Dotonbori guide — What to do in Dotonbori & suggested Shinsaibashi Dotonbori itinerary 1 day for the first-timers

Hello! Today Living Nomads will show you all the interesting places to playing, eating, visiting in Minami (Minami District Osaka), the most famous district in central Osaka. Minami is where concentrates so many bustling streets, especially Dotonbori and Shinsaibashi neighborhood with hundreds of shops and shopping malls which selling products from world-famous fashion brands to Japanese local brands, enough to satisfy shopping devotees.

Besides, hundreds of bars and clubs operating at night are always crowded with people that creating a vibrant and bustling atmosphere. Not to mention the street food stalls to the luxurious restaurants with hundreds of attractive dishes that make diners can only rolling to home rather than go well because the food is so delicious, just seeing food is hard to resist. Well, reading here, will you want to traveling to Osaka right now?

So, is Dotonbori worth visiting, how to visit Dotonbori, what to do in Dotonbori and how to plan a budget trip to Dotonbori for the first-time perfectly? Let’s check out our Dotonbori travel blog (Dotonbori blog) with the fullest Dotonbori travel guide (guide to Dotonbori, Dotonbori tourist guide, Dotonbori city guide, Dotonbori guide) from how to get to Dotonbori, best places to visit, best time to come, what to eat as well as top things to do in Dotonbori to help you maximize your trip as follows!

In this article, I will suggest an one day itinerary (Shinsaibashi Dotonbori itinerary for 1 day) with my buddies to explore the 2 most bustling and busiest neighborhoods of Minami District Osaka, Dotonbori street and Shinsaibashi street. Now, check it out!

Overview (#dotonbori guide)

The extremely famous Dotonbori neighborhood with the busiest shopping malls, eye-catching bright shop signs, business LED signs, and is one of Osaka’s famous dining areas along the Dotonbori River. Shinsaibashi street is a 600m-long shopping street, if including the neighboring streets connected to Shinsaibashi street, this street must be longer than 2km with a lot of fashion shops, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, duty-free shops, 100 yen one-price shops, manga shops, … various models and prices. The architectural feature here is arcades shopping areas.

Minami District Osaka: Location

Minami area is located in downtown Osaka, near Namba station and Osaka City Air Terminal Building (OCAT). There are many trams and buses running in this area. The name of Namba Station is not a fixed name of a station. Depending on the train line, there will be a corresponding Namba station of the company such as Nankai Namba Station, JR Namba Station and Kintetsu’s Osaka Namba Station. In addition, the Midosuji, Yotsubashi and Sennichimae lines all have the station call Namba corresponding to their route.Location: Minami area is located in downtown Osaka, near Namba station and Osaka City Air Terminal Building (OCAT). There are many trams and buses running in this area. The name of Namba Station is not a fixed name of a station. Depending on the train line, there will be a corresponding Namba station of the company such as Nankai Namba Station, JR Namba Station and Kintetsu’s Osaka Namba Station. In addition, the Midosuji, Yotsubashi and Sennichimae lines all have the station call Namba corresponding to their line.

Most airports and high-speed bus routes have means of transport to Osaka City Air Terminal Building (OCAT) – sharing a building with JR Namba Station.

Dotonbori blog: How to get to Minami District Osaka?

There are two ways to getting to Namba Station on Midosuji line

• Departing from Osaka/Umeda station: It takes about 8 minutes, costs 240 yen ($2.21).
• Departing from Shin-Osaka station: It takes about 15 minutes, costs 280 yen ($2.58).

Dotonbori itinerary: Morning

Breakfast with ramen noodles at Dotonbori street (#dotonbori guide)

Ramen noodles are an overly familiar dish when traveling in Japan, however, the taste of ramen noodles in Osaka is quite characteristic and strange compared to other places. Whether you have eaten this dish or not, you should still try a ramen bowl in Osaka to feel the difference.

Take a picture with the Dotonbori Glico Sign

A highlight spot needs to check-in right away and always for anyone who traveling to Osaka. This is the legendary Dotonbori Glico Sign (Glico-man emblem) with the image of a man wearing a Japanese-style sportswear running and making a gesture to raise his hands in a winning manner. Visiting Osaka that lack of check-in photos here is a big mistake.

Take a picture with the clown Cuidaore or Kuidaore

This is a famous character in Japan, the cute clown beating drum in rhythm. This clown stands at the entrance of the Nakaza Cuidaore building. If you want to take a picture with him, you have to queue for a long time to wait for your turn.

Address: 1 Chome-8-22 Dotonbori, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0071, Japan
Hours: Open 24 hours

Take a picture with Tsutenkaku tower

If Paris has the Eiffel Tower, Osaka has Tsutenkaku tower, extremely famous. Spread out at the base of the tower is Shinsenkei Street with many of cheap food stalls and local specialties of Osaka. Come here and check-in the tower and buy some special food as a gift for your family when you return home, it will make people really enjoy it.

Address: 1 Chome-18-6 Ebisuhigashi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka, 556-0002, Japan
Height: 103 m
Opened: 1943
Hours: 9AM–9PM
Phone: +81 6-6641-9555

Dotonbori itinerary: Noon

Lunch at Kanidouraku restaurant

The famous restaurant of Kanidouraku Dotombori-Honten with the signboard that is a “super big” crab is moving its legs. This restaurant is very famous for crab dishes, specialty here is the super delicious Kanizanmai (crab hotpot) for 5.000 yen ($46.00) (excluding tax). You can order more grilled crab on the charcoal, also tasty.

Address: 1 Chome-6-18 Dotonbori, Chuo Ward, Osaka, 542-0071, Japan
Hours: 11AM–11PM
Phone: +81 6-6211-8975

Continued reading…