Plan your Japan trip without
the overwhelm
First Time in Osaka: Must-see places you can’t miss
Osaka is bold, lively, and unforgettable.
It’s Japan’s food capital and one of the most energetic cities in the country.
If this is your first time in Osaka, here are the essential places to see, mixing street food, history, unique shrines, and nature, without rushing.
1. Dotonbori
Osaka’s beating heart.
Neon lights, food stalls, and constant energy.
Don’t miss:
The Glico running man sign
A canal walk at night
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2. Shinsekai & Tsutenkaku
A retro district frozen in the Showa era.
Standing bars, old arcades, and kushikatsu.
Tsutenkaku Tower offers a nostalgic skyline view.
One of Osaka’s best viewpoints.
The Floating Garden Observatory gives a full 360° panorama.
Best time: just before sunset.
4. Osaka Castle
A major symbol of Osaka’s history, surrounded by a large park.
Very popular during cherry blossom season.
Inside, a museum explains Japan’s feudal past.
A unique shrine with a giant lion head.
Quick stop, rarely crowded, and surprisingly impressive.
Known as Osaka’s Kitchen.
Perfect for street food lovers:
Fresh sushi
Wagyu skewers
Grilled crab
Mochi and fruit
Arrive hungry.
A must for theme park fans.
Nintendo World, Harry Potter, anime collaborations.
Tip: book tickets and Express Pass early.
One of Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines.
Its red arched bridge and quiet grounds feel far from the city rush.
9. Minoo Park
A peaceful forest walk ending at a waterfall.
Especially beautiful in autumn.
Local snack: fried maple leaves.
Large park with museums, gardens, and the iconic Tower of the Sun.
Perfect for a relaxed half-day outside the city center.
Plan Your Japan Trip More Easily
If you're going to Jpaan you're probably facing :
Too much information
How to organize
Don’t know where to go
Train system feels confusing
Afraid of missing places
Planning a trip to Japan usually breaks at the same point: you save a lot of places, but don’t know how to turn them into a realistic route. Cities are large, distances are not intuitive, and it’s hard to know what actually fits in one day.
This guide was created to solve that. It helps you understand how places connect, how many days make sense per area, and how to build an itinerary that flows.
With the interactive map, you can explore curated spots across Japan, follow ready-made itineraries and day trips, mix my routes with your own, and adapt everything to your pac
I created my Japan Travel Guide to help you organize your trip in a clear, realistic way.
Details on what you'll have
Best of both world : touristy & off the beaten path places
+ 1000 things to do, filterable by category & tags
Lifetime access to my itinerary and all future updates.
10 to 30 days curated itineraries, fully customizable
Kanto (Tokyo & surroundings) Day by Day customizable Itinerary (10 to 15 days)
Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara...) Day by day Itinerary customizable (13 to 15 days)
Tokyo Guide by Neighborhood (23 special ward)
15+ additional day trips detailed for exploring nearby destinations from Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto.
Interactive map with all key spots marked & filterable by category & tags
Benefit from in-depth practical advice (navigation, accomodation, restaurants, cultural experiences)
PDF & Excel sheets (with less updates than online version)
What it looks like on the app :
If you prefer something fully tailored, I also offer a 100% custom travel planning service.
I design a day-by-day itinerary based on your dates, interests, budget, travel pace, and priorities. You simply follow the plan and enjoy your trip.
And if you like flexible, editable itineraries, you can also find my ready-made itineraries on Holicay.
They’re ideal if you want a solid base you can customize with your travel companions.
Marie creator behind @Tabimawari
Hi, I’m Marie, the creator behind @tabimawari.
I lived in Kyoto, learned Japanese, and keep returning to explore Japan beyond the obvious.
Planning a trip to Japan usually breaks at the same point: you save a lot of places, but don’t know how to turn them into a realistic route. Cities are large, distances are not intuitive, and it’s hard to know what actually fits in one day.
This guide was created to solve that. It helps you understand how places connect, how many days make sense per area, and how to build an itinerary that flows.
With the interactive map, you can explore curated spots across Japan, follow ready-made itineraries and day trips, mix my routes with your own, and adapt everything to your pace.
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Marie creator behind @Tabimawari
Hi, I’m Marie.
French islander from Reunion island, Japan lover, and travel planner behind Tabimawari.
I spent a year living in Kyoto, learning Japanese and falling in love with the culture. Since then, I’ve kept going back, exploring every corner from Tokyo to the tiniest hidden towns.
I created these guides after spending months planning, testing, and fine-tuning every detail so you don’t have to. Inside, you’ll find:
✅ Interactive maps
✅ Step-by-step directions
✅ Local spots + travel tips
✅ Offline use
Each guide is made with care, based on real-life travel, not generic blog advice.
This is what I wish I had on my first trip to Japan and now it’s yours.
MY SOCIALS
MY NEWSLETTER
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