Enjoy with Children! Recommended Day Trip from Osaka Station

9:30 am: Osaka Station

The trip starts in Umeda, which is in central Osaka. It is close to Shin-Osaka Station on the shinkansen (bullet train), so it is perfect as a base for sightseeing. There are many lines that run through it, including subways, Hankyu Railway, and Hanshin Railway, but it is fastest to take the JR to the first destination - Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan.

Transportation Route

Take the JR Osaka Loop Line and change to the Chuo subway line at Bentencho Station. Get off at Osakako Station and walk five minutes. Total travel time is about 25 minutes.

10:00 am: Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan (approx. 120 minutes)

This is one of the world\'s largest aquariums. When you enter, you will be welcomed by colorful marine fish in a tunnel-shaped tank. There is also a Japan Forest with marine life from around Japan, a giant tank in which huge whale sharks swim gracefully, and 14 tanks that recreate oceans of the world, including the vast Pacific Ocean.

Admission fee: 2,300 JPY/adult, 1,200 JPY/child (both incl. tax)

Transportation Route

Take the Chuo Line on the subway to Hommachi Station, and change to the Midosuji Line. Get off at Namba Station and walk nine minutes.
Alternately, take the Chuo Line to Awaza Station and change to the Sennichimae Line. Get off at Namba Station and walk nine minutes.
(Travel time is approx. 30 minutes in both cases.)

12:30 pm: NAMBA PARKS (approx. 150 minutes)

NAMBA PARKS is a nine-story multiplex with more than 200 shops that sell everything from clothing, to household goods and cosmetics. It is a great place to shop, with many stores offering tax-free shopping for foreign visitors. There is also an indoor park called Kodomonia (600 JPY and up for children and 300 JPY for adults) on the fifth floor, with a variety of activities and facilities appropriate for children between six months and eight years of age, so it is highly recommended for visitors with children.
Enjoy a meal in-between shopping at the Namba Parks branch of Nikudokoro Kura, where you can enjoy lunch items made with domestic Japanese Black wagyu beef, such as yakiniku (grilled meat) and Japanese-style hamburger steak. There is also a variety of other restaurants, from those serving Japanese-style cuisine to cafes, which are appropriate for lunch with children.

Transportation Route

Walk approximately 14 minutes from Namba Parks to Tazaemon-bashi bridge Pier for the Tombori River Cruise.

3:30 pm: Tombori River Cruise (approx. 20 minutes)

An activity you don\'t want to miss in the popular tourist district of Dotonbori is the Tombori River Cruise. It is a short boat ride of about 20 minutes on which you can see the city from the river. The Tazaemon-bashi bridge Pier, from which you can catch the ride, is in front of the Dotonbori branch of Don Quijote, with a distinct yellow elliptical Ferris wheel. The cruise runs on the hour and at 30 minutes past the hour.

Price: 900 JPY/adult, 400 JPY/child

Transportation Route

Approxmately two minutes on foot from Tazaemon-bashi bridge Pier to Ebisu Bridge in Dotonbori.

4:00 pm: Dotonbori (approx. 150 minutes)

Take a walk around the Dotonbori area once you\'ve seen it from the river. There are many unique signs and objects around Ebisu Bridge, which is a symbolic spot in the area. The Dotonbori Glico Sign with a man with his arms spread out, and the huge crab at the crab restaurant, Kani Douraku, are popular spots for photographs.
Enjoy dinner at Zuboraya Dotonbori Branch, which has a large pufferfish lantern. It is an established restaurant for pufferfish dishes – one of Osaka’s specialties. You can enjoy sashimi, sushi, and hot pot dishes made with wild, domestic Torafugu pufferfish.
*Average budget is 5,000 JPY. There are menus, dishes, utensils, and chairs for children, as well as English menus. There are also staff members who can speak English.

If you\'re traveling with your family, you want to make sure to go places that everyone can enjoy, right? The route introduced this time is sure to make everyone happy, so keep it in mind!