Osaka travel guide
Osaka Tourism | Osaka Guide
You're Going to Love Osaka
With a population of 2.59 million, Osaka is the largest city in Osaka Prefecture, Japan by the number of inhabitants. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Osaka has to offer.
Where to Eat in Osaka
Kita is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in Osaka. These include popular favorites such as ブルガリ イル・カフェ 大阪 (角田町8-7 阪急うめだ本店5階), トラジ ルクア大阪店 (梅田3-1-3 ルクア大阪 B2f) and バルバッコア 梅田店 (梅田 2-2-22 ハービスplaza エント 5f). If you’re looking for affordable options, ロウリーズ・ザ・プライムリブ 大阪 (梅田 2-2-22 ハービスplaza エント 5f) and バルバッコア 心斎橋店 (心斎橋筋 1-1-10 キュープラザ 心斎橋 8f) are great picks.
When to visit Osaka
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Osaka in August, when the average temperature is 84.2 °F, and the highest can go up to 91.4 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 37.4 °F, with an average temperature of 42.8 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 7.9″. In contrast, January is usually the driest month of the year in Osaka, with an average rainfall of 1.6″.
How to Get to Osaka
Plane
Osaka is served by 2 airports: Osaka Itami (ITM) and Osaka Kansai Intl (KIX). The closest to downtown Osaka is Osaka Itami, which is located 14 km from the city center. Further away is Osaka Kansai Intl, 36 km from the center of Osaka. The shortest flight to Osaka from the United States departs from Honolulu and takes around 8h 45m.
Train
The train station in Osaka is called Shin-Ōsaka, and is located 7 km from the city center.
Car
Another option to get to Osaka is to pick up a car rental from Kyoto, which is about 45 km from Osaka. You’ll find branches of Hertz and ORIX Rent a Car, among others, in Kyoto.
Bus
Osaka’s bus station is located 4 km from the city center.
Airlines serving Osaka
Where to stay in Osaka
From 5-star hotels such as the Conrad Osaka to great affordable options like the Travelodge Honmachi Osaka, Osaka offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $63 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $162 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hotel Sunplaza 2 Annex and Peace house Abeno. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Osaka, with prices from $16 to $336 per night. Chūō is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Osaka are about 26% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.
Kita - In Osaka’s most popular neighborhood to stay, recommended hotels include Hotel Mystays Premier Dojima, The Rise Osaka Kitashinchi and Apa Hotel Higashi-Umeda Minami-Morimachi-Ekimae.
Nishinari - Here you’ll find travelers’ favorites such as Hotel Toyo, Hotel Pivot Shin-Imamiya Ekimae and Hotel Shin-Imamiya. The average nightly price for a double room in Nishinari is $11.
Tennōji - Hotel International House Osaka, Sheraton Miyako Hotel Osaka and Ave Tennoji Hotel have some of the best reviews among hotels in this area. A 3-star room in Tennōji will cost you about $36 per night.
Where to stay in popular areas of Osaka
Most booked hotels in Osaka
Renting a car in Osaka
Renting a car in Osaka costs $59 per day, on average, or $178 if you want to rent if for 3 days.
Expect to pay $4.24 per gallon in Osaka (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $50.88 and $67.83. The most frequently booked car type in Osaka is Compact (Class Compact Van or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Suzuki Swift or similar) are, on average, 48% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.