Since our first visit in 2013, we’ve spent months in Osaka (and now have a home here). Here’s what we tell any family planning a visit.
But first… Where’s our daughter?
One afternoon at the townhouse we were renting for a month in the Higashikohama area of Osaka’s Sumiyoshi Ward, Jodie and I had been in a discussion for an hour and a half. Then we realized that it had been about that long since our 8-year-old daughter Aster had told us she was going to the playground around the corner.
I wandered over to see if she was okay. But note that I don’t say “ran” or “hurried” or “almost hyperventilated from the panic.” I ambled, hands in my jacket pockets.
As the playground came into view, complete with March cherry trees covered in white blossoms, kids laughed and shouted.
Among them? Aster.
Jodie and I hadn’t seen our daughter in an hour and a half because she had joined a game of soccer with the neighborhood kids. I arrived just in time to see her give the ball a hearty kick.
Without her seeing that I had been there, I turned around and went back to the house. About 20 minutes later, Aster came back, breathless, happy, and proving, yet again, that this city of 19 million is very much worth visiting with kids.
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More: Our family has visited Osaka since 2013. The city is more kid friendly than you think
Plan your trip to Osaka
What makes Osaka worth it for families
We’ve been visiting as a family since 2013, and in 2025 even bought a home in the Osaka area. Here are the things we do and suggest, along with when to skip some attractions.
Osaka deserves more time for families than you might think. We find Osaka better than Tokyo for families. In fact, Osaka can be far more convenient for accommodation than Kyoto, and we suggest families day trip to Kyoto while staying in Osaka.
Our 2023 visit to Osaka was actually our second. Ten years prior, Jodie and I had visited here with our son, who at the time was 15 months old. Staying as couchsurfing guests in the Takarazuka neighborhood, we got our first tastes of takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and a city that was vibrant and bustling, but more chill and in a lower gear than Tokyo.
In 2023, we had the opportunity to be in Japan for about a month and a half. As Jodie examined areas we might consider, she happened upon a really good deal for a 28-day townhouse rental in Osaka, near Sumiyoshi Temple. We also learned that the Worldschool Pop-Up Hub was holding a week-long meetup in Osaka. And, to cap it all off, we’d be there during the cherry blossom season, or sakura, and we could join folks in Japan for hanami, or cherry blossom gazing (typically with a picnic).
Since then, we’ve visited Osaka just about every time we come to Japan. In 2025, we even bought a vacation home in the Osaka area.
Hint: Osaka has one of Japan’s highest concentrations of vacation rentals, such as condos and houses available through Airbnb. We find that Osaka has been the easiest place to find accommodation with multiple bedrooms and larger spaces, much more suitable and comfortable for a family. In fact, we suggest that families consider staying in Osaka and day trip to Kyoto, instead of the other way around.
When you get down to it, we came to Osaka for 3 reasons—and we wouldn’t be surprised if they motivate you to include more time in Osaka for your own Japan itinerary.
Food
Osaka’s nickname is “the kitchen of Japan.” Excellent everyday food abounds throughout the city. A few minutes walk from our townhouse could have us enjoying anything from bakery treats to savory udon noodle bowls.
Cherry blossoms
Springtime cherry blossom season is a special time in Japan. Our month-long stay in Osaka meant we could be there from before the buds opened until the last petals faded.
Laid-back vibe
Major cities such as Paris, New York, and Tokyo take on a certain second urgency that comes not only with the business of life, but with the pressure of “being” that city. As much as we enjoy Tokyo, we find Osaka’s more laid-back vibe reflects our slow, cozy travel style.
More: Plan your stay in Osaka
Things to do in Osaka with kids (and what to skip)
While there are specific things we did (and skipped), the most important things we did in Osaka were actually the most ordinary: wandering neighborhoods, picking out something tasty from a bakery or eatery, and marveling at the change of the seasons as represented by the spring cherry blossoms.
There is enough to do in Osaka to keep a family occupied not only for one trip, but for a lifetime. Still, here are a few things we prioritized during our trip to Osaka, plus a few we skipped (and why we gave them a pass).
6 things we recommend for other families
Sumiyoshi Temple and Sumiyoshi Park
Our townhouse rental was about a 10 minutes walk from Sumiyoshi. Along with wandering the grounds of the temple, we crossed the street and passed under the rail lines to nearby Sumiyoshi Park. There, kids could romp on its expansive playground. A quiet corner of the park was also a wonderful spot for a reflective walk.
The park is also just west of the Nankai Line’s Sumiyoshitaisha Station. Once at street level, before going to the park, snag a meal or snacks from the restaurants and bakery.
Osaka Sewerage Science Museum
Let’s get the pun out of the way: No, the Sewerage Museum is not a crappy place to go.
Gaze-and-pace museums have their place, but we find they’re not a good fit for our kids, at least, not for long. Hands-on, interactive museums do a much better job of holding children’s interest. We get far more learning and perspective out of visits to museums where the kids can interact.
A port city such as Osaka has long contended with flooding, water quality, and managing water flow. Full of interactive exhibits, this free museum reveals the engineering and infrastructure brilliance that underlies this port city. We visited with two other families, and our children spent hours exploring the exhibits, including hands-on games and piloting exhibits.
Dotonbori
We visited the glitzy, iconic Dotonbori area as part of a walking tour with our Worldschool Pop-Up Hub experience. The massive signs, the placid river, the delectable markets, and the buzzing energy throughout the district are reason enough to go.
Shinsekai
Over-the-top artistic displays along every shopfront? Yes please. Every store and cafe becomes its own attraction (and selfie spot) when wandering this popular area. Best of all though? Shinsekai is also the location of our favorite Japanese sushi chain, Kura Sushi.
Wandering through both Dotonbori and Shinsekai encapsulates how our guide explained the Osakan spirit: “warm, funny… and a little crazy.” We’d add lovers of good food, too.
Hint: Shinsekai borders Tennoji Park, which has excellent green space, cafes, convenience stores, and restaurants. The park has become one of our go-to places to meet up with families.
Attend a local baseball game
Baseball is much loved in Japan. We find that attending local and regional-level ball games is a wonderful way to experience a slice of life that ordinary folks enjoy too. A visit to the covered Kyocera Dome gives you a chance for tasty food (including takoyaki!) and a fun game.
Hint: Japanese ball games also have different sections for cheering, versus a quiet section. We suggest sitting in the cheering section. It’s a chance to see people’s enthusiasm for the game, plus you can try to participate in the chants.
Cup Noodle Museum
Speaking of interactive museums, our favorite type of hands-on museum pairs best with a pair of chopsticks. Not only do fun, whimsical hands-on and walk-through exhibits bring alive the history of the iconic cup noodle. It’s also worth the extra ¥500 per person to design your own Cup Noodle—including picking your own ingredients.
3 things we skipped (and why)
Osaka is full of amazing places to visit. Part of our time in the city, however, tied in with a Worldschool Pop-Up Hub that had a built-in itinerary. That drove many of our sightseeing and activity choices. However, there are some other attractions that we skipped. Some we might prioritize on a future trip. Others are just not our jam.
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
We’ve been to some pretty awesome aquariums, but Osaka’s was typically pretty crowded for our taste, and it wasn’t in the budget this time around. The next time we visit Osaka, we’d likely build in a visit here, since there are exhibitions and displays focused on the waters around Japan.
Universal Studios Japan
Universal would be a pretty awesome experience. However, on this trip we had planned and budgeted for Tokyo Disneyland Resort instead. At this point, we veer more toward Disney parks than Universal, as we tend to be more into the overall stories represented in Disney parks.
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Osaka
Prior to Japan, we spent a week at LEGOLAND Malaysia. During our next visit to Osaka though, we’d likely build in time to come here.
Accommodation: Hotels, rentals, and where to stay in Osaka
We’re going to let you in on a wee secret: Japan has a reputation for being expensive, but Japan actually has a broad range of costs and can be quite affordable, even on a family budget. There’s no real upper limit to how much you can spend in Japan. However, day-to-day costs (including food and transportation) can be very reasonable for excellent quality.
The same ethos extends to where to stay in Osaka.
Looking for a place to stay that’s outside of the usual tourist areas? Here are 2 areas to consider:
Sumiyoshi
Our Osaka vacation rental was just a few minutes walk from Sumiyoshi Temple and Sumiyoshi Park. For a longer stay, this neighborhood can have you feeling like you are home. There are bakeries, cafes, small restaurants (such as a ramen shop and udon shop we adored), a covered shopping arcade, and a grocery store.
You’re also close to a tram stop, and you’re close to train stations, such as Sumiyoshitaisha Station and Kohama Station (which was our closest station).
Downsides? If you’re looking for tons of restaurants or a big nightlife, this isn’t your area. It’s more much low-key and residential. Plus, you’ll typically need at least a 15-minute train or tram ride to get to other parts of town, such as Shinsekai.
On the other hand, Sumiyoshi Temple and Sumiyoshi Park were practically at our doorstep. We often went for a quiet wander on the temple grounds. Or, we’d go by the park so Aster could romp at the playground. I also had many peaceful walks around the pond and cherry trees.
Namba
If we were staying in Osaka for a few days or a week or two, the Namba area is where we’d look for a place to stay. Namba Station is key to easily getting around the city. It’s also much easier to get to major tourist attractions and must-visit areas.
Osaka: Bustling and laidback, ancient and modern, and very much worth it for families
When you make the effort to travel to Japan, it’s understandable to wonder, is Osaka worth visiting with kids? Over and over now we have found Osaka to be enjoyable, safe, and affordable for our family budget. We have options to experience cool places and fun activities, but it’s also easy to snag tasty food and relax at our accommodation.
For families seeking a kid-friendly destination in Japan, not to mention more options for roomier accommodation, Osaka is worth visiting.
More: Plan your stay in Osaka
