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Umeda Sky Building (1-2 hrs)
The Umeda Sky Building is a spectacular high-rise building near Osaka and Umeda Stations. The 173 meter tall building consists of two main towers, which are connected to each other by the Floating Garden on the 39th floor.
You can go all the way to the top and the observatory offers a great view of the city for a 700 Yen admission fee. You can view the city from inside or go really all the way up, feel the fresh air and enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view. If it's a clear day you can even see surrounding mountains like mount Kongo or mount Katsuragi.
The Sky Building is open 365 days per year from 10 am to 10.30 pm. It’s great to see the sunset here as well. At night you can have a dinner while you have a great view as well. At the top floor are two restaurants: Sky Lounge Stardust and Chinese restaurant Sanguh.
From Osaka station you can walk to the building. Walk to Yodobashi shopping centre first and take the underpass to Shin Umeda City. You can take a hotel bus as well from Osaka station. Take a bus to the Westin Hotel. It’s free and the hotel is next to the building. The address is 1-1-88, Oyodonaka, Kita-ku, Osaka.
Osaka Castle (1-2 hrs)
One of the most important national cultural properties in Osaka is Osaka Castle. It played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century. It is a beautiful piece of history in the middle of u huge modern city, and it’s a great place to visit.
The Castle Museum is open from 9 am to 5 pm and the entrance fee is 600 Yen. There are eight floors with exhibitions, unfortunately most of it is only in Japanese. Nevertheless it’s nice to go all the way up for the great views from the top floor. Even if you don’t enter the castle, the beautiful surrounding gardens make it a tranquil and peaceful place in the city.
The address is 1-1 Osakajo, Chuoko, Osaka. The easiest way to go there is with by metro. Take JR loop line to Osakajokoen station.
Universal Studios (1-3 days)
Universal Studios Japan is located in the Konohana waterfront district in Osaka and it’s a wonderful entertainment park.
There are a lot of show and ride attractions, which makes the park a great outing for the whole family. You can enjoy Jurassic Park, Jaws, Back to the Future, Shrek, Snoopy, Spiderman, the Terminator and much more attractions in the park.
The opening hours of the park vary during the year. At their website you can see the schedule and more information. A normal 1-day ticket costs 6200 Yen. You can buy tickets at the entrance gate, or in advance at their website.
From downtown Osaka you can go there by JR Yumesaki Line, station Universal City.
Aquarium Kaiyukan (2 hrs)
Kaiyukan Aquarium is one of the largest aquariums in the world. The Japanese word ‘Kaiyukan’ literally means: ‘playing in the sea pavilion’.
In this aquarium, visitors can enjoy creatures as if they are playing together in the sea. In Kaiyukan you can see the wonderful marine life including a whale shark, dolphins, king penguins, sea otters, sea lions, thousands of fish and much more creatures of the oceans. If you love the underwater world, this is an absolute must see.
Next to the aquarium you can also enjoy the big wheel and the Tempozan Market Place. The aquarium is located at 1-1-10 Kaigan-dori, Minato-ku, Osaka. Best way to go there is by Chou subway line to Osakako station. It will take you about 30 minutes to get there from downtown Osaka. The opening hours are from 10 am to 8 pm. A normal ticket costs 2000 Yen.
Kyoto and the Golden Temple (1-2 days)
Kyoto is the former capital of Japan and it’s definitely worth a visit. In this city you can still feel the history of Japan. You can see real Japanese traditions and when you are in Kyoto you have to see the famous Maiko dancers, wearing kimonos.
One of the most important landmarks of Kyoto is the golden temple Kinkaku-ji (also known as Rokuon-ji). Most people think this building looks much better then Osaka Castle in Osaka. But there’s much more in this city. There are 16 more sites in Kyoto listed on Unesco’s world heritage list. At Unesco’s site you can find more information. This website gives you a lot more information about Kyoto and where to go and where to stay in the city.
From Osaka you can travel to Kyoto in approximately by JR Shinkaisoku (special rapid train), which takes 29 minutes and costs 540 Yen. In Osaka, the train stops at both Shin-Osaka and Osaka stations. When you are in Kyoto, you can buy a Kyoto Sightseeing Card A one-day pass costs 1200 Yen and can be used for unlimited travel on the subway and city buses as well as a part of the Kyoto bus route.
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Language of the world
Of course you like to speak a few words of the local language onboard the plane or at your destination. Here you find some simple basics of the main language spoken in Osaka.