Osaka Sights

  1. Giant Ferris Wheel

    Before hitting the main attractions, you might want to get some perspective on it all by taking a whirl on the Giant Ferris Wheel . Said to be the largest Ferris wheel in the world, the 112m-high wheel offers unbeatable views of Osaka, Osaka Bay and Kōbe. Give it a whirl at night to enjoy the vast carpet of lights formed by the Osaka/Kōbe conurbation.

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  2. National Bunraku Theatre

    Bunraku (puppet theatre) did not originate in Osaka, but was popularised here. The most famous bunraku playwright, Chikametsu Monzaemon (1653-1724), wrote plays set in Osaka concerning the lives of merchants and other regular folk normally ignored by traditional Japanese drama. Bunraku became a favourite art form and this theatre seeks to revive its popularity.

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  3. Osaka Aquarium

    Osaka Aquarium, also known as Kaiyukan , is expensive, but worth the visit. It has the world's biggest aquarium tank, which is home to a whale shark and an astonishing variety of smaller sharks, rays and other fish. Exhibit captions are in Japanese and English. The crowds can be avoided if you arrive early in the day.

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  4. Spa World

    Next door to Festival Gate is the superspa known as Spa World. Billed as the world's largest spa, it consists of two floors of baths, one Asian themed and one European themed, and a rooftop waterworld with pools and waterslides, along with restaurants and relaxation areas.

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  5. Universal Studios Japan

    Universal Studios is a major theme park: fluorescent, noisy, and strenuously cute. It has many rides, most of them based on particular Universal movies, all of them with trademarked or copyright-protected names. These include 'Shrek's 4-D Adventure™' and 'Jurassic Park - The Ride®'. The opportunity to buy Universal movie tie-in products is virulent.

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