Travel Tips
Handy things to know when you travel with Osaka as your base.
IC transit cards
With an IC card such as ICOCA, you can ride most JR, private railway, subway and bus services without buying a ticket each time.
Large luggage
On the Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen, bringing oversized luggage (total dimensions over 160 cm) requires an advance reservation. Major stations have coin lockers and baggage storage.
Planning a day trip
On day trips, check your return train times first. Opening hours of temples and facilities vary, so check each official site.
Etiquette in town
There are few trash bins in the streets, so carry your trash or use bins at shops and stations. At temples and shrines, follow the signs on photography and restricted areas.
Stay in Osaka
- Namba & ShinsaibashiStay in the heart of Minami, steps from Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi.
- Umeda & Osaka StationA transport hub around JR Osaka Station, handy for Kyoto, Kobe and the Shinkansen.
- Shin-OsakaThe Shinkansen station area — handy for trips to and from Tokyo or Hiroshima, and for early departures or late arrivals.
- Tennoji & AbenoClose to Abeno Harukas and Tennoji Zoo, with good access to Kansai Airport and Nara.
- Uehommachi, Tanimachi 9-chome & TsuruhashiA calm temple-dotted neighborhood on the Uemachi Plateau, close to Tsuruhashi's market and yakiniku.
- Osaka Castle & Tanimachi 4-chomeClose to Osaka Castle Park — great for morning walks and history trips.
- USJ & Osaka Bay AreaA waterfront area suited to trips centered on Universal Studios Japan or the Kaiyukan aquarium.
Day trips from Osaka
- KyotoAbout 30 minutes from Osaka by train — the classic day trip for temples and old streets.
- NaraDeer in Nara Park and the Great Buddha of Todai-ji — no transfer from Namba on Kintetsu.
- KobeHarbor views, old Western-style houses and Chinatown — 20 to 30 minutes from Osaka by train.
- AshiyaA calm residential town between Osaka and Kobe, known for architecture and literature.
- AmagasakiRight next to Osaka: the rebuilt Amagasaki Castle, a temple quarter and lively shopping arcades.
- WakayamaWakayama Castle and seaside views — about an hour from Namba by Nankai limited express.
- Shiga & OtsuLake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, plus Mt. Hiei and old temples — past Kyoto with no transfer on JR.