1 Full Day Exploring Osaka Castle And Umeda Sunset

Come with me on an adventure day to visit some of the most iconic views of Osaka in one day, from Osaka Castle to Umeda Sky Tower. I show you some of the must-see Osaka spots in both areas in one day. Plus, we’re trying a few more delicious food options along the way, from some of the best curry I’ve ever had to the prettiest crochet cakes! If you’re planning your next Japan trip, you have to check out my Osaka itinerary!

5 Days of Foodie Exploration in Osaka

Osaka is known as Japan’s Kitchen, and we’re here to try as many things as we can in Osaka over 5 days. From a full Takoyaki Ranking in Dotonbori, to a dessert cafe tour in Osaka, we’ve had an amazing time taste testing our way through Osaka. We’ve had a life changing sushi omakase experience, and tried some uniquely Osaka restaurants as well!

Today, we started with a morning run around Osaka Castle park before visiting the castle museum. Then, get lost with me in the maze of Umeda Shopping Center and end up at Umeda Sky Building’s floating garden observatory for the sunset! Of course, we are grabbing some delicious Osaka specialties along the way!

Osaka Castle Park

For our early morning run, we looped around Osaka Castle Park, the former castle grounds of Osaka Castle. Along the way, you can still see the preserved stone walls, moats, and gates that once protected the fortress.

Today, it’s one of Osaka’s most iconic landmarks, known for its beautiful groves of cherry and plum trees. It’s actually one of the top spots in Osaka to see cherry blossom blooming. We actually missed the peak season by 10 days. But honestly, it was still so beautiful and breathtaking.

I can’t believe this is our morning run. It’s such a great place to walk around, soak in the beautiful weather, and just enjoy a slower side of the city. I highly, highly recommend coming early in the morning before it does get too busy, though. We actually ended up jogging from my hotel a few more times during the trip in the morning. Every single time, it took my breath away. Taking these runs are the best way to see the whole park at once, and find some spots we want to explore later.

Osaka Castle

We’re back at Osaka Castle Park, this time to see inside of the actual castle. Besides cherry blossoms and massive moats, Osaka Castle is another part of the park you have to visit in Osaka. Originally built in 1583 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, one of the most important figures in Japanese history, this castle became a symbol of his dream to unify Japan.

Over the centuries, the castle was damaged and rebuilt multiple times. The castle tower you see today was reconstructed in 1931 and now houses a museum dedicated to the castle’s history and Hideyoshi’s life. At the very top, there’s an observation deck that over looks Osaka Castle Park, its surrounding moats, and the city below. Most people will take the elevator all the way up to the 8th floor, and slowly walk down as they view the exhibits. The ticket lines for the castle can get pretty long. But, you can skip it by booking tickets online first to save 30 minutes of wait time.

Kusaka Curry: Best Curry Ever?

If there’s one place that you have to add to your Osaka itinerary, it is this hole-in-the-wall Japanese curry restaurant that literally blew our minds called Kusaka Curry. They have a simple menu of just 6 different plates of curry, with extra available add-ons. Everything was made right in front of us, and just watching it all happen made me so hungry. We each got a different plate to try: Fried Egg Pork Cutlet Eggplant Curry (2050 yen, $12), Hamburger Steak Curry (1650 yen, $10), fried eggplant curry (1650 yen, $10.41)

Their curry is made with Japanese beef and a special house-made spice blend. The sauce is thick, glossy, and coats every grade of rice. It was a perfect balance of rich, savory, smoky, and slightly sweet. I’ve had plenty of curry, but this one is just different. It’s super comforting at the first bite, but the more you eat, the more different layers of spices come to life. And, even with the layers of beef, spices, and richness, it’s not too heavy at all.

My favorite was definitely their deep fried eggplant. If you know me, you know I don’t even like eggplant at all! But, it was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and made perfectly to soak up all that delicious curry sauce. This curry was so good, we all finished everything on this plate. It was 10 out of 10. Highly, highly recommend. Make sure to make a reservation when you visit, because this place is really small and does fill up super fast.

Masahiko Ozumi Paris: Crochet Cakes

Masahiko Ozumi Paris was a dessert spot that’s been on our Osaka bucket list. This place is known for their super detailed crochet cakes that looks like little bags, pillows, and accessories. I’ve been dying to try these super cute crochet pastries for years! As you walk in, you can see rows and rows of them all on display. They’re even more beautiful in person, almost too pretty to eat.

Here, they combine French pastry techniques with Japanese-inspired flavors. We ordered their classic Mont Blanc Noir Chocolate Mousse Cake shaped like a pillow, and their Chou Chou Earl Grey Mousse Cake (930 Yen each, $5.87 USD) shaped like a pair of fuzzy boots. The crochet patterns are made with piped cream, mousse, or chestnut paste. So, it wasn’t hard like fondant at all. The texture is very soft, delicate, and actually really, really delicious.

I definitely had my suspicions, because we’ve all had those really beautiful cakes that only LOOKS amazing. This place actually lived up to the hype! There’s no seating for eating around the shop, but there’s a park 10 minutes away where you can sit and enjoy your cakes. Would I travel all the way here next time just to eat another cake? Probably not. Is it worth trying if you’re already in Osaka? 100% yes.

Sot Coffee Roaster

Since we just had a long walk and some desserts, we wanted to sit somewhere to rest our feet. After 30 years, I finally understand the hype of cafe hopping. But, I have three criteria for a cafe worth visiting: quality beans, tasty food menu that pairs well, and an overall cozy atmosphere where you can relax and chat. Sot Cafe checked all three boxes for me.

This Nordic-style coffee shop roasts their own single-origin beans, focusing on light roasts that preserve acidity and fruity flavors. We ordered a round of all their must-try’s, and loved loved loved their freshly roasted coffee. The Iced Americano (800 yen) and Cappuccino (750 yen) were not bitter at all. They were super smooth, balanced, and really easy to drink. We also ordered their Choco Nut Latte, which was just like a dessert with a rim of chocolatey crushed nuts.

Another must have is their basque cheesecake (800 yen), which they’re well known for. The creaminess of the cheesecake matches super well with their slightly acidic coffee. Sot Coffee Roaster is a great place for tasty coffee, yummy desserts, and a relaxed environment to rest. It’s only around a 10-minute walk from Osaka Castle, so it’s the perfect place to relax before heading off to explore the super busy Umeda district. 

Umeda Shopping District

Next, we headed over to Umeda Shopping District for a souvenir search. The Umeda Shopping District isn’t actually a singular mall or shopping center. It’s actually multiple department stores surrounding the Umeda Train Station, connected by underground shopping streets and food courts. This area is so confusing, you literally can get lost right away.

Check out my full pharmacy shopping haul in Osaka here!

Umeda Sky Building Sunset

After an afternoon of shopping, we headed to another must visit Osaka spot, the Umeda Sky Building, to see the sunset. Umeda Sky Building is actually made up of two towers connected at the very top by a floating garden observatory. Once you’re all the way up there, you get this beautiful 360°ree view of Osaka from 173 m above the city.

The views were absolutely breathtaking. Literally every single angle was so beautiful. We did a full loop around the observatory, and it was so beautiful in every single direction, not just the sunset. I know some people say this place is a tourist trap, but honestly, I thought this place is very, very, very worth the visit.

I highly recommend coming around 40 minutes before your desired time, especially if you’re going for a sunset or at night. We were lining up for sunset and it was really, really busy. But, seeing the whole city light up from above was honestly so magical. Plus, this place is actually located right in the middle of Umeda Shopping District. After you enjoy the sunset, you just head down to shop and eat and explore around the area.

Takimi koji: Retro Restaurant Alley

To finish up our day of adventure, we visited Takimi Koji for dinner. This is a restaurant area in the basement of Umeda Sky Building built to replicate the retro vibes of Osaka’s restaurant alleys. The decor was really cute, so it was fun to walk around and explore the options. There’s Japanese restaurants of all specialty there.

We ended up stopping at a udon spot. The restaurant had large and comfy tables. But, the food was ok, about a 6/10. There are a bunch of restaurants here, but it takes time to try them all!

Osaka Must-Visit Lists You Need To Help Plan Your Japan Trip