Things to do in Osaka (Winter)
Osaka is the Japan’s second largest metropolitan area after Tokyo. Yep, another sleepless city. Come to the city, it is more about food, drink and shopping! Here is what we did during the short 2 days in Osaka!
Read on the full itinerary: Japan Trip 2016: 5D4N Winter in Kyoto & Osaka
READ also my adventure during AUTUMN
Feel free to check out the things to do in KYOTO and ARASHIYAMA too.
1. Run with the Glico man
And must take photo with him. Both day and night have got different views in this happening and vibrant city.
Day and Night have got different view
2. Concentrate and slurp up your ramen in the cubicle
People from all over the world came for the legendary bowl of tonkotsu ramen.
Founded in Hakata, Fukuoka; this is the bowl of ramen filled with thin and firm noodles in a bowl of tonkotsu soup, and topped with Ichiran’s original red pepper sauce mixed with 3 types of spices. Silky smooth springy noodles with milky rich pork broth. The perfect tummy warmer on the chilling night.
Ichiran Dotonbori Branch
Address: 7-18 Soemoncho, Chuo-ku
1F, Osaka 542-0084
Tel: +81 6-6212-1805
3. Shop till you drop in Don Quijote
Don Quijote ドン・キホーテor also known as Donki is the huge discount chain store that has EVERYTHING under one roof, at a great deal. Yes, everything which include food, snack, alcohol, cosmetic, skin care, souvenirs, electronic goods, travel goods and etc… good thing, they open 24 hours. So you can shop at midnight or when you can’t sleep!
Remember to queue for tax refund after you have done your shopping in this Don Quijote
Don Quijote
542-0084 7-13 Soemon-cho, Chuo-ku Osaka-shi,
Osaka 542-0084
Tel: 06-4708-1411
Opens daily
Getting there:
About 5-min walk from Exit 14 of (subway) Namba station
4. Buy some new utensils for your dining room and kitchen
Yes! Here you go at Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street, a street filled with vendors selling cooking utensils and kitchen ware. There is so much to see so much to buy here. Those ceramic plate and bowls are cheap and pretty. Food models that mimic the real food are available here too!
Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shopping Street
542-0075 Area around Nambasennichimae,
Chuo-ku, Osaka
Website: http://www.doguyasuji.or.jp/
Getting there:
about 3 minutes’ walk from Namba Station on Nankai Line, Subway Midosuji Line, Yotsubashi Line. About 5 minutes’ walk from Nippombashi Station on Subway Sennichimae Line, Kintetsu Line
5. Trying some luck at the UFO catcher
Check out Papa C trying his luck on the gudetama machine for his Mini C
6. Savour the top grade melt-in-mouth beef
Oh-lalalalala, thanks to Kampungboycitygal again for taking us to this amazing dining place for the superb and top-grade beef. This place is specialized in Matsusaka beef that is famous for the high fat to meat ratio. The cows are fed beer to create a healthy appetite and given body massage with a mixture of shochu. We had the ‘Special Course’ set which is priced at ¥5800 yen per pax; came with four different cuts of beef, soup, salad, sushi, appetisers and a dessert. Check out the beautiful marbling of the beef slices, so pretty in pinkish hues. Of course, it was very delicious with the melt in mouth texture especially the highest grade one that melted just like butter on the palate.
Yakiniku M Dotonbori
2F, Inaka kaikan Bldg.
7-17 Soemoncho, Chuo-ku,
Osaka-city, 542-0084
Tel: +81-6-6214-5145
Opens daily from 12pm to 3pm and 5pm to 12midnight.
Website: http://www.matsusaka-projects.com/english/place.php#pl_dotonbori
7. Feast like a King in Kuromon Ichiba
Also known as “Osaka’s Kitchen”, it is a 580 meter-long lively market for fish, fruit, vegetables and other foods opened since the mid-Taisho Period (1912–1926).
Say yes for Chirashi Don, Oden, Scallop, strawberries… all on the table please!!!
Getting there:
About 2 minutes’ walk from the subway Nippombashi Station
8. Visit the famous Osaka Castle (Osakajo)
Standing elegantly in white and green with a touch of humble gold.
and enjoy the soft serve at the chilling weather
Getting there:
Closest station: Tanimachi 4-chrome Station along the Tanimachi Subway Line and Chuo Subway Line
Closest JR station: Osakajokoen Station on JR Loop Line, about 10 minutes ride from JR Osaka Station
9. Must try Osaka style Okonomiyaki
We had the Osaka style okonomiyaki in Mizuno, a famous family owned okonomiyaki place that has a long queue outside the restaurant no matter what time it is. The staff will take your order at the queue before you are seated, and no additional order is allowed inside the restaurant due to the long queue. We tried 3 of them which are the Mizuno’s best sellers.
The traditional Osaka-style okonomiyaki includes shredded cabbage, pork belly, and seafood. It is then topped with bonito flakes, okonomiyaki sauce (a brown, tangy sauce), mayonnaise, and scallions.
Mizuno Okonomiyaki
1-4-15, Dotonbori, Chuo-ku,
Osaka-shi, Osaka, 542-0071
Tel: 06-6212-6360
opens daily from 11am to10pm
Getting Here:
5 minutes’ walk from Namba Station on Subway Midosuji Line
5 minutes’ walk from Nippombashi Station on Subway Sakaisuji Line
10 minute’s walk from Namba Station on Nankai Main Line on Namba Station.
10. Continue to eat the Takoyaki, Daruma Kushikatsu and Kinryu Ramen
All these are located along around Namba Area. Must spare some tummy space to try them out/
11. Sit in PABLO café and eat their cheese tart
Not many but only 2 ‘dine-in’ PABLO cafes in the whole Japan. How can we miss out the chance to sit in and enjoy the wobbly cheese tart?! Baked cheese tart, with buttery flaky pastry layer encasing the cheese filling. We had the matcha and original flavour and I even dabao-ed one large cheese tart back to KL.
PABLO Dotonbori Shop
Address: 542−0085 Osaka-shi, Chuo-ku,
Shinsaibashi-suji 2-3-15
Tel: 06-6211-0826
Opening hours: 11am to 10pm
Damages for the trip
Hi AiWei,
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful and informative blog. Me and my H are going to OSAKA – KYOTO in mid Feb this year. What worry me most is the weather. lol.
Which month you went for the trip?
Hello Melanie,
i went in end of January last year. i find kyoto is colder than osaka. osaka’s weather was bearable.
wear thicker and layer with long john/ warmer heattech inside. i think it should do fine 🙂
Hi would like to check if during your trip you were able to experience snow at Osaka? Me and my friends are planning on going to Osaka-Tokyo by end of January this year 2019 until first week of February but hoping to experience snow at least at Osaka as it rarely snows in Tokyo. Hope to hear from you soon.
Hello Sherille,
I did not get to experience snow in Osaka during my last visit. So did Kyoto too during my visit.
But you may try on Kyoto as it has bigger possibility over there! 🙂