Sightseeing in Osaka - what to see. Complete travel guide

One of the largest cities in the country and a famous trading port and industrial center, Osaka is a city with rich history, wonderful climate and beautiful natural landscapes. Or course, the city has quickly gained popularity as a tourist center. This place will be certainly liked by those tourists who enjoy visiting memorial sites and interesting excursions as there are really many attractions in Osaka.

Start your observation of the city with a visit to Osaka Castle, which construction started yet in 1583 and lasted three years. The highest tower of the castle can be seen from all parts of the city as its height estimates 58m. The central street of the city is called Tyuodori and this is the location of numerous restaurants and cafes, as well as several shopping centers and shops that sell amazing souvenirs. The meeting of the dawn on the main observation platform of the city located on the roof of a skyscraper will become one of the most romantic entertainments. From the top of the 39th floor visitors will enjoy a beautiful view and the sunrise here looks totally fantastic.

Tempozan Village is the main entertainment center of the city. Here you can make a ride on the largest Ferris Wheel and try other attractions. One of the oldest shrines - a Buddhist temple named Shitennoji – can be founded on the southern part of the city. Every year the last week of April is a time of a big celebration in the temple. The celebration is accompanied by a beautiful ceremony, dance and musical performances. Among the museums of Osaka we should definitely mention Eastern Ceramics Museum, the Museum of Folk Crafts of Japan, and the Museum of Wine. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Particular attention should be given to restaurants. In addition to facilities that serve traditional Japanese dishes, you can visit an Indian restaurant Aja Kaja, eat French food in Blue de Blue or taste delicacies in the most popular restaurant Hong Kong Chanron.

Near the coast is the Osaka Maritime Museum occupying an original spherical building with a facade faced with mirror tiles. The museum opened in 2000 is located on the water - 15 meters away from the shore. The four-story museum features a wide variety of exhibits, from beautiful models of old ships to antique ship equipment. The modern museum has many interactive exhibits, as well as a modern cinema hall where themed movies are shown every day.

Don't ignore the National Museum of Arts that occupies a no less original building. It was designed and constructed especially for the 1970 International Exhibition. Seven years later, it was decided to open a museum within its walls. Today, the museum's collection includes more than 5,000 works of art, including unique paintings by Paul Cezanne, Pablo Picasso, and Vasily Kandinsky.

In the same year, the National Museum of Ethnology received its first visitors. The museum has always been one of the most important cultural centers of Osaka. Currently, it is one of the country's largest museums. Its walls present thousands of exhibits devoted to diverse spheres of life of the indigenous population. Here you can see a collection of ancient weapons, authentic national costumes, traditional musical instruments and household items. A large part of the museum's space is allocated for the storage of artisan crafts and works of art.

In Osaka, you can see many interesting monuments of modern architecture, and the Umeda Sky Building is a great example. This 173-meter skyscraper complex consists of two connected 40-story towers. Despite the fact that the Umeda is far from being the highest in Osaka, it has many other amazing features. The elevator of this skyscraper can lift visitors up to the 35th floor, and the last five floors can be only overcome by an escalator. This escalator is considered to be the highest in the world - the riding is often compared to a long flight. On the skyscraper's top floor is a popular observation deck, and on the ground floor is a unique historic restaurant.