Exploring Osaka & Kobe: From Universal Magic to Kobe Beef

Osaka was next on our itinerary for a few reasons, mainly to visit Universal Studios, but we were also curious to explore the city itself. While we enjoyed Osaka, the more touristy areas felt very busy, and we preferred wandering around the quieter outskirts. My main tip for Osaka would be to book early for any attractions- there were a few museums and breweries we wanted to visit, but we missed out due to last-minute bookings.

In Osaka, we stayed at Kirin Umeda by Spring Rest. The hotel is slightly out of the city centre but within easy walking distance of several train stations and a bus stop. The property is more like an apartment, with a stovetop a

nd a decent fridge, which we appreciated. The hotel isn’t staffed- you’re given all the check-in details beforehand- which also means luggage storage isn’t available. Otherwise, the room was large, the bed comfy, the air conditioning worked well, and we really enjoyed our stay.

Day 1- Exploring Near the Hotel

We arrived around 5 p.m. in Osaka and after checking in and relaxing a bit, we decided to take it easy for our first evening. We wandered around the area near our hotel, exploring Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Street Arcade, grabbing some pizza from a nearby shop, and checking out a few other stores. We finished the evening with a few cheap drinks from the supermarket and relaxed back at the hotel.

Day 2- Universal Studios

The second day started with a quick McDonald’s breakfast before heading to Universal Studios. We purchased fast passes, which were a little pricey, but allowed us to go on all the rides and catch a few shows without long waits. The park is super busy, but the rides are fun, the themed food is cool, and the atmosphere feels magical. We left around 8 p.m. and headed straight back to the hotel for a well-earned rest.

Day 3- Pancakes, Castle & Dotonbori

We had a slow start after the long day at Universal and walked over to Happy Pancake for some Japanese-style pancakes. I tried the tiramisu flavour, which was rich, creamy, and so s

oft- easily the best pancake I’ve had. (The egginess is noticeable if you go for the simpler syrup and cream version, but still very tasty.)

Afterwards, we took the train to Osaka Castle. We didn’t go inside, but spent some time exploring the grounds but decided to head back to the hotel pretty early on to enjoy some aircon.

Later in the afternoon, we stopped at Namba Yasaka Jinja, a quirky shrine shaped like a dragon’s head, then headed to Oretachino-Curry Ya for dinner. The curry was delicious, and the blowtorch cheese we added on top made it even better. We finished the evening by strolling through Dotonbori, seeing the famous Glico running man sign, neon-lit streets, and bustling areas full of shops and street food. The streets were extremely busy, so we didn’t linger long and headed back to the hotel to rest.

Day 4- Day Trip to Kobe

On our forth day we took a day trip to Kobe via train. Our first stop was the Kiku-Masamune Sake Brewery Museum, just before the main station. The museum is free, small but well-organised, with videos in English explaining how sake is made. We loved the free sake tasting, and even paid a little extra for some premium tastings, ending up buying a bottle of lemon sake.

Next, we tried Kobe beef at Steakland, which offered a great lunchtime deal including steak, miso, salad, veggies, rice, and a drink. The chef cooked everything in front of us, which was a really fun experience.

After lunch, we visited Kobe Nunobiki Herb Gardens & Ropeway. The cable car up provided stunning views, the gardens were lovely to explore, and the scent museum was a fun little addition. We spent plenty of time wandering the gardens before taking a bus to Kobe Chinatown. To be honest, Chinatown wasn’t anything special- we preferred the nearby shopping street.

Finally, we walked down to the harbour area, stopping at the Port of Kobe Earthquake Memorial Park for views of the Kobe Port Tower, and ended at a food market near Kobe Harbourland. After a long day of sightseeing, we took the train back to Osaka and rested at the hotel.

The next morning, we made breakfast in our room and caught a taxi to the train station, heading onwards to Hiroshima, ready for the next stage of our Japan adventure.