Kitano Tenmangū

     Osaka Tenmangu Shrine, founded in the 10th century, is one of the most important of hundreds of shrines across Japan that are devoted to the Shinto deity of scholarship, Sugawara Michizane. Osaka Tenmangu Shrine has been destroyed by fire a number of times during its history, and its current main hall (honden) and main gate date back to 1845.

Osaka Tenmangu is famous for its festival, the Tenjin Matsuri, which is held annually on July 24 and 25 and is ranked as one of Japan's top three festivals besides Kyoto's Gion Matsuri and Tokyo's Kanda Matsuri. During the festival, the shrine's deity is paraded in a divine palanquin (mikoshi) through the city in a joyful land and river procession, accompanied by fireworks.

     Osaka Tenmangu is located in a residential area and has a neighborhood feeling about it. Locals pray at the shrine mostly for academic fortunes, but there are also secondary shrines at its precincts, such as an Inari Shrine, where people pray to the deity of fertility, agriculture and industry.

Located just steps away from Tenmangu Shrine is the Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Street, which claims to be the longest in Japan. The covered shopping street stretches more than two kilometers, starting approximately from Tenjimbashi-suji Rokuchome Subway Station and leading south until close to the Tenjinbashi Bridge.

    The shopping street has a neighborhood atmosphere and is where many locals shop for a huge variety of goods, such as groceries, clothes, shoes, books, medicine, snacks and sundries. Prices for fashion products are relatively low in return for average quality. There are also many eateries and cafes. In the evenings, izakaya at a couple of side alleys provide an authentic local dining experience.

My opinion:

One of the only temples in Osaka that have been kept up since before WWII. It is located in one of the most nice shopping streets of all Japan. best visiting it in the morning when opens or at night when closing. If you can also take the tour and try the sacred sake it will be worth.

Shinsekai

     Shinsekai is Osaka's "new world," a district that was developed before the war and then neglected in the decades afterwards. At the district's center stands Tsutenkaku Tower, the nostalgia evoking symbol of Shinsekai.

The area was developed into its current layout following the success of the 1903 National Industrial Exposition, which brought over five million people to the neighborhood within just five months. Shortly after the expo closed its doors, work began to improve and update Shinsekai.

     Paris was chosen as the model for Shinsekai's northern half, while the southern portion was built to imitate Coney Island in New York. Tsutenkaku Tower was constructed in 1912 after Paris' Eiffel Tower. Although it was scrapped during WWII, the tower was reconstructed soon afterwards in 1956. The current tower is 103 meters high, with the main observatory at a height of 91 meters.

Another noted attraction is kushikatsu, one of Osaka's best known specialties. It is a dish, composed of various skewered, battered and deep fried foods. Varieties on offer range from chicken and beef, to pumpkin and asparagus, to the banana and ice cream dessert varieties. Many of Shinsekai's kushikatsu restaurants are open 24 hours, but only truly come alive when the lights come on at night.

My opinion: 

Shinsekai is the true face of Osaka. It is festive, colorful and feels more authentic. The main area, which is around the Tsutenkaku Tower, had a lot of tourists. It was crowded but had a vibrant atmosphere, with a lot of restaurants, gift shops, and Billiken statues. 

     Shinsekai is also home to Spa World, a huge bath complex with a large number of pools on a European themed floor and an Asian themed floor (enjoyed naked and gender separated). The floors are switched between genders each month. Natural hot spring water is pumped up from far below the earth's surface.

My opinion(Spa World):

There are a handful of onsen themes that you can try. Men and women spas are on separate floors. You can also go to the swimming pool at the upper floor. There are a few restaurants in the building that cooks good ramen and rice dishes. You can repeat these acticities if you have plenty of time.

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

Osaka Aquarium, also known as Kaiyukan , is located in the Tempozan Harbor Village of Osaka's bay area, and is one of Japan's most spectacular aquariums. It introduces various forms of life inhabiting the Pacific Rim in a well organized and impressive way.

Marine life is displayed in 15 tanks, each representing a specific region of the Pacific Rim. The central tank, representing the Pacifc Ocean, is nine meters deep and home to a whale shark, the aquarium's main attraction.

Visitors start their tour of the aquarium on the 8th floor and slowly spiral down floor by floor around the central tank. Some of the tanks stretch over several floors, making it possible to observe the animals from different depths and perspectives. New exhibition space was added to the aquarium in March 2013.

My opinion:

The Aquarium is located at a section of a parcel of land on its own, it's pretty amazing, once you get off the train station for the aquarium you immediately get signs pointing you to the location. The aquarium itself is great, there were huge seals, playful dolphins that would interact with the balls that you can throw around outside the glass. And there's a massive tank that holds large stingrays and several whalesharks. 

Tempozan ferris wheel

     The Tempozan Ferris Wheel is the city's largest. It offers far-reaching, panoramic views of the bay area and the city's skyscrapers beyond from a height of 112.5 meters. It is located just next to the Tempozan Marketplace and Osaka Aquarium.

My opinion:

Tempozan ferris wheel that's just located beside Kaiyukan, the night view is amazing. You can expect to spend at least 3 hours if you rush through everything. And up to 5 hours if you take it slow. And you could choose an ordinary gondola or a see-through one which has see-through seats and the bottom. 

Osaka Castle

     The construction of Osaka Castle started in 1583 on the former site of the Ishiyama Honganji Temple, which had been destroyed by Oda Nobunaga thirteen years earlier.Toyotomi Hideyoshi intended the castle to become the center of a new, unified Japan under Toyotomi rule. It was the largest castle at the time.

However, a few years after Hideyoshi's death, Tokugawa troops attacked and destroyed the castle and terminated the Toyotomi lineage in 1615. Osaka Castle was rebuilt by Tokugawa Hidetada in the 1620s, but its main castle tower was struck by lightening in 1665 and burnt down.

It was not until 1931 that the present ferro-concrete reconstruction of the castle tower was built. During the war it miraculously survived the city wide air raids. Major repair works gave the castle new glamor in 1997. The castle tower is now entirely modern on the inside and even features an elevator for easier accessibility. It houses an informative museum about the castle's history andToyotomi Hideyoshi.

The castle tower is surrounded by secondary citadels, gates, turrets, impressive stone walls and moats. The Nishinomaru Garden, encompassing the former "western citadel", is a lawn garden with 600 cherry trees, a tea house, the former Osaka Guest House and nice views of the castle tower from below. Unlike most of the rest of the castle grounds, the garden requires an admission fee.

The entire Osaka Castle Park covers about two square kilometers with lots of green space, sport facilities, a multi-purpose arena (Osakajo Hall) and a shrine dedicated to Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The park is one of Osaka's most popular hanami spot during the cherry blossom season, which usually takes place in early April.

My opinion:

Definitely worth a visit. The grounds are magnificent and the castle is awe-inspiring. Osakajou shows how far Japan as a society has come from its recent feudal past. And there are lots of little store that sale food around nice park to have a walk on a sunny day.

Namba

     Located around Namba Station, Minami is one of Osaka's two major city centers. It is the city's most famous entertainment district and offers abundant dining and shopping choices. The district is easily accessible as it is served by three train companies as well as three subway lines and a highway bus terminal. The other major city center is Kita which is located around Osaka and Umeda Stations.

My opinion:

Lots of brandnames store and others fashion goods made this place is the one interesting shopping area in Osaka. Surprisingly to see lots of brandname stores both sides of road. This area is connection to Shinsaibachi. And Namba is full with adult clubs mote so than neighborhood environment. Must visit at night after 10 which becomes even more alive with people. It feels very safe compare to kabukicho in tokyo

Dotonbori

One of Osaka's most popular tourist destinations, this street runs parallel to the Dotonbori canal. It is a popular shopping and entertainment district and is also known as a food destination. At night it is lit by hundreds of neon lights and mechanized signs, including the famous Glico Running Man sign and Kani Doraku crab sign.

Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade

Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade and the surrounding Shinsaibashi area is Osaka's premiere shopping center. Approximately 600 m long, this area is unique as it combines chain retail stores and trendy boutiques with expensive department stores and top designer fashion labels. My opinion: Shinsaibashi is a place for people who love shopping, they are so many shop on the streets and it like the whole place are shops, many kind of shop.  Namba Parks Built to resemble a natural canyon, Namba Parks is designed to be a break of nature amidst the sprawling urban landscape. It features a 120 tenant shopping mall including a cinema, amphitheater, and a rooftop garden. The 6th floor is made up of numerous restaurants including some Korean, Italian, and Vietnamese places.

Osaka

    

     With a population of 2.5 million, Osaka is Japan's third largest and second most important city. It has been the economic powerhouse of the Kansai region for many centuries.

     Osaka was formerly known as Naniwa. Before the Nara Period, when the capital used to be moved with the reign of each new emperor, Naniwa was once Japan's capital city, the first one ever known.

     In the 16th century, Toyotomi Hideyoshi chose Osaka as the location for his castle, and the city may have become Japan's capital if Tokugawa Ieyasu had not terminated the Toyotomi lineage after Hideyoshi's death and moved his government to distant Edo (Tokyo).

My opinion:

Good place to visit. You will see a lot of thing different from tokyo. And you don't miss Universal Studios Japan, Namba, Osakajou. They is a signature of Osaka.  

Nihonbashi

     Nihonbashi is a city district of Tokyo, just north of Ginza and northeast of Marunouchi and Tokyo Station. The bridge, after which the district is named, has been the kilometer zero marker for Japan's national highway network since the early Edo Period.

Formerly a wooden bridge, the Nihonbashi was reconstructed in stone during the Meiji Period, and was covered by an expressway in the 1960s. You can cross a partial 1:1 replica of the original wooden bridge in the Edo-Tokyo Museum in Ryogoku, while a half sized replica of the bridge connects the fourth and fifth floors of the International Terminal at Haneda Airport.

     As the "center of Japan", the Nihonbashi district has enjoyed much commercial prosperity over the centuries, and the area has flourished with bustling shops lining the streets and shipping canals (most of which have been filled in in the meantime). Many shops with centuries-long histories are still operating in the district today and make for pleasant strolls. During the Edo Period (1600-1867), the Mitsui family, one of the most powerful merchant families, opened a highly successful textile shop, the Echigoya, in Nihonbashi. Its successor, the Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi, became Japan's first department store and still stands in the district's center.

My opinion:
Nihonbashi is the traditional centre of Japan all distances were measured from the Japan Bridge. Today the bridge is overshadowed but there is some of the best shopping. Mitsukoshi should not to be missed. There is also plenty of interesting architecture.

Mitsukoshi Nihonbashi

     The first department store in Japan, construction of Mitsukoshi's current seven story flagship store was completed in 1935, and was later designated as a historic structure in 1999. There is an adjacent 10 story annex building that has direct connections on a few floors. It is possible to spend an entire day shopping here, and many of its shops are decidedly high end.

Coredo Muromachi

     Located just across the street from the Mitsukoshi department store, Coredo Muromachi is a newly redeveloped shopping and dining complex comprising of multiple elegant skyscrapers. The trendy area has a modern, yet traditional style inspired by the district's past. Many of its stores offer traditional goods and foods from across Japan, and some have operated in the district for many centuries.

Mitsui Memorial Museum

     The museum has elegant exhibition galleries in which objects are displayed from the art collection of the Mitsui family, the same family that opened the nearby Mitsukoshi department store. The museum was opened in 2005 and has regularly changing themed exhibitions and a reconstruction of a teahouse. It is located in the Mitsui Tower complex that also houses the Mandarin Oriental on its top floors.