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 4 days in order to fully appreciate everything Osaka has to offer.
Where to Eat in Osaka
Kita is the neighbourhood with the most restaurants in Osaka. These include popular favourites such as リストランテ クイントカント (大阪府大阪市北区中之島３丁目６−３２ ダイビル本館 1f), 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) and トラジ ルクア大阪店 (梅田3-1-3 ルクア大阪 B2f). 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 29 °C, and the highest can go up to 33 °C. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 3 °C, with an average temperature of 6 °C. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 200 mm. In contrast, January is usually the driest month of the year in Osaka, with an average rainfall of 40 mm.
How to Get to Osaka
Plane
Osaka is served by 2 airports: Osaka Itami (ITM) and Osaka Kansai Intl (KIX). The closest to the city centre of Osaka is Osaka Itami, which is located 14 km from the city centre. Further away is Osaka Kansai Intl, 36 km from the centre of Osaka. The shortest flight to Osaka from the United Kingdom departs from London and takes around 15h.
Train
The train station in Osaka is called Shin-Ōsaka, and is located 7 km from the city centre.
Car
Another option to get to Osaka is to pick up a car hire from Kyoto, which is about 45 km from Osaka. You’ll find branches of Europcar and Alamo, among others, in Kyoto.
Bus
Osaka’s bus station is located 4 km from the city centre.
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 £45 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £134 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hotel Sun Plaza 2 Annex and Peace house Abeno. There are also lots of holiday rental options in Osaka, with prices from £12 to £286 per night. Chūō is the neighbourhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, holiday rentals in Osaka are about 24% cheaper than a hotel room in the city.
Nishinari - In Osaka’s most popular neighbourhood to stay, recommended hotels include Backpackers Hotel Toyo, Hotel Pivot Shin-Imamiya Ekimae and Hotel Shin-Imamiya.
Abeno - Osaka Marriott Miyako Hotel, Miyako City Osaka Tennoji and Hotel Trusty Osaka Abeno have some of the best reviews among hotels in this area. A 3-star room in Abeno will cost you about £33 per night.
Where to stay in popular areas of Osaka
Most booked hotels in Osaka
Hiring a car in Osaka
Hiring a car in Osaka costs £39 per day, on average, or £158 if you want to hire it for 4 days.
Expect to pay £0.89 per litre in Osaka (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £10.67 and £14.22. The most frequently booked car type in Osaka is Full-size (Toyota Sienta or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Mini car hire (Daihatsu Move or similar) is, on average, 51% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.