Flight Destinations
Flights to Osaka
Destinations in Japan
Osaka is Japan’s third largest city and it’s located on the main island, Honshu, in the Kansai region. This huge city features countless tourist attractions including historical and cultural, as well as theme parks like Universal Studios Japan.
Flights to Osaka
There are two airports in Osaka, the Kansai International Airport (airport code: KIX) and the Itami Airport (code: ITM). The Itami Airport is for domestic flights to Osaka only, and all international traffic comes through Kansai. The airport is 25 miles (40km) south of Osaka, and connected to the city by 2 rail lines. You can also take the train to Kyoto. There are a large number of flights to Osaka from London, all with 1 connection. British Airways stops in Hong Kong, Virgin Atlantic connects in Shanghai, and KLM makes its one stop in Amsterdam.
Osaka Tourist Attractions
There’s so much to see and do in Osaka that you could easily spend a week here without getting bored. The city is popular because it provides such a great mix of attractions. There are historical and architectural gems, and important cultural monuments, but there’s also the modern side to the city too where there are theme parks, shopping, nightlife, dining, hotels, and lots of high tech buildings that many people expect to see in today’s Japanese cities.
Historical Sites in Osaka
Starting with the historical sites, there are some appealing attractions in Osaka. Osaka Castle is one of them and it’s one of the most famous castles in Japan. Osaka Castle is quite compact and is set in an elevated position, giving visitors some spectacular Osaka city views. It’s surrounded by a moat and the gardens extend to about 15 acres and include 13 historically significant buildings such as the Toyokuni Shrine.
Osaka Castle is open to the public and the grounds in particular are very popular during the spring when the beautiful cherry blossoms are in bloom.
As well as the castle several other historical landmarks include the Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine. It’s one of the oldest Sumiyoshi shrines in Japan as it was founded in the year 211. The Sanko Shrine is another beautiful shrine, and it was founded in the 5th century.
Amusement Parks in Osaka
From the historical to the modern, some of Osaka’s most popular attractions are its theme parks, the best known of which is Universal Studios Japan. It’s based on the theme park in Orlando, Florida and has many of the same rides.
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is another popular attraction. It features the world’s second largest aquarium tank and has 35,000 water creatures. The aquarium is located in Osaka Bay, while the city also has a zoo, Tennoji Zoo, situated within Tennoji Park.
Museums in Osaka
Osaka also has a good many museums if you’re interested in finding out more about the history of the city. The Osaka Museum of History is a good place to start, while the Open Air Museum of Old Farmhouses provides a different aspect to the city’s history.
When Should You Visit Osaka?
Summer is a popular time to visit Osaka but only if you don’t mind high humidity and fairly high temperatures. July is the hottest month with an average high of 33C (92F), but it, along with the months of March to September are the wetter months of the year. Spring is nice as you get to see the beautiful blossoms and temperatures are warm, while winters are mild.