# 2 days in Osaka: an itinerary day by day

> Two days in Osaka: the city and Japan's finest castle. Day one: Osaka Castle, Kuromon Market, Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi and sunset at Umeda Sky. Day two: Himeji Castle, the 'White Heron' — an original keep of 1609, a National Treasure and UNESCO site 90 km from Osaka. Entry is 2,500 yen, free under 18; the castle needs 2.5 hours, half a day with the train.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/in-2-days

## Day 1

1. [Osaka Castle](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/osaka-castle.md) — YesGo score 55/100 (Yes, go) · 2 h · ¥1,200
   ↓ 24 min by transport
2. [Kuromon Market](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/kuromon-market.md) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · free
   Lunch break, about 1 h
   ↓ 11 min on foot
3. [Dotonbori](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/dotonbori.md) — YesGo score 51/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · free
   ↓ 8 min on foot
4. [Shinsaibashi](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/shinsaibashi.md) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · free
   ↓ 26 min by transport
5. [Umeda Sky Building](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/umeda-sky-building.md) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · ¥2,000

Total with walks: 8 h 9 min

## Day 2

1. [Himeji Castle](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/himeji-castle.md) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · ¥2,500; under 18 free

Total with walks: 2 h 30 min

## How the two days work

Day one is the one-day Osaka itinerary. Day two is the Himeji trip by shinkansen or JR rapid train; you can be back in Osaka by the afternoon.

Remove any stop with the cross or drag it with ≡, and add another one nearby — the times recalculate.

## Himeji Castle

Open 9:00–17:00, last entry 16:00; from 1 June to 31 August until 18:00. Inside the keep there are steep wooden stairs, and shoes come off. Koko-en garden next door has a separate ticket.

## Is 2 days in Osaka enough?

For the city and Himeji, yes. [Universal Studios Japan](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/universal-studios-japan) — Super Nintendo World and Harry Potter — takes a full day; [Katsuo-ji](https://yesgo.io/japan/osaka/katsuoji) is the temple of thousands of daruma dolls in the Mino hills.

## Tips

- Be at Himeji at opening: weekend queues build for the keep.
- Shoes come off inside the keep — wear good socks.
- Keep quiet at temples and shrines and take your shoes off before entering halls; photos inside halls are often not allowed. There is no tipping in Japan.
- Japan uses the yen. Foreign cards work almost everywhere, but temples, markets and small cafés want cash. A Suica or PASMO card pays for trains, metro and shops by the station.
- A JR Pass pays off if you go on from Himeji to Tokyo.

## Questions

### What to do with 2 days in Osaka?

Day one: Osaka Castle, Kuromon, Dotonbori, Umeda. Day two: Himeji Castle.

### How much is Himeji Castle?

2,500 yen, free under 18.

### How far is Himeji from Osaka?

About 90 km — by shinkansen or JR rapid train.

### Is 2 days in Osaka enough?

For the city and Himeji, yes.

### How much does it cost?

About 3,200 yen on day one and 2,500 on day two, plus the train.

### Is it good with kids?

Yes; under-18s are free at Himeji.

### Osaka Castle or Himeji?

Himeji is an original keep of 1609; Osaka Castle is a reconstruction with a museum.

### Can I visit USJ?

Yes, as another day; tickets are dated.

### When is the best time?

Spring and autumn.

### How do I pay in Japan?

Japan uses the yen. Foreign cards work almost everywhere, but temples, markets and small cafés want cash. A Suica or PASMO card pays for trains, metro and shops by the station.

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