How To Make Best Of Your Time When In Osaka And What To Buy

Imax Osaka is home to the largest Imax movie screen in the world located in the Suntory Museum (next to Kaiyukan). English headphones are available for no extra cost. If you plan on going to Kaiyukan aquarium and Imax, you can purchase a discount ticket for both at either ticket office.

Kaiyukan (Osakako, Chuo Line) is one of the world's largest aquariums, with 11,000 tons of water and plenty of sharks, dolphins, otters, seals, and other creatures of the sea. The largest tank, representing the Pacific Ocean with 5,400 tons is nothing but overwhelming. On the weekend, musicians and street performers offer additional entertainment to people outside the aquarium. ¥2,000 for adults, ¥900 for children.

Tenpozan Ferris Wheel, next to Kaiyukan at Tempozan area. There is also the Suntory museum, a mall and a port for sightseeing boats. Open 10am to 10pm. Sumo Spring Grand Tournament, Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (approx. 10 min walk from subway Namba Station)  The Osaka Tournament of Japan's national sport, sumo wrestling, is usually held mid-March annually at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium. Check for schedules and ticket availabilities at the official Nihon Sumo Kyokai homepage. Ticket prices range from ¥3000 to ¥14,300.
Universal Studios Japan, at Universal-City Station (JR Yumesaki Line, 10 min from Osaka), [9]. Japan's second-largest theme park. One-day tickets for adults/children ¥5800/3900. Umeda Joypolis Sega, next to Umeda (Osaka) station, occupying 8th and 9th floors of the Hep Five building with arcades and a Ferris wheel at the top. From 11am to 11pm; ¥500-¥600 attractions. Local laws prohibit kids being here after dark even in the company of their parents, so if you want to take the kids along, plan on going early.  

The HEP5 ferris is okay though. Spa World Just near Tsutenkaku Tower. Gender-separated European and Asian themed spas and saunas as well as a pool for the family with slides and fun. Open 24hrs. Regular prices are ¥2400 for 3 hours, ¥2700 for all day. Extra charge ¥1000 for stays 0AM-5AM. Watch out for the special ¥1000 deals offered from time to time, often in March.

National Bunraku Theater, Nippombashi. One of the last places in the world where bunraku, a form of intricate puppet theater from the Edo period, can be seen live. The large puppets, which require three operators each, are accompanied by traditional music and narration, and act out great Japanese plays of the 1600s and 1700s. Transcripts in Japanese and synopses in English are provided.

Osaka Siki musical theater, Umeda,in the Herbis ENT. Home of the Shiki Theatre Company.
The festival hall in Nakanoshima, near Umeda, and the symphony hall in Umeda host modern and classical recitals, while Umeda Koma in Umeda, and Shin-Kabukiza in Namba host Enka performances. For more independent or underground music, try Banana Hall in Umeda or Big Cat in Amerika-mura.
Zepp Osaka (POP clubs) , Nanko (Nanko_Kita 1-18-31,Suminoe_ku, near Cosmo-squair station. ).
Blue Note (Jazz clubs) Umeda.The branch of Blue Note in N.Y..

Shopping

Osaka's most famous shopping district is Shinsaibashi, which offers a mix of huge department stores, high-end Western designer stores, and independent boutiques ranging from very cheap to very expensive. Within Shinsaibashi, the Amerika-mura , often shortened to "Amemura") or "American Village" area is particularly popular among young people, and is often said to be the source of most youth fashion trends in Japan. Near Amerika-mura,Horie is shopping street of mainly Japanese brands shops.

The many shops in Umeda are also popular among trendy locals, particularly in the Hep Five and Hep Navio buildings adjacent to Hankyu Umeda Station, although these shops tend to be too expensive to captivate most tourists' interest. In this area, new shopping buildings have been constructed recently. For example, the“E-ma” buildings next to Hanshin department store, and “Nu-Chayamachi” (Nu), opened in October 2005 near Hankyu Umeda station.

For electronics, the Nippombashi  area southeast of Namba, and particularly the "Den-Den Town" shopping street, was once regarded as the Akihabara of western Japan; nowadays, more people would rather shop at the new, enormous Yodobashi Camera in Umeda or BicCamera and LABI1 in Namba, although Nippombashi still offers good deals on many gadgets and geekier PC components.

For Japanese and foreign books, try Kinokuniya in Hankyu Umeda Station, or Junkudo south of Osaka Station.
If you are a fan of Shochu you can buy it in the Sho-chu Authority shop in Namba Parks. There are hundreds of varieties of Shochu from all over Japan in crazy bottles. There usually is a selection of bottles to taste from (help yourself). Also sells Shochu pottery and glass as well as traditional snacks.
The Official Hanshin Tigers (baseball team) Shop is located on 8th floor of Hanshin Department Store at Umeda.
Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Street (Tenjinbashi-suji Shotengai) is said to be the longest straight and covered shopping arcade in Japan at approx. 2.6km length. The arcade is running north-south along Tenjinbashi-suji street, and is accessible from multiple subway and/or JR stations, eg. Tenma, Minami-Morimachi, Tenjinbashi-suji 6-chome, etc. Nothing meant for sightseeing, the arcade is a live exhibition of Osaka's daily life, open since Edo period.