Travel Tips

Where to go

Of course there are many places to visit in Osaka, but you can also get access to other prefectures easily such as Kyoto, Nara, Kobe and Wakayama, since J-Hoppers Osaka is located near the huge terminal station Osaka.

In Osaka

Out of Osaka

Transportation

Osaka Municipal Subway Lines

There are 7 subway lines and 1 New Tram line. You can figure out which line you should take by checking each unique color. Each station is allocated a reference number. For example, Umeda station on Midosuji is M16. See their subway map (PDF file)
One day ticket is available at 850yen. For more detail, please refer to see this link.

JR Loop Line (Osaka)

True to its name, the JR Osaka Loop Line (Kanjo-sen) runs in a loop around Osaka. It's not quite as convenient or heavily-used as Tokyo's Yamanote Line, but it stops in major station Osaka, Kyobashi, Tsuruhashi and Tennoji, and by Osaka Castle. Namba and Universal Studios Japan are connected to the Loop Line by short spurs.

Private railways

Many private railway lines stretch all over Kansai region. Major railways are Hankyu(Kyoto-Osaka-Kobe), Hanshin(Osaka-Kobe), Keihan(Osaka-Kyoto-Shiga), Nankai(Osaka-Wakayama) and Kintetsu(Osaka-Nara-Mie-Kyoto).

Surutto KANSAI

This ticket enables you to ride on subways, private railways and buses throughout the Kansai district. As well as enabling you to tour Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto, it lets you visit Nara, Wakayama and Koyasan. Purchasing the economical KANSAI THRU PASS that comes in two types; 2-day and 3-day, will let you enjoy a more value-for-money holiday.
Please refer to this page for more detail.

Multiple Ride Card (Osaka)

The Multiple Ride Card is a prepaid discount card which is valid for transportation on the subway, New Tram, and city buses. No term of validity is set. Price: 3,000yen (good for 3,300yen worth of travel) for adults
Please refer to this page for more detail.

The City Loop Bus (Kobe)

One-way ticket: \250. One-day ticket: \650. The City Loop Bus circulates around many of Kobe’s sightseeing areas, such as the Foreigner houses, Harborland, Motomachi and the main stations of Kobe, Sannomiya, and Shin-Kobe. You can get on or get off as many times as you like if you buy the one-day ticket. You can also buy it on the bus. Service is offered every 18 - 20min., from 9:20 ? evening (1 round: 70min.)

Airport Limousine Bus

There are a lot of bus stops for limousine bus. You can check the bus stop and time table on this website.

Guided Tours

Osaka Sightseeing Bus“Rainbow”

There are 4 kinds of tours.
1.Sightseeing and Gourmet (8,500yen)
2.Osaka’s Essence Tour (10,320yen)
3.Strolling around the OSAKA Minami (South) area (3,450yen)
4.“Naniwa” Trip (3,630yen)
For more detail, please refer to this site.

Interpreting service for foreign tourists

1.OSAKA SYSTEMATIZED GOOD-WILL GUIDES CLUB
Service Area---Kansai
Language---The main language spoken by OSGGers is English, and several can speak German, French, Spanish, Chinese and other languages.
Services offered :
(1) Provide sightseeing/tour information and brochures about Osaka and Kansai area (Kyoto and Nara included) as well as other part of Japan where possible.
(2) Show you where to go around Namba and Dotombori district.
(3) Guide you to your destination within 30 minutes distance.
(4) Accept reservation for a free guide to Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Kobe, provided that visitor's needs meet the regulations and rules of OSGG Club and Japan National Tourist Organization.
Service Charge---Free
Website---http://www18.ocn.ne.jp/~osakasgg/200-english/210-english.htm

2.Kove Voluntary Goodwill Guides (K.V.G.G)
Service Area---Kansai (Kyoto, Nara, Shiga, Hyogo, Wakayama, Mie, where day-return is possible)
Language---English
Guide Charge---Free
Travel Expenses---Actual expenses incurred (Consultation required)
Other charges---Cost of meals, Admission fees to facilities (museums, etc.)
How to apply :Applications should be made with the representative
(078-821-5456, Ms. Imura), 2 ~ 5 days in advance

3. Kobe Systemized Goodwill Guides Club (Kobe SGG Club)
Service Area---Keihanshin Area (Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe)
Language---English, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Korean, Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese
Kinds of service---Interpreting, Translation, Tour guide
Guide Charge---Free
Travel Expenses---Actual expenses incurred (Consultation required)
Other charges---Cost of meals, Admission fees to facilities (museums, etc.)
How to apply---Prescribed forms (available on request) should be filled in and posted to the representative (078-785-2898, Ms. Hiraki).

4.Kobe Student Guide
Service area---Kobe, Osaka, Himeji
Language---English
Kinds of service---Tour guide
Guide Charge---Free
Travel Expenses---Actual expenses incurred (Consultation required)
Other charges---Cost of meals, Admission fees to facilities (museums, etc.)
How to apply---Reservations required (up to one day before)
E-mail---ksg-ml@ml-b8.infoseek.co.jp
Website---http://www.geocities.co.jp/CollegeLife/3136/

Japan Guide Association

This association is a link between you and certified Japanese guide. Please refer to their website to find the guide matching your language and interest!

Tourist Information Center

There are Sightseeing Information Center at ShinOsaka, Umeda, Namba, Universal city and Tennoji in Osaka. Please refer to this site for more detail business hours.

There are Sightseeing Information Center at Shinkobe, Sannomiya, Kitano and Arima in Kobe. Please refer to this site for more detail business hours.

Culture

Bunraku

http://www2.ntj.jac.go.jp/unesco/bunraku/en/
The modern name for the traditional puppet drama of Japan which developed in the Kansai region, particularly Osaka, in the seventeenth century. It derives from the name of Uemura Bunraku-ken who opened a theatre, the Bunraku-za, in Osaka in 1872.
Bunraku Theater in Osaka : Nipponbashi on Sakaisuji Line or Sennichimae Line (Subway)

Rakugo & Manzai

Osaka people love a hearty laugh. That's why in more recent times the Osaka-Kyoto area's unique style of entertainment, called kamigata, diverged into rakugo and manzai, two types of comedy, both born in Osaka. Rakugo is a type of stylized comic monologue delivered by a single storyteller seated on the floor in front of a tiny desk. Manzai, on the other hand, is a vaudeville-like stand-up comedy routine put on by a pair of comedians. They are interesting, uplifting and funny. Rakugo, manzai and other comedic skits are performed on a daily basis at the Namba Grand Kagetsu Theater.
Namba Grand Kagetsu Theater : Namba on Midosuji Line or Sennichimae Line (Subway)
Umeda Kagetsu Theater : Higashi Umeda on Tanimachi Line (Subway)

Sports

Hanshin Tigers

Professional Baseball team belong to Central League. They have the most authentic fan of all teams. Home stadium is called Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya city ( in between Kobe and Osaka).

Sumo - Osaka Basho

National sports in Japan, Sumo is a competitive contact sport where two wrestlers called rikishi face off in a circular area. The sport is popular in Japan and is surrounded by ceremony and ritual. Osaka is one of the stops of the annual sumo championship.

Food

Okonomiyaki

A cross between a pancake, pizza, and omelet. The basic ingredients are flour, yam, egg, cabbage, spring onion. Most okonomiyaki restaurants have pork okonomiyaki and squid okonomiyaki. Some restaurants have other options for the topping like shrimp, beef, cheese, rice cake, etc…

Takoyaki

Bits of octopus inside fried dumplings. Takoyaki is best eaten from street vendors' carts, which can be found all over the major districts around nightfall. As you compare the surface with Okonomiyaki, The taste of source is similar to Okonomiyaki.

Kobe Beef

It's one of the most executive beef in Japan. Kobe beef can be prepared as steak, sukiyaki, shabu shabu, sashimi, teppanyaki, and more.