Osaka
Hideyoshi’s castle above its park, the neon of Dotonbori after dark, and the counter at Taian, where Osaka’s kappo cooking holds three stars.
- Arrival
- Kansai International · KIX
- To the city
- About 45 to 60 minutes to Umeda by car
- Private jets
- Premium Gate Tamayura at KIX
- Best time
- April to May · October to November
The city
The merchant city of the Kansai.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi began his castle here in 1583, and its keep, rebuilt in 1931 and restored in the 1990s, now holds a museum above fifteen acres of grounds. The shrine of Sumiyoshi Taisha keeps the oldest example of the building style that bears its name. In the evening the city gathers along the canal at Dotonbori, under the neon of Minami, and three of its restaurants hold three MICHELIN stars.
Come in spring or autumn. April brings the cherry blossom to the castle park, and by October the summer humidity has gone and the leaves are turning. June is the wettest month, and July and August are hot, with afternoons above 30 °C.
Arriving
Over the bay at Kansai.
Kansai International receives the long-haul flights. From there, Umeda and the hotels of Kita are forty-five minutes to an hour by car.
- Tokyo 55 min
- Seoul 1 h 30
- Hong Kong 3 h 35
- Abu Dhabi 10 h 15 long-range jet
- Nice 13 h 00 long-range jet
When to go
April to May, and October to November.
Mild springs and autumns between a cool, dry winter and a humid summer. April and May, then October and November, bring afternoons of 17 to 24 °C. June is the wettest month at over 200 mm, and August averages 33 °C.
- 9° J 52
- 9° F 65
- 13° M 102
- 20° A 136
- 24° M 141
- 27° J 215
- 31° J 170
- 33° A 106
- 29° S 183
- 23° O 110
- 17° N 72
- 12° D 42
What to see and do
Days in and around Osaka.
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Landmark
Osaka Castle
Five storeys outside and eight within, on the site of a temple, with a museum in the keep.
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Landmark
Dotonbori
The canal and bridge of Minami, brightest after dark.
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Landmark
Sumiyoshi Taisha
A shrine whose main hall, a national treasure, is the oldest of its kind.
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Culture
National Bunraku Theatre
Opened in 1984 in Nipponbashi, the national home of bunraku puppet theatre stages about five productions a year, with audio guides in English.
Official site -
Culture
Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka
Opening in February 2022, the museum holds more than 6,000 works of modern art and design, among them Modigliani, Magritte and a large body of Yuzo Saeki.
Official site -
Opera & music
Festival Hall
Rebuilt in 2013 on the site of the 1958 original, the 2,700 seat hall stages orchestras, opera, ballet and the Osaka International Festival each spring.
Official site -
Food & wine
Kuromon Ichiba Market
Known as Osaka's Kitchen, this 600 metre covered street of around 150 stalls has sold fish, fugu, produce and fruit for more than 200 years.
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Nature
Minoo Park
A paved path of about 3 km follows the Minoo River through forest to a 33 metre waterfall, passing Ryuanji temple on the way.
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Racing & sport
Hanshin Racecourse
On its present site since 1949, the JRA course near Takarazuka runs Grade 1 races including the Osaka Hai and the Takarazuka Kinen.
Official site -
Culture
Todaiji
The Great Buddha Hall, rebuilt in 1709 and among the largest wooden buildings in the world, holds a bronze Buddha about 15 metres tall consecrated in 752.
On the calendar
A date to plan around.
Dates as published by the organisers. Runways, hotels and slots fill early around these weeks: the sooner we know, the more choice you have.
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9–11 Apr 2027
Formula 1
Japanese Grand Prix
Round 4 of the 24-round 2027 Formula 1 World Championship, held at Suzuka Circuit with a Sprint race.
Suzuka Circuit, Suzuka, about 96 km away
In 5 months
Where to stay
Towers over Umeda, and the castle in view.
Shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these hotels.
- The Ritz-Carlton, Osaka A walk from Osaka Station, with panelled corridors and antiques in the manner of a Georgian manor.
- Conrad Osaka High in Festival Tower West, with a bar on the 40th floor looking down on the river.
- Four Seasons Hotel Osaka A sail-shaped tower with a whole floor of tatami rooms on the 28th and the spa on the 36th.
- InterContinental Osaka In Grand Front beside Osaka Station, with French cooking at the one-star Pierre.
- Patina Osaka A glass front hung with greenery, and an indoor pool that looks out over the castle.
- W Osaka A black facade by Tadao Ando on Midosuji, and a lit tunnel folded like origami on the way in.
- Waldorf Astoria Osaka Opened in April 2025 on the top floors of a tower in Grand Green Osaka, with interiors by André Fu.
Where to dine
Kappo counters and new kitchens.
From the MICHELIN Guide 2026, shown for information. We have no arrangement with any of these restaurants.
- Taian Three Michelin stars Japanese ¥¥¥ Shimanouchi, Chuo
- HAJIME Three Michelin stars Innovative ¥¥¥¥ Edobori, Nishi
- Kashiwaya Osaka Senriyama Three Michelin stars Japanese ¥¥¥ Senriyama, Suita
- La Cime Two Michelin stars French contemporary ¥¥¥¥ Kawaramachi, Chuo
- Fujiya 1935 Two Michelin stars Innovative ¥¥¥¥ Yariyamachi, Chuo
- Koryu Two Michelin stars Japanese ¥¥¥¥ Uchiawajimachi, Chuo
- Teruya Two Michelin stars Japanese ¥¥¥¥ Ueshio, Chuo
- Sushi Harasho Two Michelin stars Sushi ¥¥¥ Uenomiya, Tennoji
Elsewhere in Japan
More reasons to come.
- Tokyo The capital, with Haneda airport close to the centre.
- Kyoto Some sixteen hundred temples, the bamboo of Arashiyama, and kaiseki dinners.
- Hakone Hot springs and ryokan, with views of Mount Fuji.
- Kanazawa A castle town, the Kenroku-en garden, and gold leaf.
- Niseko Deep snow from December to March, and an onsen after the slopes.
Flying to Osaka?
Choose how you arrive.
A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.