Five Free things to do in Osaka

If you are looking to experience Osaka, known as the “Nation’s Kitchen”, without actually emptying your wallet, you don’t need to pick a side, you just need a good pair of walking shoes and a sense of direction. Here are a few things you can do to save your yen for all the excellent shopping Japan has to offer. 

1. The Giant Lion of Namba

Namba is one of the more popular districts in Osaka, it has a mall called Namba City which is easy to get lost inside. But, before you start your day among the hustle and bustle of Japanese crowds, you can make your way to Namba Yasaka Shrine. Tucked into a quiet residential pocket of the Namba district, this isn’t your typical shrine surrounded by nature. The standout feature here is a 12-meter-high lion head with its mouth wide open in a permanent roar. 

The lion’s mouth is said to swallow evil spirits and bring you good luck in business or studies. It is completely free to enter, and because it’s a bit of a “hidden gem,” you can usually get a photo without a hundred other tourists in the background.

2.  Osaka Castle

While most people pay to go inside the Osaka Castle museum, the real magic is in the Castle Park (Osaka-jo Koen) itself. The park is massive, and wandering through it costs nothing. You’ll walk past gargantuan stone walls, some of the largest in Japan, and deep moats that make you feel the sheer scale of the Sengoku period.

Head to the Southwest corner of the outer moat. From here, you get a stunning reflection of the castle in the water. If you are visiting in late March or early April, this park becomes a sea of pink cherry blossoms, making it one of the most photographed free spots in the country. You could spend a day walking these grounds, and there’s a hundred different angles of the stunning green-gold Osaka Castle. (Note, entry to the museum at the castle has a fee, but you can enjoy the grounds without entering the castle)

3. The “Time Capsule” Neighborhood (Shinsekai)

To see the soul of old Osaka, head south to Shinsekai. Designed in 1912 to look like a mix of Paris and New York, it has since aged into a colorful, retro wonderland. It feels like a movie set from the 1960s. 

Wander under the Tsutenkaku Tower and look up at the giant paper-mache pufferfish and octopus signs hanging over the streets.

Keep an eye out for Billiken statues, a “God of things as they ought to be” that looks like a pointy-headed elf. Rubbing his feet is free and supposedly brings good luck.

4. Dotonbori & Shinsaibashi

You haven’t been to Osaka until you’ve stood on the Ebisubashi Bridge at sunset. This is the sensory overload everyone talks about. Dontonbori at night is one of the busiest places in Japan, and rightfully so, it has streets and streets of quality street-food, hundreds of bars and izakayas, and all surrounding the most iconic canal and sights of Osaka. It’s popular amongst the tourists and locals alike. 

This is home to the iconic Glico Running Man neon sign. While the crowds on the bridge can be intense, take the stairs down to the Tombori River Walk. This boardwalk runs right along the canal and offers a much more relaxed way to see the neon lights reflecting on the water. 

Just off the bridge is Shinsaibashi-suji, a covered shopping arcade that stretches for blocks. It’s a fascinating, free way to see the latest Japanese trends and the sheer energy of Osaka’s “buy until you die” culture ,just don’t get tempted by the claw machines! You can get lost in this arcade as they wind and twist all around, they’re so large you can find multiple UNIQLO’s and Book Offs (a Japanese second-hand store and a great place to find bargains no matter what you’re looking for) in the one arcade. 

5. Nipponbashi Denden Town

If Tokyo has Akihabara, Osaka has Denden Town. Located in the Nipponbashi district, this is the city’s headquarters for electronics, anime, gaming, and “otaku” culture. While you could easily drop thousands on rare items, for the average person it’s just an interesting place to go see something unlike anything we have in Australia.

Even if gamer or anime aren’t in your vocabulary, walking the main strip (Sakai-suji Street) is a trip. The buildings are draped in multi-story anime murals, and the air is a chaotic symphony of J-pop blasting from storefronts and the sirens from claw machines.

For a bit of free entertainment, duck into the multi-story hobby shops like Super Potato. The higher floors often feel more like museums than stores, showcasing consoles from the 70s and 80s that you probably haven’t seen in decades. It’s a nostalgic trip down memory lane that doesn’t cost a cent. If you have family back home, or kids with you on the trip, these places will be heaven for them. 

You’ll find walls of capsule toy machines. It’s a spectator sport just watching people hunt for that one specific, obscure miniature. And if you have a few leftover coins to spare, why not, it makes a great souvenir, just look for a little knick-knack you like and pray that you get the right one. 

If You Stay Longer (2+ Days)

If you happen to be in Osaka for longer than a day here’s some other things you could consider.

Minoo Park: A 30-minute train ride north leads to a forested valley and a spectacular waterfall. The hike is paved and takes about 45 minutes. In autumn, it is famous for “Momiji Tempura”, fried maple leaves (though those will cost you a few yen to taste!).

Sumiyoshi Taisha: One of the oldest shrines in Japan, famous for its high-arched red bridge (Sorihashi Bridge). It is incredibly peaceful and feels a world away from the chaos of Dotonbori.