Things to see and do Ōsaka

For a long time, the district was home to theaters. Now shopping malls have taken over the area. Dōtonbori is the most lively and bustling district in Ōsaka. It is also the unmissable place in order to satisfy one's many culinary desires. It is advisable to take a look at Ebisu-bashi bridge (also nicknamed nanpa-bashi, the dredge bridge) to get a general view of the neighborhood. It is from there that you can see the famous "Glico Man". A short walk away is the small Hōzen-ji temple and the picturesque Yokochō Hōzen-ji alley.

With its thirty-eight floors, this building dominates the north-western part of the station. Built by the architect Hiroshi Hara, the two towers are joined by the Rotating Sky Window (a window made in such a way that it rotates and allows different pieces of sky to be seen). The view is breathtaking on a clear day. It is possible to reach the top with a transparent elevator and even eat at the restaurant or have a drink at the bar. You can get there by taking the underpass that leaves from the station of Ōsaka or from the Umeda station.

You reach the interior of the castle walls by way of a bridge over the moat and moat. When the Hongan-ji Temple of Kyōto burned down, the sect Jōdo-shinshū was established here and the moat and moat were built to defend the temple. It was first besieged by Nobunaga Oda in 1574 and taken in 1580, and Hideyoshi Toyotomi decided to build the castle in 1583 on the ruins of Ishiyama Hongan-ji Temple. To do this, he asked his daimyō for financial assistance and the participation of more than one hundred thousand workers. Within three years, the castle became the largest fortress in Japan. In 1598, the widow and son of Hideyoshi Toyotomi retreated there in an attempt to preserve their power, and it was not until 1615 that the Tokugawa clan succeeded in taking it over. After restoring it, the Tokugawa clan entrusted the responsibility to the governor: Masanobu Naitō. In 1868, the castle was destroyed in the war between the supporters of shōgun and the Emperor's supporters. The ramparts resisted, but the keep had to be rebuilt in 1931. The castle was restored again in 1996. The walls are built of stone, the largest of which, 5 m high and over 11 m long, was a gift from General Kiyomasa Katō (Higo ishi). The Nishino Maru Garden is located between the gates Kyōbashi-my and Ōte-my. The Cherry Trees Gate, Sakura-mon, opens onto the Hon-Maru courtyard where the dungeon stands, containing a fine collection of armour and weapons. The castle is best appreciated from the outside.

It is one of the most beautiful and impressive aquariums in Japan, and probably in the world. It is home to hundreds of species, thousands of fish but also sharks, rays and other invertebrates, such as multicolored anemones and phosphorescent jellyfish. The visit of this magical place is highly recommended for families. More than 15 large aquariums specifically illustrate the different regions of the Pacific coast.

This was the site of the Grand World Exposition of Ōsaka in 1970. It is now housed in a park of attractions and is a place for the inhabitants of the new town of Senri, built on the slopes of the hills. It is a little too far away from the city centre. It is therefore better to visit Nakazakicho!