Osaka – 5 Awesome Days with Kids

We went the days after between Christmas and New Year to Osaka for some family vacations. Mainly to  see something else.

Actually the trip started with a big disappointment, as our flight was rescheduled with a 7 hour 55 minutes delay. I can only assume that we had not 8 hours delay to avoid customer claims for compensation. Anyhow after this bump we had a great holiday, mainly our 4 year old daughter had. As the first day was a little short we only made it to Umeda station to the LUCA where we spend quite a while with her favourite Totorro character at the Ghibli Store.

The next day she could not get enough of the sheeps and goats at the Tennoji Zoo and having ice cream at 5º C after our night ride with the ferries wheel at the HEP Five.

On Thursday we made a day trip to Nara. As our hotel was close to the Namba station we took the Kintetsu Line to Kintetsunara. This is the closest station to the park. Here we feed a bunch of deers with the local deer crackers the “shika senbei”, you can get them every where close to the sightseeing spots and the main streets for 150 JPY a pack. Just make sure that you feed the animals quick, else they might start to chew your cloths or bitting. At the Todai-ji Temple there were a lot of people. I had not so many people in my mind when I went there the last time during the golden week in 2011. So I had a look to my old pictures from that time and yes 7 years ago there only 4 people on my picture and now about 40-50 people. 

Friday afternoon, as we got up late we headed for Osaka’s Aquarium the KAIYUKAN. With our favourites the whale sharks and the Asian small clawed otters and many other animals. You can spend easily 3 or 4 hours here. At the close by Tempozan Harbor Village we spent some time with feeding and petting the rabbits, guinea pigs, capybaras and red kangaroos at the all weather indoor animal cafe and a 17min. ride with the Tempozan Ferries wheel. When open in 1997 to the public it was the tallest Ferries wheel in the world with a diameter of 100 m and height of 112.5 m.

And on Saturday we took the Keihan Line going to the  Hirakata Amusement Park. A good place to go if your kids are in the age up to 13-14 years. The park is small and the whole family had fun, beside the freezing temperatures, we even had snow for about a minute or so. If you plan to go there get a discount ticket at the Kansai airport or one of the few other sales locations.

On our final day we just enjoyed a good meal at the ELK Pancake Cafe. You should try the strawberry cream pancake.