1. Hotel New Otani

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Located at one of the top hotels in the city, Hotel New Otani, bus stop no 1 is near both Osaka Castle and Osaka Castle Hall. Cross the bridge over the river and find Osaka Jo Terrace, a new cafe and restaurant mall where you can also get on the small road train to get you closer to the castle. For the hungry passenger Hotel New Otani also offers a wide range of excellent choices for dining.

The walk up to the castle takes about 15 min and the last part is up a fairly steep hill which the castle is located on top of. If you walk up to the castle, there is a 10 min walk down to bus stop no 2, Osaka Castle Park. To walk from no 1, see the castle from the outside and the view from the hill, and then walk down to bus stop no 2, allow for at least 50-60 minutes.

The bus staff will hand out maps showing you the way to go to and from the castle and also some of the photo spots on the way.

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Bus stop 1 Hotel New Otani is about…
-3 min walk from JR Osaka-jo Koen station on the JR Loop Line.
-3 min walk from subway station Osaka Business Park exit 1 on the Osaka Metro Nagahoritsurumiryokuchi line.

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2. Osaka Castle Park

Osaka Castle Park, or Osaka-Jo Koen in Japanese. This bus stop is located near the Otemon gate on the west side of the castle, the same side as the Nishinomaru Garden part of the castle park. From here it is brisk 10 min walk up to the castle. Osaka Museum of History and the national broadcaster NHK’s studios are also near here.

Osaka Castle was completely destroyed in the late 1600’s and was then rebuilt around 1930. Miraculously the main tower went mostly undamaged through the second world war and a an extensive renovation was completed in 1997. Walking between the castle and bus stop 2 you will pass through Otemon gate and near some of the turrets. These are part of the oldest still standing structures in the city having avoided destruction in the 17th century battles and fires as well as the war.

If you got off at stop 1, visited the castle, this this is the most convenient stop to catch the next bus.

Directions from Osaka Castle to bus stop 2 Osaka Castle Park on Google Maps.

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3. Matsuyamachi

Some people call Matsuyamachi Osaka’s samurai street. Today that may be a stretch, but the area has a long, long history of making and selling traditional Japanese dolls, ornaments, toys, and yes samurai armor and swords. Many are family owned companies that are sometimes wholesale focused with a show room type store.

Walking south from the bus stop, in the same direction as the one way traffic, you will be able to browse some of these stores and eventually end up at a big crosssing – Nagahori street. This intersection sits on top of Matsuyamachi subway station and if you cross Nagahori street still on the same side as the bus stop (that would be the left side of the traffic direction), walk up the stairs on the corner and find Len, a small beautiful building housing several establishments including some coffee shops. Google maps: 3 Matsuyamachi to Len

This is where the Karahori area starts. A few blocks centered around an uphill roof covered shopping arcade where you can find many new shops taking foothold in what used to be an area that serviced the Osaka Castle grounds hundreds of years ago.
Google maps: 3 Matsuyamachi to Karahori

Bus stop 3 Matsuyamachi is located directly infront of a Lexus car dealer ship. Coming from Nagahori street (south walking north) it is on the right side of Matsuyamachi Avenue and just after the roof covering the sidewalks end. About 5-8 min walk from Matsuyamachi (N17) subway station.

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4. Shinsaibashi.

Shinsaibashi is a bustling shopping area where you find many of the famous brand shops, department stores, restaurants, and from here it is a 10-12 min walk to Dotonbori canal with the famous Kanidoraku crab sign and the Glico running man sign. On the east side of Midosuji Avenue is Shinsaibashi suji shopping street , on the west side you find Amerika Mura (American Village) with lots of used clothes shops, and even further west, cross the next big avenue, Yotsubashi, and check out Orange Street with shops like Supreme and Bathing Ape.

Directions from 4 Shinsaibashi to Dotonbori and the Glico running man sign

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5. Namba Parks

Shop, dine and relax at the beautiful and lush Namba Parks shopping mall. When seen from above this shopping mall shows its roof top parks, publice areas that are accessible from the upper floors. Walking on the first floors reveals the Grand Canyon inspired architecture with curved walls and natural lines.

Within minutes of Namba subway station, Nankai and Kintetsu Namba railway stations, as well as JR Namba station, this is one of the two major train and subway hubs of southern Osaka (the other one being Tennoji).

Namba is famous for the area we call Ura Namba, or Behind Namba in English, where small food shops and restaurants line the streets end to end. Here you can also find Doguya Suji, a street just for any type of kitchen utensil you can imagine. The Kizu Wholesale Food Market is near as well as the place where sumo wrestling tournaments is held in Osaka, Edion Arena.

The 5 Namba Parks bus stop is located inside the Namba Parks parking garage on the first floor. To access the bus stop you need to actually enter the parking garage.

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6. Shinsekai Kushikatsu Daruma

Try the excellent Kushikatsu-Daruma and visit Tsutenkaku, the classic tower with a beautiful view of southern Osaka. Shinsekai is the ultimate place to try one of the local specialties, Kushikatsu, or deep fried food on sticks. This is also where you can find one of Japan’s best shops for professional chef’s knives, Tower Knives, located next to Tsutenkaku tower. Next to the Shinsekai area is Tennoji Zoo and Osaka City Museum of Art.

Google Map directions from 6 Shinsekai to Kushikatsu Daruma (this is just one of their many shops in the area).

Bus stop 6 Shinsekai is located near Ebisucho subway station exit 3. Standing at exit 3 facing the Tsutenkaku Tower, turn to your right and then walk left along the Sakaisuji avenue for about 30m/150ft and you will see our yellow bus stop sign. This bus stop sign is a little difficult to see from far away and you will need to be very near it to see the sign. Google Maps directions from Ebisucho Station exit 3 to bus stop 6 Shinsekai.

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7. Abeno Q’s Mall

Shop at Q’s mall, enjoy some sushi at Daiki Suisan Sushi (inside Q’s Mall and less than a minute from the bus stop, directions here) and take in the breathtaking view from atop Abeno Harukas, currently the tallest building in Japan with its 300 meter (984 ft) height. The Abeno Harukas building sits on top of Tennoji subway station and next to JR Tennoji station and is one of the busiest areas in south central Osaka.

If heights are not a problem, after riding the elevator up to the 60th floor (entrance fee necessary) Abeno Harukas offers two special option tours. Either visit the helipad or put on a harness suit and walk the edge of the top floor… Both options cost extra but will surely be unforgettable in every way!

Nearby is family friendly Tennoji Park with Tennoji Zoo (entrance is closer to bus stop 6) and Osaka City Museum of Arts being very popular attractions.

Google map directions to

• Abeno Harukas
• Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts

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8. Shitennoji

A few minutes walk from bus stop 8 you will find Shitennoji temple, possibly one of the most serene and beautiful places in Osaka. Built by Prince Shōtoku over 1,400 years ago in 593, it is known as the oldest Buddhist temple in the country and has a prominent place in the history of Osaka.

The original buildings are long gone and have been rebuilt several times over the centuries with the current temple being completely reconstructed in 1963. One of the members involved in the initial construction of the temple in the 6th century had established a firm Kongō Gumi, which later on specialized in temple and shrine buildings over the centuries. The company went on to become the longest continuously running company in the world having been passed down in the family for 40 generations before succumbing to financial difficulties and bought by up a large construction company, Takamatsu, in 2006.

Shitennoji Temple is open 8:30am-4:30pm (4:00pm Oct – March). There are different entrance fees for some areas, up to JPY 500/person.
Even though the actual temple is closed you can access the temple grounds any time of day or night (24hrs).

Google map directions from bus stop 8 to Shitenoji Temple.

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9. Nippombashi Joshin Denki

Nippombashi! Den-Den Town! This area used to be heaven for anyone looking for electronics in any way imaginable and though huge stores in Umeda and Namba have taken over that role, to some extent it still is. Cameras, household appliances, computer and electronic parts, if you are looking for something there is a good chance you can find it here and not only new but used, old or obscure. The area has changed in character over the years. Nowadays manga shops and cafes, anything anime and maid cafes are a also common sight here. A street parallel to the main street (Sakaisuji) is nicknamed Otaku Road or Ota Road (somewhat similar to geeky road in Englihs) and has anime merch shops, arcades/game centres, cosplay stores and more otaku goods than anywhere in the city.

The famous Kuromon food market is also in this area, about a five minute walk from stop 9, about half way to stop 10 Dotonbori.

Google Map Directions
9 Nippombashi to Otaku Street
9 Nippombashi to Kuromon food market

The red Joshin Denki electronics store in Nippombashi. Our bus stop 9 is located exactly in front of the Joshin store.

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10. Dotonbori Teppan Jinjya

Dotonbori, the heart of southern central Osaka! This is where you can shop, dine and have fun any time of the day. Get on the Osaka Wonder Cruise and cruise the canals and rivers of the city. This bus stop is only 2-3 minutes walk from Wonder Cruise dock (A) Dotonbori which is located near Nippombashi bridge on Sakaisuji avenue.

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11. Sakaisuji-Honmachi

The bus stop is about 30 seconds from Sakaiasuji-Honmachi subway station exit 10 just south of Chuo Dori (Chuo Street) where the Semba Center Building with the highway on top is located. and. Sakaisuji was long ago the main street in Osaka and it still is one of the locations where you find lots of shops and places to eat & relax. The area was long ago a center for all things kimono wholesale and you still find many shops around today.

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12. Osaka Station

JR Osaka Station in Umeda, the north outpost of central Osaka. A bustling shopping area and transportation hub where many of the major train lines can be accessed. Over two million people use Osaka Station and Umeda Station every day making it the 4th busiest train station area in the world.

Find the bus stop
It is a busy location but finding the Osaka Wonder Loop bus stop is straight forward. Locate the Sakurabashi gate at the JR Osaka Station. Coming out of the ticket gate, turn right and walk 50m/150ft where you will see a Starbucks on the corner. Turn right at that corner in under the JR railway tracks and walk another 50m/150ft and you will see the Osaka Wonder Loop bus stop 12 Osaka Station. This bus stop is shared with our bus operator Osaka Bus.

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13. Kitashinchi Yuki

Kitashinchi, one of the entertainment districts in Osaka is just across the street from this bus stop. Less than a minute walk from Oebashi bridge on the north side of Nakanoshima island, this stop is located on Osaka’s main street Midosuji avenue. Osaka City Hall is nearby as well as the U.S. Consulate General office.

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14. Temmabashi Hachikenyahama Keihan City Mall

Temmabashi Hachikenyahama Keihan City Mall. This stop is also a Wonder Cruise boarding location and the bus stop is located on the river side of the shopping mall in front of Osaka Castle Hotel’s entrance.

Keihan City Mall is a smaller size shopping center and a perfect place to take a break and enjoy a meal by the river. Many food shops are located on the riverside floor (B1) as well as on floor 8 where you can find Daiki Suisan sushi (the rotating type) and also a great viewing spot of the river. Access to both Keihan Railway Kyoto line and the Osaka City subway makes this a very convenient stop. If you enjoy taking a stroll along the river this is a great starting point.

Google map directions to Osaka Castle

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