Osaka

Osaka is Japan's big-hearted food city, where a hilltop castle, neon canals and old shrines sit a short train ride from each other. Eat your way through the markets and street stalls, climb a skyline tower, then use the city as a base for Kyoto, Nara and Kobe.

How long are you staying?

Dates

Your layover plan

CurrencyJapanese Yen

Local time—

LanguageJapaneseA few useful words

Power plugs: A, B · 100 V, 60 HzAirports: KIX

Power plugsA, B · 100 V, 60 Hz

AirportsKIX

Plan: layover in Osaka

A layover in Osaka can cover the south of the city when the gap between flights is long. Trains from Kansai Airport run into the centre, and the plan walks from Kuromon Market through Den Den Town (Nipponbashi) to Shitennoji and Abeno Harukas, then on to Tsutenkaku and Shinsekai.

Layover · KIX 06:00 → 21:00

Layover · 2 adults ·

Nankai Rapi:t · about 34–40 min
09:001
Morning · 45–90 min
Free entryNo ticket needed
9–12 min walk
09:542
Morning · 1–2 h
Open public space
17–22 min walk
11:113
Morning · 45–90 min
Ticket at the entrance
16–21 min walk
12:124
Midday · 1–2 h
BookCheck availabilityTicket
17–22 min walk
13:295
Midday · 45–90 min
Ticket at the entrance
3–4 min walk
14:176
Afternoon · 60–150 min
Open public space
JR Haruka · about 31–35 min

Leaving the airport means passing passport control. Before you fly, check that you're allowed to enter Japan with your passport.

6 stopsTap a stop for photos, hours and tips

Flights: getting to Osaka

Flights, car rental and airport transfers for your trip: 1 day · 1 adult.

Find your flight.

Fly from anywhere, to anywhere.

One-way or return
Choose your dates and travellers
Return is optional

Prices in

Stays: where to stay in Osaka

Pick an area, then a place that fits your budget and style.

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Tours: things to do in Osaka

Tours and tickets matched to your plan and interests. Tap the heart to save one for Build your own.

Food tasting: Shinsekai
Viator
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Osaka bike tour
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Osaka walking tour
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Osaka sightseeing tour
Viator
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Osaka boat cruise
Viator
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Umeda Sky Building: entry ticket
GetYourGuide
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Osaka Castle: entry ticket
GetYourGuide
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Abeno Harukas: entry ticket
GetYourGuide
Book
See all Osaka tours
Tours, day trips and more on Viator
Browse all tours

Visiting places of worship

Open to visitors, with a few customs.

Temples

Temples are usually open to visitors, though inner shrines are often reserved for worshippers. Visitors are usually asked to dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered, and to take their shoes off where asked, usually before prayer halls. Visitors usually keep their voices down and a respectful distance from altars and offerings, and photographing people praying usually needs their permission first. Rules can vary, so please follow any instructions and ask the staff on arrival.

Essentials: before you travel

What to sort before your 1-day trip, plus a few useful words.

Entry requirements

Which passport are you travelling on? Every nationality is covered.

Entry checker by VisaHQ. Please confirm before you travel.

VisaDepends on your passport
PassportValidity rules apply
eVisaOnline, where offered

Check your government's official travel advisory before you go.

Power plugs
Plug type A, B
100 V, 60 Hz

eSIM

Mobile data for your trip. Set it up before you fly.

per plan, one phone

See plans

Travel insurance

Pick a plan for your trip dates.

See travel insurance

Luggage storage

Leave your bags for a few hours or a day.

per bag a day

Find storage

A few words of Japanese

Tap to hear.

Food: where to eat in Osaka

Places to eat near your plan and your stay. Tap the heart to save one.

Chosen from places featured in respected travel and food guides, or on a halal certifier's list, as of October 2026. We don't take payment to include a place.

Dietary

Please confirm with the restaurant if you have any allergies.

Near your planYour plan

11 min from Hozenji Yokocho
Junkissa American
Omelette rice with chicken ketchup rice · Namba & Dotonbori
Price level$
Open in a map
Sources
Price level: Source: Junkissa American, checked Oct 2026
21 min from Abeno Harukas
Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan (Main Store)
Takoyaki (octopus balls) · Shinsekai & Tennoji
Price level$
Open in a map
Sources
Price level: Source: tsunagu Japan, checked Oct 2026
31 min from Nakanoshima
Kitahama Retro
Afternoon tea set · Nakanoshima & Kitahama
Price level$$$
Open in a map
Sources
Price level: Source: Mapple web, checked Oct 2026
41 min from Hozenji Yokocho
Dotonbori Imai Honten
Kitsune udon · Namba & Dotonbori
Price level$$
Open in a map
Sources
Price level: Source: Dotonbori Imai, checked Oct 2026
51 min from Abeno Harukas
Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan (No. 2 Store)
Akashiyaki (octopus balls in dashi) · Shinsekai & Tennoji
Price level$
Open in a map
Sources
Price level: Source: Mapple web, checked Oct 2026
62 min from Nakanoshima
Embankment Coffee (Kitahama)
Linzer torte · Nakanoshima & Kitahama
Price level$
Open in a map
Sources
Price level: Source: Time Out, checked Oct 2026

No places near your plan with this option

Elsewhere in Osaka

24
Negiyaki Yamamoto (Umeda EST)
Beef tendon negiyaki · Umeda & Kita
Price level$$
Open in a map
Sources
Price level: Source: negiyaki-yamamoto.com, checked Oct 2026
25
Odoru Udon (Umeda)
Maitake tempura udon · Umeda & Kita
Price level$
Open in a map
Sources
Price level: Source: macaroni, checked Oct 2026
26
Udonbo (Osaka Honten)
Hiya-ten udon (cold udon with tempura) · Umeda & Kita
Price level$
Open in a map
Sources
Price level: Source: udonbo.co.jp, checked Oct 2026
27
Aiduya Takoyaki (Tamade Main Store)
Original takoyaki (plain, dashi batter) · Shinsekai & Tennoji
Price level$
Open in a map
Sources
Price level: Source: Mapple web, checked Oct 2026
28
Shinjuku-Tei Umeda
A5 wagyu beef cutlet set · Umeda & Kita
Price level$$$$
Halal options
Open in a map
Sources
Halal options: Listed as halal by Halal Food in Japan. Please confirm locally.
Price level: Source: Savor Japan, checked Oct 2026
29
Takonotetsu (Kakuta)
Takoyaki (octopus) · Umeda & Kita
Price level$
Open in a map
Sources
Price level: Source: takonotetsu.co.jp, checked Oct 2026

Near your stopsElsewhere

OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap

Nature: hikes, beaches and day trips

Green escapes and the sea, a short trip from the centre. Planning information only.

Kyoto
Nara
Kobe
Himeji Castle
Minoh Park and Falls
Sakai
Koyasan

Maps and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Transport: getting around Osaka

One card for most rides on public transport. Airport routes are in Flights.

ICOCA (JR-West prepaid card)

A rechargeable tap card that works on Osaka Metro, JR trains, private railways and buses across the region, and also pays at shops and vending machines that show the ICOCA mark. You buy it with cash and top it up when the balance runs low. Other major Japanese transit cards, such as Suica and PASMO, are also accepted.

Card: JPY 500
One ride: JPY 190

Per person, paid locally · as of October 2026

Choose what suits your stay: an ICOCA card for pay-as-you-go rides on trains, subways and buses, a one-day or two-day pass if you plan to ride and sightsee a lot, or simply your own contactless bank card, phone or watch at the Osaka Metro gates.
Buy an ICOCA with cash at a JR ticket machine or ticket office; it comes with a refundable deposit. Passes are bought on a smartphone or at a subway station machine, and some visitor tickets need your passport. If you tap a bank card at the Osaka Metro gates there is nothing to buy.
Tap the card or phone on the reader when you go through the gate and again when you leave. On buses, tap as you board or get off, as the sign says. The fare is taken automatically, and you can top an ICOCA up at any machine that shows the ICOCA mark.

How to use the card

Choose what suits your stay: an ICOCA card for pay-as-you-go rides on trains, subways and buses, a one-day or two-day pass if you plan to ride and sightsee a lot, or simply your own contactless bank card, phone or watch at the Osaka Metro gates.
Buy an ICOCA with cash at a JR ticket machine or ticket office; it comes with a refundable deposit. Passes are bought on a smartphone or at a subway station machine, and some visitor tickets need your passport. If you tap a bank card at the Osaka Metro gates there is nothing to buy.
Tap the card or phone on the reader when you go through the gate and again when you leave. On buses, tap as you board or get off, as the sign says. The fare is taken automatically, and you can top an ICOCA up at any machine that shows the ICOCA mark.

Expand map

Taxis in Osaka run on a meter at a regulated tariff, with the doors opened and closed by the driver, so wait for the door to open rather than reaching for it. A night surcharge applies late in the evening, tolls are added on top, and many cars take cards and transport cards, though a little cash helps. It is worth showing your destination written in Japanese on your phone.

Money: costs in Osaka

Typical costs, and how to pay.

Typical day, per person

Excluding your stay.

For 1 day ·

BudgetJPY 8,773a day1 day: JPY 8,773
Mid-rangeJPY 13,866a day1 day: JPY 13,866
ComfortJPY 28,925a day1 day: JPY 28,925

Food and drinksGetting aroundSights (entry tickets)

What's included

What's included, per person per day
Per person, per day	Budget	Mid-range	Comfort
Breakfast	JPY 504	JPY 563	JPY 4,733
Lunch	JPY 821	JPY 1,062	JPY 5,275
Dinner	JPY 1,062	JPY 5,275	JPY 9,200
Drinks	JPY 366	JPY 946	JPY 1,397
Getting around	JPY 820	JPY 820	JPY 3,120
Sights (entry tickets)	JPY 5,200	JPY 5,200	JPY 5,200
Total a day	JPY 8,773	JPY 13,866	JPY 28,925

Sights are counted at the standard entry ticket. Guided tours cost more.

Everyday prices

Typical prices, as of October 2026

JPY 316.75Coffee
JPY 114.67Bottle of water
JPY 503.75Bakery breakfast
JPY 821.17Lunch deal
JPY 1,062Casual restaurant meal
JPY 5,275Mid-range dinner
JPY 136.67Soft drink
JPY 190One ride
JPY 820Day of transport
JPY 2,300Short taxi (5 km)

Cards

Cards are widely accepted in hotels, department stores, convenience stores and many restaurants, but not every shop takes contactless payment. Cash is still needed at many small restaurants, temples and shrines, and street food stalls.

Cash machines

ATMs run by banks are usually cheaper than stand-alone machines, though many banks also charge foreign cards a fee. If asked, choose to be charged in Japanese Yen. Your own bank may also charge a foreign-use fee. Check with your bank before you go.

Tipping

Tipping is not expected in Japan. Some hotels and larger restaurants add a service charge of about 10 percent, and taxi fares are paid as shown on the meter.

Supermarkets near your stay

Shinsekai & Tennoji

スーパー玉出天下茶屋店Grocery store
8 min walk
サンディ紫竹店Grocery store
13 min walk
イズミヤ IzumiyaGrocery store
17 min walk

Seasons: best time to visit Osaka

Seasons, weather, and the events and holidays that change opening hours, crowds and prices.

FAQ

Quick answers to common questions.

What can you see in Osaka on a layover?

The layover plan walks from Kuromon Market through Den Den Town to Shitennoji and Abeno Harukas, then to Tsutenkaku and Shinsekai. Abeno Harukas usually takes 60 to 120 minutes, so it fits a long layover. As of 4 Nov 2026.

How long a layover do you need for Osaka?

Plan on most of a day between flights: time to go through the airport twice, the train ride into the centre and back, and several hours for the south of the city.

Month	Average high	Average low	Rainy days
January	9°	2°	7 days
January is the coldest month, with dry, often sunny days and now and then a cold, windy spell, so a warm coat, scarf and gloves are needed. The first three days are the New Year holiday, when many shops close and Sumiyoshi Taisha fills with visitors, and Toka Ebisu draws crowds to Imamiya Ebisu Shrine from 9 to 11 January.
February	10°	2°	8 days
February feels much like January, cold and mostly dry, with plum blossom starting in Osaka Castle Park. Setsubun on 3 February brings bean-throwing rituals at shrines and temples, and the Osaka Marathon takes over the central streets on Sunday 28 February 2027.
March	14°	5°	12 days
March brings the first real warmth, though cold snaps still come, so layers that are easy to take off work best. The spring sumo tournament is usually held in the middle of the month, and the first cherry blossoms can open in the last days of March.
April	19°	10°	11 days
April is mild and is the main month for cherry blossom, which usually lasts only one to two weeks from late March to early April. Showers are frequent, and the Mint cherry blossom walk usually follows in the middle of the month. Golden Week starts at the end of the month.
May	24°	15°	11 days
May is warm and fresh before the rainy season, with sunny days that can reach the late 20s and cooler evenings. Golden Week (29 April to 5 May in 2027) is one of the busiest travel periods of the year, with crowded trains and attractions and many people on the move.
June	27°	20°	14 days
June is the start of the rainy season (tsuyu), with cloudy skies, frequent rain and high humidity, though it does not rain every day. Hydrangeas and irises are in flower, and the Aizen Matsuri begins on 30 June.
July	31°	24°	16 days
July keeps the rain until about the middle of the month, then turns hotter and sunnier, with high humidity throughout. Tenjin Matsuri on 24 and 25 July is the biggest festival of the year and fills the riverbanks, and Sumiyoshi Matsuri follows from 30 July.
August	33°	25°	14 days
August is the hottest and most humid month, and typhoons can reach Osaka, so plan indoor sights for the middle of the day and keep a flexible schedule. Obon in mid August brings a short holiday period and busy trains, and fireworks displays are held across the area.
September	29°	21°	13 days
September stays hot and humid at first and turns cooler towards the end of the month, and it is a month when typhoons may disrupt travel. The Kishiwada Danjiri festival begins in the middle of the month, and moon-viewing events are held in the evenings.
October	23°	15°	10 days
October is warm in the day and cool at night, with plenty of sunny days and usually less rain than the summer months, though a late typhoon is still possible. The second round of the Kishiwada Danjiri festival is held at the start of the month, and the Sports Day holiday falls on 11 October in 2027.
November	17°	9°	8 days
November is the usual peak for autumn colour, with maple, ginkgo and zelkova turning in Osaka Castle Park and along Midosuji, and cool, mostly sunny days. The Midosuji illumination starts on 3 November and the Osaka Castle illumination on 20 November in 2026.
December	11°	4°	7 days
December is cold but often sunny and the driest stretch of the year, with nights near freezing late in the month. Winter lights run along Midosuji and in Nakanoshima, and many shops and some sights close for the New Year break from the end of the month.

Month	Average high	Average low	Rainy days
January	9°	2°	7 days
January is the coldest month, with dry, often sunny days and now and then a cold, windy spell, so a warm coat, scarf and gloves are needed. The first three days are the New Year holiday, when many shops close and Sumiyoshi Taisha fills with visitors, and Toka Ebisu draws crowds to Imamiya Ebisu Shrine from 9 to 11 January.
February	10°	2°	8 days
February feels much like January, cold and mostly dry, with plum blossom starting in Osaka Castle Park. Setsubun on 3 February brings bean-throwing rituals at shrines and temples, and the Osaka Marathon takes over the central streets on Sunday 28 February 2027.
March	14°	5°	12 days
March brings the first real warmth, though cold snaps still come, so layers that are easy to take off work best. The spring sumo tournament is usually held in the middle of the month, and the first cherry blossoms can open in the last days of March.
April	19°	10°	11 days
April is mild and is the main month for cherry blossom, which usually lasts only one to two weeks from late March to early April. Showers are frequent, and the Mint cherry blossom walk usually follows in the middle of the month. Golden Week starts at the end of the month.
May	24°	15°	11 days
May is warm and fresh before the rainy season, with sunny days that can reach the late 20s and cooler evenings. Golden Week (29 April to 5 May in 2027) is one of the busiest travel periods of the year, with crowded trains and attractions and many people on the move.
June	27°	20°	14 days
June is the start of the rainy season (tsuyu), with cloudy skies, frequent rain and high humidity, though it does not rain every day. Hydrangeas and irises are in flower, and the Aizen Matsuri begins on 30 June.
July	31°	24°	16 days
July keeps the rain until about the middle of the month, then turns hotter and sunnier, with high humidity throughout. Tenjin Matsuri on 24 and 25 July is the biggest festival of the year and fills the riverbanks, and Sumiyoshi Matsuri follows from 30 July.
August	33°	25°	14 days
August is the hottest and most humid month, and typhoons can reach Osaka, so plan indoor sights for the middle of the day and keep a flexible schedule. Obon in mid August brings a short holiday period and busy trains, and fireworks displays are held across the area.
September	29°	21°	13 days
September stays hot and humid at first and turns cooler towards the end of the month, and it is a month when typhoons may disrupt travel. The Kishiwada Danjiri festival begins in the middle of the month, and moon-viewing events are held in the evenings.
October	23°	15°	10 days
October is warm in the day and cool at night, with plenty of sunny days and usually less rain than the summer months, though a late typhoon is still possible. The second round of the Kishiwada Danjiri festival is held at the start of the month, and the Sports Day holiday falls on 11 October in 2027.
November	17°	9°	8 days
November is the usual peak for autumn colour, with maple, ginkgo and zelkova turning in Osaka Castle Park and along Midosuji, and cool, mostly sunny days. The Midosuji illumination starts on 3 November and the Osaka Castle illumination on 20 November in 2026.
December	11°	4°	7 days
December is cold but often sunny and the driest stretch of the year, with nights near freezing late in the month. Winter lights run along Midosuji and in Nakanoshima, and many shops and some sights close for the New Year break from the end of the month.

Osaka

Plan: layover in Osaka

Kuromon Market

Den Den Town (Nipponbashi)

Shitennoji

Abeno Harukas

Tsutenkaku

Shinsekai

Flights: getting to Osaka

Find your flight.

Stays: where to stay in Osaka

Tours: things to do in Osaka

Food tasting: Shinsekai

Osaka bike tour

Osaka walking tour

Osaka sightseeing tour

Osaka boat cruise

Umeda Sky Building: entry ticket

Osaka Castle: entry ticket

Abeno Harukas: entry ticket

See all Osaka tours

Visiting places of worship

Essentials: before you travel

Entry requirements

Power plugs

eSIM

Travel insurance

Luggage storage

A few words of Japanese

Food: where to eat in Osaka

Near your planYour plan

Junkissa American

Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan (Main Store)

Kitahama Retro

Dotonbori Imai Honten

Abeno Takoyaki Yamachan (No. 2 Store)

Embankment Coffee (Kitahama)

Elsewhere in Osaka

Negiyaki Yamamoto (Umeda EST)

Odoru Udon (Umeda)

Udonbo (Osaka Honten)

Aiduya Takoyaki (Tamade Main Store)

Shinjuku-Tei Umeda

Takonotetsu (Kakuta)

Nature: hikes, beaches and day trips

Kyoto

Nara

Kobe

Himeji Castle

Minoh Park and Falls

Sakai

Koyasan

Transport: getting around Osaka

ICOCA (JR-West prepaid card)

How to use the card

Money: costs in Osaka

Typical day, per person

Everyday prices

Cards

Cash machines

Tipping

Supermarkets near your stay

Seasons: best time to visit Osaka

FAQ

Plan: layover in Osaka

Kuromon Market

Den Den Town (Nipponbashi)

Shitennoji

Abeno Harukas

Tsutenkaku

Shinsekai

Flights: getting to Osaka

Find your flight.

Stays: where to stay in Osaka

Tours: things to do in Osaka

Food tasting: Shinsekai

Osaka bike tour

Osaka walking tour

Osaka sightseeing tour

Osaka boat cruise