torii gates. You can read about our visit to the Tsuyu-no-Tenjinja Shrine here.

Practical Tips for Visiting Osaka

Getting Around Osaka

When we were in Osaka we used the subway every single day, and found it much easier to navigate than the subway in Tokyo (by which I mean we didn’t get lost or have an emotional breakdown once!)Using the subway is an essential part of this 3 day Osaka itinerary. Luckily, the Osaka subway system is excellent, and most attractions, including all of the ones i’ve included in this guide, are within easy reach.

I recommend you get an ICOCA card for local transport (this is the native transport card for the Kansai region) but if you’re coming from Tokyo then it’s worth noting that your SUICA card will work in Osaka too. The only thing that can be tricky? Getting too and from the airport. Book your airport transfers in advance to save both time and money!

🚖 Book in advance with Klook to save money on your Osaka airport transfers
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Staying Connected in Osaka

The worst feeling in the world? Getting off the plane on our first trip to Japan and finding that our phone didn’t work – we needed it for tickets, transfer information….everything! Now we use an Sim Local eSIM, which means we can get online instantly without visiting a phone shop.

📲You can get your eSIM here BEFORE you even arrive in Japan, making life so much easier
🎁 You can save 5% with my code MUMTRAVELLIFE and enjoy seamless data across Japan. The speed is amazing, it’s easy to use, and it’s perfect for Google Maps, translations, and mobile ticketing.

Money Tips

Osaka is mostly card-friendly, but small stalls and street food vendors often prefer cash. I recommend taking a mix of cash and card, so that you’re covered for all eventualities! (Read my post: Do You Need Cash in Japan?)

Final Thoughts On The Perfect 3 Day Osaka Itinerary and Further Reading

Osaka was one of the most joyful stops on our Japan adventure. It’s friendly, walkable, and packed with memorable experiences for the whole family. We didn’t visit Osaka on our last trip to Japan, and we found we missed it! Which is why we’re going back again early next year.

This 3 day Osaka itinerary is just the right amount of time to get a feel for the city. But don’t be fooled into thinking that you’ll see everything Osaka has to offer in that time. And don’t be surprised if you’re already planning your return before you’ve even left!

Still planning your trip to Japan? Check our our other itineraries;

The Ultimate Japan Itinerary 14 Days for First Time Visitors
Ultimate 5 Day Tokyo Itinerary For Families: Full Guide For Travelling With Kids

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Heads up! This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click and make a purchase, I might earn a very small commission – at no extra cost to you. This helps to keep the blog going. Thanks for the support!