Discover a Full Day of Fun in Osaka’s Namba District—Your Ultimate Guide to Namba and Dōtonbori Attractions!

Hello! Konnichiwa! My name is Pentagon and I’m a writer based in Osaka.
I want to tell you all about Namba, part of the city that’s bursting with exciting things to do! Despite having lived here for two years, I realized I hadn’t really explored Namba—I can’t believe it! So, I set out on a full-day adventure, visiting some of Minami’s most iconic spots and hidden culinary gems in the Namba and Dōtonbori area.

I’ll be sharing some of the city’s highlights—from Japan’s first Greek yogurt specialty store to the ever popular Namba Yasaka Shrine, the Ferris wheel at Ebisu Tower, and some secret sushi spots! I made a model itinerary, complete with a timeline, so you can easily plan your perfect day in Namba.

●10:00 | Kickstart your Day with Japan’s First Korean Greek Yogurt at LAZY YOGURT!

First, stop at LAZY YOGURT, which is just a minute’s walk from Namba Station. This popular Korean Greek yogurt shop has taken Japan by storm, offering healthy, low-fat and low-sugar options that are packed with protein. It’s a favorite for the health-conscious crowd and it’s incredibly delicious too! It’s trendy in Japan and Korea right now. This shop is the first of its kind in Japan and it’s right here in Namba, Osaka!

At LAZY YOGURT, you can choose from 12 different flavors and customize your toppings! You also choose the size of your yogurt; whether you want a single or a double, depending on how hungry you are. Since this was my first time trying greek yogurt, I decided to order one of the tried and true combinations off the menu and consulted the shop staff for some advice.

Here it is! I ordered the most popular thing on the menu, “VERT” (¥1200), which features creamy Greek yogurt, bananas, blueberries, granola, honey, and seasonal fruit (which was apple at the time). Greek yogurt has a thick sticky texture, yet it’s very smooth and creamy. It’s rich and smooth, reminiscent of cream cheese, and the elegant sweetness of the honey complemented the granola and fruit ingredients perfectly.

This time I ordered the staff’s recommendation since it was my first time trying greek yogurt. But next time I visit, I want to try a new customized selection of flavors and toppings.

Tip: I visited on a weekday at 10am, right when they open, so there was no wait when I arrived. If you want to avoid lines, aim for a morning visit, because this shop is very popular!

●11:00 | Take Home an Adorable Love Fortune from Namba Yasaka Jinja Shrine

Next, take a stroll to Namba Yasaka Jinja Shrine, which is a 7-minute walk from Namba Station. This unique shrine features a unique building called “Shishi-den,” which is shaped like a giant lion with a stage inside its open mouth. It is a famous Instagram-worthy photo spot popular with tourists from Japan and overseas.
The shrine itself is famous for blessings related to protection against bad luck and illness, good relationships, safe childbirth and all manner of successes. The lion mouth is also said to breath in any bad luck or malice in the air. Many of the visitors to this shrine come to pray for academic progress, luck in job-hunting, and passing exams.

There is more to Namba Yasaka Jinja than just the lion head! The shrine also has these cute fish-shaped love fortunes that are said to help with relationships and match-making. (In Japanese, the word for carp “koi” sounds exactly like the word for love. And when you say it twice in a row “koi koi,” it sounds like an invitation.) So these little koi fish-shaped fortunes have an adorable heart on their belly and they are called “Koi Koi Omikuji” (love, carp, fortunes).

Tip: The popular pink Koi Koi Omikuji often sells out, so visit in the morning if you want to snag one!

●12:30 | Crispy Tonkatsu Lunch in Namba City

Namba Yasaka Shrine is about a 7-minute walk from Namba Station, and I get tired easily so I felt like I needed to replenish my energy stores with a hearty lunch from Tonkatsu KYK in Namba CITY.
This restaurant is everything you would expect from a popular tonkatsu chain. As soon as I entered the store, the expert staff members were prompt and friendly, so I felt very at ease with the amazing customer service.

I ordered the Domestic Pork Loin Set (¥1300). The portions are generous and I welcomed the freshly fried tonkatsu, that was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside♪
The menu includes a variety of choices like the Kurobuta (Berkshire) pork loin pork cutlet set (2,050 yen), Kurobuta fillet pork cutlet set (2,150 yen), a hearty Japanese roast pork cutlet set double (1,880 yen), and fried shrimp.

It’s been a while since I’ve been to this restaurant, but it never disappoints! The soft meat, light fat, and crispy batter go down well with the white rice.
I’m grateful that the staff, who are as quick as ninjas, and will refill your rice bowl and shredded cabbage when they see you’re running short. The portions were big and I was very satisfied after my meal. With my stamina back and my belly full, I was ready to explore some more.

Tip: Use the Osaka Amazing Pass, a pass that works as both a train pass and a ticket to many sightseeing facilities, for a 10% discount on your meal!

●14:00 | Get a Bird’s-eye View of Osaka from the Unique Ebisu Tower Ferris Wheel

In the afternoon, I headed to Dōtonbori’s Giant Ferris Wheel at Ebisu Tower, a building that towers over its surroundings in the center of Dōtonbori. It’s a Ferris wheel geared towards tourists, so locals from the Kansai region rarely have a chance to ride it! This is my first time, but I decided to give it a go. The ride opens at 2:00 pm, but when I arrived at the third floor reception area around 1:30 pm, there was already a line. And even after it opened, I had to wait another 30 minutes. As you’d expect from one of Dōtonbori’s iconic landmarks, it’s very popular. Tickets cost 600 yen per person.

If you want to know what the most distinguishing feature of Ebisu Tower’s Dōtonbori Ferris Wheel is, it’s probably that it is the world’s first oval Ferris wheel. Normal Ferris wheels usually have gondolas with bench seats facing each other. But Ebisu Tower’s Ferris Wheel has four seats in each gondola and people are seated next to each other.
When it was my turn, I climbed inside the gondola that rotates horizontally. Now, I was off on my 15-minute journey through the sky of Dōtonbori.

Wow! There’s a big round glass window right in front of you. The view is quite a thrill.
It’s such a treat to be able to enjoy this kind of unique attraction right in the middle of the city. There’s a huge statue of the famous kushikatsu restaurant “Kushikatsu Daruma” mascot right in front of the ride! It’s refreshing to see Dōtonbori from a different angle.

The Ferris wheel is tall enough that your legs might start to quiver when you reach the top. There is also a unique type of fear you might feel being in a small space like this.

Despite that scary feeling, when I looked out over the view, I got very excited when I spotted Abeno Harukas in the distance. It was daytime when I visited, but the sunset and night views must be even more beautiful. I’d like to go again someday.

●15:00 | Snap a Pic with the Flashy Glico Sign and Go Souvenir Shopping!

After the Ferris wheel, take a stroll around Dōtonbori. Don’t miss this chance to take a photo with the famous Glico sign!

The main street in Dōtonbori is located right behind the Glico sign and its representative of Osaka’s flashy style. Huge three-dimensional signboards will pull you in with an almost magnetic force and draws people of all ages.

Come say hi to the most famous person in Dōtonbori—Cuidaore Taro! He’s an Osaka icon and has been bringing smiles to visitors in Dōtonbori since 1950. When you see him up close, you’ll be surprised at how good-looking he is!

Right next to Cuidaore Taro is a souvenir shop, Naniwa Meibutsu Ichibirian Dōtonbori Store, which has a vast selection of goods and products unique to Osaka. In addition to your standard sweets and key chains, this shop stocks tons of unique souvenirs you might not see anywhere else, like Cuidare Taro hand cream, lip cream, and clear file folders with Cuidaore Taro using phrases from the local Kansai dialect.

Just to the west of Ichibirian, you’ll find another famous souvenir shop called Osaka Meibutsu Cuidaore. Cuidaore Taro souvenirs are easy to find and easy to choose from.
I fell in love right away with the Osaka-exclusive Cuidaore Taro cookie tin. I couldn’t resist cute designs on tins… (lol)

●18:00 | Budget-friendly Hidden Gem Sushi Shop!

After successfully acquiring enough souvenirs, I headed to Gokai Tachizushi Namba Nankaidori location for dinner. It’s about a 5-minute walk from Namba Station, and the reason I chose this restaurant is because I’ve heard that the sushi is fresh, plump, and delicious! The restaurant itself is quite small and nothing fancy really, but it’s the kind of place you can easily drop in to even if you’re alone. And because the restaurant name says it’s a standing sushi bar, I expected to eat standing. But when I walked in, I discovered it is all seated dining (lol).

Here’s the menu! The individual sushi dishes and sushi platters are not particularly cheap, but the lunch menu is very reasonably priced. For example the salmon and salmon roe bowl is only 850 yen… I’m coming for lunch next time!

I wasn’t quite sure what to order, but since I was in vacation mode in Namba, I decided to go for this assorted sushi plate. This is the high-grade assortment “Jo-nigiri” (1,980 yen). Starting at the left, it was sea urchin, salmon roe, conger eel, medium fatty tuna, flounder, amberjack, sea bream, and tuna. The fresh, plump sushi glimmered like it was ready to be eaten.

The fish slices were thick and voluminous. That first bite of the sea urchin melted in my mouth like butter. All the sushi at this restaurant was rich in flavor and very satisfying, with just the right amount of fat! The amberjack and medium fatty tuna in particular were amazing, with a great balance between the sweetness of the fat and the natural umami of the fish. You’ll see many smiling patrons eating in the shop, and I personally think this sushi restaurant is the best value for your money.

After my sushi dinner, I headed back to Dōtonbori, which had been transformed into this dazzling night scene illuminated in neon lights. This is the end of my one-day Namba/Dōtonbori tour, but you might want to go izakaya-hopping in a city that never sleeps. Please come visit Namba, where you can have fun from morning to night, and then some☆彡
*The content posted in this article is from August 2024. Please note that the information may differ from the most current information.