Looking for a unique mix of fun, culture, and mouthwatering cuisine to binge on while in Japan? I recommend Osaka as your next destination!
Osaka is famous for being Japan’s street food capital. This port city is the country’s third-largest city and is known to be charmingly laid back. It is home to Osaka Castle, the iconic Dotonbori, and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan.
Beef up your Osaka knowledge with 20 things Osaka is known and famous for.
Table of Contents
1. Japan’s Street Food Capital
Osaka’s street food scene is a foodie paradise! They even have this word, kuidaore, to describe the food culture in Osaka, which means eat ‘til you drop!
The most popular dishes include takoyaki or fried pastry balls with octopus, pickled ginger, and green onion; okonomiyaki or savoury Japanese pancakes; kushikatsu or deep-fried meat or vegetables in skewers and kitsune udon or noodles topped with fried tofu.
These street food choices and more can be easily found in izakayas and restaurants anywhere in the city. But casually eating in food stalls or standing bars makes the experience even more authentic!
2. Takoyaki
We’ve already mentioned Osaka’s most popular dishes, but I feel like takoyaki deserves its own spot.
Takoyaki, which literally translates to grilled octopus, was said to be invented in 1935 by a street vendor from Osaka named Tomekichi Endo. Another theory was that it was inspired by a dish from the Hyogo Prefecture – akashiyaki, an omelette with octopus eaten with dashi soup.
Now, these iconic wheat batter balls with octopus filling have become a gastronomic experience! Just imagine takoyaki with cheese to jalapenos, kimchi, fish roe, curry, wasabi, practically anything and everything!
3. Iconic Running Man Sign
When you say iconic Osaka photo spots, the Glico man has to be on the list! Personally, my visit to Osaka would not have been complete without a photo with THE running man.
This well-known landmark has been lighting the alleys of Dotonbori since 1935 and is an advertisement for a Japanese confectionary company. It has undergone several design revisions and was changed to LED lights from the original neon. The Osaka Castle and Tsutenkaku Tower have also been added to the design.
Quick trivia: The running man became the company symbol because of their first product, candy caramel. The sweet treat was said to provide enough energy to run 300 meters, hence the running man!
4. Dotonbori
Dotonbori is a loosely used term that pertains to Dotonbori Street and the Dotonbori Canal, which flows parallel to the street. The area was first established in the 1600s as a place of trade and entertainment.
Currently, Dotonbori is known to be Osaka’s entertainment, shopping, and epicurean paradise. The charm fully emerges during the night when numerous bright and colorful neon and LED signs of the establishments give life to its streets and alleys.
5. Giant restaurant signs
A visit to Dotonbori would not be complete without seeing this six-and-a-half-meter giant mechanical crab!
This eye-catching monument, complete with moving eyes and claws, is actually the signage of a famous Japanese chain restaurant that specializes in… you guessed it, crab!
This enormous crab is one of the iconic photo spots in Osaka; however, there are other supersized 3D signages in this area. A few other distinguished restaurants in Dotonbori have massive markers, like the puffer fish, gyoza, octopus, a popular snack and sushi held by a giant hand!
6. Universal Studios Japan
Built in 2001, Universal Studios Japan was the first theme park from the brand to be established in Asia, and is the second most-visited amusement park in Japan, after Tokyo Disney Resort.
Currently, USJ is divided into 10 sections including Minion Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and the recently opened Super Nintendo World. It has attractions catering to kids and the whole family and to those who are into thrilling rides.
Just a note: long lines are to be expected on every ride. I remember lining up to enter the park before 9:00 am on a Monday, and there was already quite a long queue!
7. Japan’s first capital
Osaka is known for being the first capital city of Japan. But to be more precise, it was Osaka’s ancient inception, Naniwa City, which became the country’s capital several times over, unofficially during the 4th or 5th century and officially during the 7th century.
In the mid-15th to 16th centuries, Kyoto was recognized to be the imperial capital, but Osaka was said to be the political and economic center. Being a port city and a merchant capital were the main factors for Naniwa or Osaka’s prominence during that time.
8. Speaking ‘Osaka-nese’
While ‘Osaka-nese’ is not really a term, Osaka does have its own dialect!
The standard Japanese that we often know, hear and learn as a foreign language, is based on the Tokyo dialect, Hyojungo. Meanwhile, the Kansai region has its own set of dialects, the most common of which is Osaka’s or Osaka-ben. It is said to sound more casual with its own distinct intonation and unique set of words.
One of the most popular variations is the word “ookini” in Osaka-ben, which translates to “arigato” in standard Japanese.
9. Fun and laidback locals
Osaka locals have a reputation for being such laidback and fun-loving people. May it be their love for comedy or maybe they are just made differently from the stereotypically reserved Japanese, Osakans are said to be more friendly, outgoing, loud, and humorous!
And I can vouch for this from experience! I remember asking for directions to our hotel from a local. He didn’t just tell us the way – he even left his post to walk and lead us straight to our accommodation’s door!
10. The “Keep Right” escalator etiquette
Following etiquette is such an important thing in Japan, even when it comes to riding escalators. Generally, people in Tokyo and other parts of the country stay on the left side and leave the right side free for those who are in a rush.
But not in Osaka! Escalator etiquette in Osaka means going the other way: standing on the right and keeping the left for those in a hurry.
11. City of Entertainment
Osaka is known and famous for being the origin of some of Japan’s traditional forms of entertainment.
One is the bunraku or the traditional puppet theatre. It was a popular pastime for commoners during the Edo Period until it evolved into a form of theatre art during the 17th century. It has been designated as an Important Intangible Cultural Property by UNESCO in 1955.
The roots of Japanese stand-up comedy, manzai, can also be traced back to Osaka. This traditional comedy is performed by a pair of polar opposites, the funny one or the boke, and the straight man, tsukkomi.
12. Home to one of Japan’s top festivals
The Tenjin Matsuri or the festival of fire and water is held annually from July 24th to 25th and is one of the three greatest festivals in Japan. This festival dates back to 951 to honor the Shinto God of learning, Sugawara Michizane.
Visitors can witness and take part in rituals at the shrine and at the river, as well as a grand procession. And on the second night, there is a 100-boat parade at the Okawa River, followed by the highlight, a hanabi or fireworks display of over 3,000 shots.
13. OG birthplace of instant noodles
It was 1958. The world’s first-ever instant chicken ramen noodles were successfully invented by Momofuku Ando in a shed in his backyard in Ikeda, Osaka. This was after a year of exhausting experiments to address the food shortage in Japan after the war.
Fast-forward to 1971, when Ando was already 61 years old. He made yet another trailblazing invention: cup noodles!
For tourists who want to commemorate this life-changing invention, you may visit the Cup Noodles Museum in Ikeda. Just a note: there are two Cup Noodles Museums in Japan, with the other branch in Yokohama. But the museum in Ikeda is the first and the original, cementing Osaka’s position as the birthplace of instant ramen!
14. Hanami parties (cherry blossom viewing)
Osaka boasts of some of the best sakura viewing and photo spots, like the Osaka Castle garden whose grounds contain about 3,000 cherry trees. Meanwhile, Kema Sakuranomiya Park has about 5,000 cherry trees lined up on the banks of the Okawa River.
Other hanami spots include the Expo 70 Commemorative Park, Osaka Mint Bureau, Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park, Daisen Park, and the Meioji Temple.
15. Origin of the sushi conveyor belt
The novel experience of grabbing sushi plates from a conveyor belt actually started in Osaka. It was in 1958 when Yoshiaki Shiraishi opened Mawaru Genroku Sushi, with the unique idea of using a kaiten-zushi, which translates to conveyor belt sushi.
The former chairman got the idea from the production line of a brewery and thought it would help in dealing with the restaurant’s staffing and efficiency, as well as making sushi more accessible to the masses. It took him several years to develop the conveyor belt until it was ready.
16. Osaka Castle
With more than 450 years of history, Osaka Castle was the city’s most distinguished landmark and tourist spot. The man called the Napoleon of Japan, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, had Osaka-jo built with its trademark gold accents on the interior and exterior of the castle.
Aside from the castle, its surrounding park and establishments have a lot to offer to visitors who want to walk, jog, have picnics and explore.
17. Japan’s tallest Ferris wheel
You can enjoy panoramic scenery from Osaka’s highest viewpoint from the Osaka Wheel. Constructed at the historical Expocity in 2016, this iconic attraction stands at 123 meters, making it the tallest Ferris wheel in the country.
Catch a 360-degree view from any of its 72 gondolas with its transparent structure and see-through floors. Now, that is definitely not for the faint-hearted! But no need to worry as it was designed with safety in mind with the world’s first seismic isolation structure.
18. Funky Ferris wheel
Coming from the tallest, here is one of the funkiest and most unique Ferris wheels in Japan, if not in the whole world. Meet the Don Quixote or Ebisu Tower Ferris Wheel.
It is actually one of the iconic landmarks in Dotonbori but people didn’t know that it was an actual functioning Ferris wheel until it reopened in 2018.
What makes this ride unique? This wheel is not the typical circular shape, but an ovular one! 32 gondolas, which can carry up to 4 passengers, go through this elongated track, which rises up to 77 meters high. Each ride takes up to 15 minutes.
19. Osaka’s Eiffel Tower
It was in 1912 when Japan built Tsutenkaku Tower, which was inspired by France’s Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe. The name literally translates to Sky Route Tower and was considered to be the tallest structure in all of Asia at that time, at 64 meters or 210 feet high.
However, it was during WWII when Tsutenkaku was damaged by a fire, and later on, taken apart and melted down to be used as steel during the war. In 1956, the tower was rebuilt, this time higher at 100 meters.
While it is not Asia nor Osaka’s tallest at present, the Tsutenkaku Tower still looks over the restaurants and shops of the Shinsekai District.
20. One of the world’s largest aquariums
Kaiyukan or the Osaka Aquarium is one of the world’s largest, holding a total volume of 10 million liters of water in its 15 large tanks. Strolling through Kaiyukan will make you feel like virtually touring sections of the Pacific Rim.
The experience becomes even more amazing as you get this rare chance to encounter 30,000 creatures from 620 species – all in one place!
This list covers only 20 of what Osaka is known and famous for. But nothing beats really going there and immersing in the fun activities and culture yourself.
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