Top 10 Free Things to do in Osaka

Wall of signboards at Ebisu Bridge on the Dōtonbori Canal, By Type specimen – Wikipedia

Top 10 Free Things to do in Osaka

Osaka is just as much of a modern city as Tokyo but the difference is it’s a bit cheaper, it’s more “relaxed,” and the people are also a little bit more different.  In this list, there are the 10 Best free things to do in Osaka Japan, and provide you with a free map of where to find them.

1. Go shopping in Shinsaibashi

Shinsaibashi is one of the best free things to do in Osaka for window shopping. This street is a huge shopping area with all kinds of stores and all kinds of promos. If you’re looking for clothes, skincare products, or take-home giveaways you will find them here.

2. Visit Shitennoji

Shitennoji is a Buddhist temple in a more suburban area of Osaka. While you are there, there will be no one around, but just the birds chirping. It is a very peaceful experience and one of my favorite free things to do in Osaka, especially during Spring.

3. Take a walk to Dotonbori

Wall of signboards at Ebisu Bridge on the Dōtonbori Canal, By Type specimen – Wikipedia

Dotonbori runs parallel to the Dotonbori-gawa canal. Of course, it’s completely free, and most importantly interesting, to walk around this area during the day or the night. Experience this vibrant place with tons of shops, restaurants, billboards, and crazy signs. Especially during the nighttime, the streets here come alive with all the lights and neon signs.

4. Visit Minoo Park

If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Osaka’s city center, visit Minoo Park where you can find a forested, quiet valley. It’s a great place if you’re looking for a bit of peace and need some fresh air.

Here you can do the easy hike for three kilometers alongside the Minoo River. It leads to the Minoo Waterfall that you can see in the photo above this text. The hike takes about 30-40 minutes (one-way) and the elevation is not steep at all. It’s just a (free) walk in the park.

5. Visit the Tomb of Emperor Nintoku

Osaka is known to be home to the third-largest tomb in the world after the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in China and the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. It’s called the Tomb of Emperor Nintoku and it’s almost 500 meters long and 300 meters wide. It was built about 1500 years ago.

Many of the emperors and important figures were buried here in these special tombs called ‘kofun’  but Emperor Nontoku’s was by far the largest. From above, the tomb looks shaped like a keyhole and it is effectively an island because of the large moat around it. The island is a large hill that is now covered in trees, although it would just have been grass back in the day. Admission to the Tomb of Emperor Nintoku is completely free.

6. Visit Osaka Castle

Osaka Castle in Chuo-ku, Osaka, Osaka prefecture, Japan, By 663highland –Wikipedia

One of the best free activities in Osaka is visiting the famous and beautiful Osaka Castle. It was built in the 14th century, this Asian castle has been rebuilt and restored to excellent condition. It is surrounded by a water moat and the Nishinomaru gardens, the castle is great because so many local families and tourists fill the parks on weekends for picnics and festival food, including takoyaki octopus balls popular in this region of Japan. The best time to visit is in April when the sakura cherry blossoms make the castle magical. In fall, the tree colors on the leaves are a dramatic contrast to the green-peaked roof and gold detail of the castle.

7. Walk around Kuromon Market

Kuromon Market is one of the most unique places in Osaka. It’s full of the most incredible stalls, varying from live fish to fancy fruits to dollar shop things, and even some artisan souvenir places. If you visit it during lunchtime, you’ll have an enormous array of food to choose from, but if you miss it, you’ll have missed most of the little restaurants, with the best food. That’s the place where you will be served with real wasabi root, like some incredible Ichigo daifuku which is the Japanese rice dough with a strawberry in the middle), and the cheapest, yet best Japanese fried chicken (kara-age) and takoyaki (little round dough balls with a little piece of octopus). 

8. Visit Sumiyoshi Taisha

Sumiyoshi Taisha Grand Shrine, By Saigon Jiro – Wikipedia

Sumiyoshi Taisha is one of the more “hidden gems” of Osaka. It’s often left off of many Osaka itineraries, but it’s worth a visit. Probably the favorite part of Sumiyoshi Taisha is the big red bridge that leads to the main shrine grounds. It crosses over a decent-sized pond surrounded by beautiful gardens. Once inside, you can appreciate the buildings of the main shrine grounds. It’s one of Japan’s oldest shrines and one of three shrines that are purely Japanese architecture.

9. Take a walk to Nakanoshima Island

Strolling around Nakanoshima island is my favorite way to experience it. Located in the Kita-Ku area, it is surprisingly quiet and peaceful in comparison to the maddening color explosion of Dotonbori. After dark, with salarymen and women gone, the island gets divided between exercise buffs and romantic couples. There is also a bonus. If you like dogs, that’s where you find a few ears to scratch.

10. Visit the Instant Ramen Museum in Ikeda

Momofuku Ando Instant Ramen Museum, By chee Hong – Wikipedia

Japan is the birthplace of instant noodles. It was here, near Osaka, in 1958 that the world’s first instant noodle was made by Momofuku Ando. He went on to invent the cup or pot noodle in 1971. How can you, knowing that, resist a museum dedicated to the humble noodle? The museum is free to visit and here you’ll learn about the history of instant noodles, plus check out the variety of flavors and packaging throughout the years and the world as you walk through the noodle time tunnel.