10 indoor activities for you to enjoy in Osaka
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When you go to visit a new city or town, it is a lot of fun to walk around outside and get to know the place. The problem is; you are not guaranteed to have nice weather when you go, and when that happens, it feels like you’re having bad luck.
That is why it is important to know what options you have in case the weather is not optimal for walking outside. And Osaka is no exception.
In this article, I will show you 10 of the best indoor activities in Osaka. Whether it is raining or it is too hot, you won’t have to worry about canceling these following activities because of the weather.
*Please note that this article contains affiliate links.
1. Kaiyukan Aquarium
Kaiyukan Aquarium (海遊館) is a large aquarium located in the Tempozan Harbor Village of Osaka’s bay area which is south-west from central Osaka.
The aquarium has 15 large exhibit tanks with a total volume of 10,941 tons of water. 346 tons of acrylic glass is what separates the viewers with aquatic life.
It is one of the most popular tourist attractions of the area alongside Universal Studios Japan and Osaka Castle.
You can get tickets online by clicking the following link!
<<Book online for Kaiyukan tickets!>>
 Access |
5-minute walk from Osakako Station (Osaka Metro Chuo Line) |
|---|---|
 Business Hours |
10am ~ 8pm / 9:30am ~ 8pm (July and August) |
 Price |
3~6 y.o.: 600 Yen / 7~15 y.o.: 1,200 Yen / Adult: 2,400 Yen / ~65 y.o.: 2,200 Yen |
 Official Website |
https://www.kaiyukan.com/language/eng/ |
2. NIFREL
NIFREL is an aquarium/zoo/art gallery venue located within Osaka Expo Park (万博記念公園).
This very unique facility combines the attractive elements of “live animals” and “art” to create “a place which evokes your inspiration”.
The facility is divided into 8 sections, each with a specific concept that is represented with the combination of art and aquatic life. These sections include; “Colors”, “Abilities”, “Wonder Moments”, and “Biodiversity” among others.
| Access |
2-minute walk from Bampakukinen-koen Station (Osaka Monorail) |
|---|---|
| Business Hours |
10am ~ 8pm |
| Price |
Adults (aged 16~): 2,000 Yen / Age 7~15: 1,000 Yen / Age 3~6: 600 Yen |
| Official Website |
https://www.nifrel.jp/en/ |
3. Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade
Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade (心斎橋筋商店街) is a long street full stretching from north to south in the Shinsaibashi area.
This street stretches from Shinsaibashi station all the way south to Dotonbori, which is about 600m. Here, you will find all kinds of stores and shops, restaurants, and cafes.
It is one of the most popular places to go shopping in Osaka and it has been so since about 300 years ago. It is oftentimes compared to Ginza in Tokyo.
| Access |
1-minute walk from Shinsaibashi Station (Osaka Metro) |
|---|---|
| Official Website |
https://www.shinsaibashi.or.jp/lang/en |
4. Konamon Museum
Dotonbori Konamon Museum (道頓堀コナモンミュージアム) is a food theme park located in Dotombori.
This theme park is specialized in “konamon” which is how you call the food with its main ingredient being flour such as “Takoyaki” (たこ焼き).
This building is 4 stories tall and here you can experience creating your own takoyaki as well as create a plastic sample for you to take home as a souvenir.
Here, you can also find the museum section where you can learn about the history of Konamon.
And of course, you can also find Takoyaki restaurants on the 1st floor.
| Access |
4-minute walk from Namba Station (Nankai Line) |
|---|---|
| Business Hours |
Weekdays: 11:30am ~ 10pm / Weekends: 10:30am ~ 10pm |
| Official Website |
https://www.shirohato.com/konamon-m/ |
5. Cupnoodles Museum Osaka Ikeda
The Cupnoodles Museum Osaka Ikeda (カップヌードルミュージアム大阪池田) located in Ikeda, Osaka, is one of the two museums in the country dedicated to instant ramen.
Here, you can check out the factory and see how the cupnoodles are manufactured as well as check out the museum where you can learn about the history of instant noodles.
There’s also a display of instant ramen from all around the world which is very interesting and will just stimulate your hunger.
You can also find original souvenirs that you will only find here.
| Access |
5-minute walk from Ikeda Station (Hankyu Takarazuka Line) |
|---|---|
| Business Hours |
9:30am ~ 4:30pm |
| Official Website |
https://www.cupnoodles-museum.jp/en/osaka_ikeda/ |
6. Osaka Museum of History
The Osaka Museum of History (大阪歴史博物館) is a museum funded by the city of Osaka that opened in 2001.
This museum was created to educate and pass on the knowledge of history and culture of Osaka.
Here, you will find well over 100,000 exhibits that will enrich your knowledge about the city and thus, provide a richer traveling experience.
The museum is located just at the side of Osaka Castle Park (大阪城公園), so why not visit this museum after visiting the Osaka Castle?
| Access |
2-minute walk from Tanimachi Yonchome Station (Osaka Metro) |
|---|---|
| Business Hours |
9:30am ~ 5pm |
 Closed |
Tuesdays |
| Price |
Adults: 600 Yen / Students (College & Highschool): 400 Yen |
| Official Website |
http://www.mus-his.city.osaka.jp/eng/ |
7. Cooking Class
Food is a very important part of the culture in Osaka. Signature Osaka foods such as Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki have become popular worldwide.
Did you know that you can take cooking classes in Osaka that will teach you how to make some of the traditional Japanese foods?
Learning how to prepare Japanese food not only is fun, but it is a way to immerse yourself into Japanese culture in ways that you wouldn’t be able to otherwise.
For more information about cooking classes in Osaka, check out the following link where we have selected the best cooking classes in Osaka!
▶10 Best Cooking Classes in Osaka
8. Tea Ceremony
Again, just like food is an important part of Japanese culture, Japanese tea is a critical part as well.
Japanese tea ceremonies are much more than just tasting tea. A Japanese tea ceremony has a lot of history and because of this, there are strict etiquettes revolving around the ceremony, to the point that it is an essential part of Japanese culture.
Knowing this, it may be a little intimidating to try to participate in one of these ceremonies, but there are tours that will allow you to experience a Japanese tea ceremony, no matter if you have zero knowledge about the subject.
You can check out and book online for a Japanese Tea Ceremony experience by clicking the following link!
<<Book online for Japanese Tea Ceremony in Osaka!>>
9. Animal Cafe
Who doesn’t love animals? Animal Cafes have become a popular thing in cities such as Tokyo and Osaka.
Dog Cafes, Cat Cafes, Hedgehog Cafes, and the list goes on.
These cafes provide a fun atmosphere where you can relax and see these beautiful animals as you enjoy your cup of coffee or tea.
Owl Cafe: https://www.owlfamily.co.jp/
Animal Cafe: https://animeal.jp/
Small Animal Cafe: http://smallanimal.rock-star.xyz/
10. Spa World
Spa World (スパワールド) is a large Onsen theme park composed of various services to both relax and have fun.
The facility includes; many Onsen baths with many different designs from all around the world, a sauna area for both regular sauna as well as stone-sauna of many different styles, many swimming pools with lots of fun slides and other attractions, a relaxation area where you can enjoy many different types of massages and spa, and much much more.
The facility also has a hotel, so if one day isn’t enough for you to relax, then this is the perfect place for you to stay.
| Access |
1-minute walking from Dobutsuen-mae Station (Osaka Metro) |
|---|---|
| Official Website |
https://www.spaworld.co.jp/english/ |
Want more ideas for things to do at Osaka? Check out the following articles!
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Written by
Born and raised in Costa Rica, I started living in Tokyo from college. I love traveling within Japan & around the world. Since I wasn’t born in Japan, I know the cultural impact that you can get when visiting Japan for the first time and what you might be worried about before your trip. And I’ve lived long enough to somewhat understand the nuances of the Japanese culture that make this country such an attractive place to visit. Hopefully I can provide to you both the information you’re looking for and the information you didn’t know you needed to know.
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