2-day Osaka Itinerary

• Morning: start your trip with the cool life-size diorama reproductions of Edo life at the Osaka Municipal Housing Museum "Osaka Museum of Housing and Living"!
• Then head down to Dotombori Districtfor lunch! In my opinion this is the highlight of any trip to Osaka. You'll find a level of joyful chaos and creativity here that's unmatched in any other Japanese city.
• When you get tired of eating, head down to the amazing terraced garden at Namba Parks. For some additional souvenir shopping, head down to Osaka Takashimayafor a taste of old-school Japanese department store culture.
• Head back to Dotombori Districtfor dinner.
• Chibo Okonomiyaki Restaurantis particularly famous for okonomiyaki, which is a type of Japanese pancake!
• Wander through the lantern-lit alleyway of Hozenji Yokochoto find a bar for dinner.

• Morning: head down to Osaka Castle on the early side - it opens at 9:00 AM.
• Afterwards, walk around the Nishinomaru Garden!
• Then head to the Osaka Museum of Historyfor a little more local color and some more cool dioramas. Or if you've had enough history, head out to Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osakainstead for some great surrealist art.
• At sunset, head to the Kuchu Teien Observatoryat Umeda Sky Buildingfor skyline views of the city. Then grab dinner in one of the countless shopping malls in Umeda.

If you have a third day in Osaka, I recommend going elsewhere in the Kansai region - either to Himeji Castleor Nara Park, both only a few hours away by train.