Explore the the history of Buddhism by visiting Shitennoji Temple, dive into the nostalgic vibe of Shinsekai district with its iconic Tsutenkaku Tower, discover unique items and sweets at local shops, and enjoy delicious food at the city's best restaurants.

Recommended arrival time at the first location: 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM

Quick summary of the day:

• Visit one of the oldest Temples in Japan

• Get on top of the highest building in Osaka with an outstanding view of the city

• Visit Shinsekai district that offers a nostalgic, retro atmosphere and crazy storefronts

• Recommended restaurants, cafes and local shops

• End your day with a relaxing hot spring spa

Shitennō-ji is a Buddhist temple founded in 593, which is deemed to be the oldest temple in all of Japan. It is also believed to be the first official Buddhist temple in the country and has served as an important center of education and culture ever since. The complex contains numerous buildings, including a five-story pagoda, a golden main hall, a lecture hall, gates, belfries, and other structures.

Notable features include:

• Turtle-shaped stonework from the 7th century found in the Kameido Hall📍

• Impressive art inside the lecture hall📍 (300 JPY fee has to be paid to enter the central area of the Temple over here📍)

• Nio guardian statues📍

• Huge stone torii gates📍 - as you may know, torii gate is an attribute of a Shinto Shrine but Shtitenno-ji is a Buddhist Temple. The temple was founded in 593 by Prince Shotoku Taishi, who was a devout Buddhist. However, at the time, Shinto and Buddhism were not separate religions in Japan. They were both part of a syncretic belief system called Shinbutsu-shu (wiki). As a result, Shitennoji Temple was built with both Shinto and Buddhist elements. The huge stone torii gates at the entrance to the temple are a reminder of its Shinto origins.

• Japanese garden📍 - nothing too special but it is a good spot during sakura or if you would like to escape crowds of tourists (300 JPY extra fee has to be paid to enter over here📍)

This shop is over 100 years old and sells a variety of traditional Japanese sweets and snacks, including the iconic bell-shaped Tsurigane Manju, bite-sized castella, and cookies. All their sweets are made with specially selected ingredients, and some local restaurants and shops even get their sweets from here.

Horikoshi Jinja is a small and very charming Shinto shrine worth visiting if you will be in the area.

Perfect spot to grab some delicious and fresh onigiri and enjoy it on the go or in the nearby park

Perfect spot to buy some delicious traditional Japanese sweets for yourself or as a souvenir for your friends and family.

My favorites are Hojicha (roasted green tea) pudding and Red bean Daifuku (their N1 most popular item)

Located just below Abeno Harukas (the tallest building in Osaka), it is a lush green space in a busy city which is perfect to chill for a bit.

One of my favorite shops in the area. I highly recommend to buy here the Warabi-mochi (box with a beautiful art that I am holding on one of the photos) or that delicious chestnut bar (brown yokan with the chestnut inside, shown on one of the photos). It is also a perfect place to buy some furikake (wiki) if you eat rice at home

Abeno Harukas is the tallest tower in Japan. From the top of which, you can experience a 360-degree view of the city. The 58th floor offers a chance to relax in its inner court with a wooden deck and cafe. This observation deck is definitely my favorite in Osaka, and I think it's the only one worth visiting.

Really small but extremely delicious restaurant with a variety of seafood teishoku (set meal). You will usually only see locals and nearby office workers, which is a very good sign of a delicious restaurant. There is no English menu, so definitely use Google Translate. Some of the dish names are handwritten and may not even be translated by Google Translate, so you can check Google Maps photos of food and show the waitress the photo of the dish you want to order.

It is pretty hard to find as it is located on the underground level of a huge complex so I included as many photos of its entrance as possible.

1. Enter the building here📍 after riding down the escalator

2. go straight a little bit after entering the building

3. the restaurant should be on the left

Nanyodori-shotengai is an alley that is full of small izakayas, street food shops and restaurants. Here you can sample crispy kushi-katsu skewers, other katsu-specialized dishes, udon, sushi and so on. Definitely worth a visit (even if you are not hungry at all).

You can enter this alley from the Northern side or from the Southern side

Kasuga Gorakujo is an all-in-one retro game center located in the Shinsekai district of Osaka. Opened over 60 years ago it features amusement machines from the Showa period (1926 - 1989) till the present day including some all-time classics that I could not stop playing (1 game costs 100 jpy and you can also play some games with a second player).

Shinsekai is a nostalgic retro area of Osaka, located around the iconic Tsutenkaku Tower. It's famous for its lively nightlife offerings and street food. Shinsekai is certainly a worthwhile experience when visiting Osaka, especially when it gets and all the signs light up!

This 103-meter-tall tower (built in 1912) is a symbol of Shinsekai, a district known for its retro atmosphere. The tower is decorated with a Chinese-style pagoda roof, and it is surrounded by old-fashioned buildings and shops.

There is an observation deck at the top of the tower which I highly DO NOT recommend to visit. The view is alright, and there are couple of more impressive observation decks in Osaka with a nicer view. But the main downside is that you will have to wait in a huge line to get down from the top in a smelly and poorly air-conditioned hall. Honestly it felt like a torture (and the one that I've paid for).

Every weekend the whole street comes to life and lots of shops open up (majority of them are usually closed during weekdays). It is open roughly from 10am to 4pm and offers a unique shopping adventure. Be sure to briefly check it out even during weekdays for its retro atmosphere.

Men-no-Kamino is an absolutely delicious ramen restaurant located near the Tsutenkaku Tower in Osaka. With a fantastic ramen (honestly one of my favorite in Osaka), atmosphere and welcoming staff, this is certainly worth visiting during your trip to Osaka.

I recommend getting either Shio ramen (thicker salt-based broth) or Shoyu one (for a lighter soy sauce-based broth) - both had a price of 1,100 jpy. And the extra portion of meat around the bowl makes it even more perfect!

One of the most delicious onigiri I have ever had. You can eat inside and get it as a take-out... I recommend doing both because it is SO good! My favorites are those with egg yolk and with bonito/umeboshi combo.

Osaka Spa World has a wide variety of baths to choose from, including something for everyone. It's a great way to relax after a busy day of exploring Osaka.

*They have two large zones, one for men and one for women. One zone has an Asian aesthetic, while the other has a European one. The zones are switched each month, so in some months, one zone is only open to women and the other zone is only open to men, and vice versa the next month. You can find out which zone is open to men or women this month on their official website.

*You will need two 100 yen coins to use the lockers inside (one for your shoes and another for the rest of your belongings). You can find an exchange machine where you swap your 500 yen coin or 1000 yen note to 100 yen coins.

1. You will find a ticket machine on the right as soon as you enter

2. Ticket machine will provide you with a bracelet that you need to attach to your wrist

3. Turn around and you will see a huge "ENTRANCE" sign with entry gates where you will need to scan the QR code from your freshly printed bracelet

4. Take of your shoes, leave it in a locker

5. Proceed to the floor depending on your gender (changed monthly). It is either 4th of 6th floor

6. Take all of your clothes in the changing room and leave it in the locker

7. Enjoy the spa and its hot springs

8. After you are done, head back down to the 1st floor where you will have do a check-out (pay any extra fees you might have accumulated using your bracelet inside the spa). The check-out procedure can be completed with the machine located to the left of the reception deck (1st floor)

*The fee is 1500 JPY for the hot spring spa zone. If you wish to use the pool the total will be 2000 JPY

*It is open for almost 24 hours (it is closed from 8:45 am till 10:00 am)