Osaka was the final stop on our Japan adventure, and after Tokyo and Kyoto, we were ready for a few days of food, theme parks, shopping, and one last big dose of Japanese culture. Osaka definitely delivered—and gave us some of the most memorable days of the entire trip.
Day 0 — Pokemon, Check-In & Getting Ready for Osaka
After arriving in Osaka, we checked into the Holiday Inn Osaka City Center Midosuji and got settled in. I got connecting rooms to spread out a bit and get two bathrooms.
But there was no time for a long rest because we had one very important reservation to make: the Pokémon Café Osaka! 🎮⚡
Getting a reservation at the Pokémon Café can be incredibly difficult, so I used CafeSnapBot.com, an AI reservation service that helped snag one for us. If you have your heart set on a tough-to-get reservation like this, something like CafeSnapBot can make the process much easier and save you from constantly refreshing and hoping a spot opens up.
The café itself was exactly what you’d expect if you love Pokémon. Everything is designed around the characters, from the decorations to the food and drinks. The kids were thrilled to see their favorite Pokémon brought to life in the café, and of course, we took plenty of pictures.
The food was almost too cute to eat—Pokémon-themed plates, colorful desserts, and drinks decorated with familiar characters. It was definitely more about the experience than having the best meal of the trip, but that’s really the point of the Pokémon Café.
Afterward, we headed back to the hotel to finally unpack and relax. After several busy days of traveling around Japan, it was nice to have a quiet evening and recharge for what was coming next.
And what was coming next?
Universal Studios Japan. 🎢🍄
Day 1 — 🎢 Super Mario, Minions & A Very Long Day at Universal
Breakfast being included with our hotel stay was incredibly convenient this morning. We could grab breakfast, get everyone fed, and head out without having to search for a restaurant first thing.
Then it was off to Universal Studios Japan!
We had booked the 3-hour VIP Experience focused on Super Nintendo World, and although it was definitely an expensive splurge, I have to say—it was absolutely worth it for us.
Especially in the summer heat.
The biggest advantage was being able to move through the most popular attractions quickly instead of spending huge portions of the day standing in long lines. Universal does theme parks incredibly well, and Super Nintendo World is on another level. The entire area looks like you have stepped directly into a Mario game, with colorful blocks, pipes, characters, interactive elements, and music everywhere.
Our VIP experience allowed us to knock out several of the attractions we really wanted to do.
We rode Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge, which combines physical sets with augmented reality and interactive gameplay. You actually feel like you’re inside a Mario Kart race, steering and throwing shells at enemies.
We also rode Yoshi’s Adventure, a much more relaxed ride that takes you through the colorful Mario world from Yoshi’s perspective.
And then there was the new Donkey Kong Country area and Mine Cart Madness. This one was much more of a thrill ride, with the mine carts racing through the jungle and the famous track-jumping effect. It was definitely one of the highlights for the kids.
We also managed to squeeze in Jaws (part of VIP tour), which was a completely different kind of Universal experience. The old-school Universal attraction is still a lot of fun, especially because of the live-action effects and Japanese presentation.
🍄 Lunch at Kinopio’s Café
Our VIP experience included lunch at Kinopio’s Café, right inside Super Nintendo World.
This wasn’t your typical theme park burger-and-fries lunch. The entire meal was themed to the Mario universe, with colorful dishes and desserts that looked like they belonged inside the Mushroom Kingdom.
The kids loved the presentation, and it was actually a great time to sit down, cool off, and recharge after racing around the park.
And thankfully, we weren’t done yet!
After our VIP experience, we still had enough time to explore more of the park. We rode Despicable Me: Minion Mayhem, checked out Illumination’s Villain-Con Minion Blast, and, of course, did some shopping. Tip: You do get express passes with your VIP tickets so show them on the Express Pass lanes to get through.
Because apparently, no family trip is complete without buying something we absolutely did not need. 😂
Eventually, we made our way out of the park and walked through the Universal CityWalk area, taking in the lights, restaurants, shops, and that post-theme-park atmosphere. We ate a light dinner here and headed home.
By the time we headed back to the hotel, everyone was completely exhausted.
Our Universal verdict:
Universal Studios Japan is worth a full day.
Even though our VIP experience allowed us to get through a lot very efficiently, there was still so much more we could have done. The park is huge, the theming is fantastic, and they really know how to create an experience.
And yes—the OG Universal attractions still hold up!
Day 2 — 🏯 Osaka Castle Before the Crowds
We learned pretty quickly on this trip that early morning is your friend in Japan, especially during the summer.
So we booked an early tour to Osaka Castle, arriving around 7:30 AM.
It was perfect.
The weather was already getting warm, but the crowds hadn’t arrived yet. The only people we really saw around the grounds were runners getting their morning exercise.
That meant we could actually enjoy the castle grounds without fighting through crowds, and more importantly, we could get some fantastic family pictures without dozens of people in the background.
The castle itself is beautiful, with its striking white exterior, green roof details, and gold accents. The surrounding park and stone walls make it just as impressive from the outside as the castle itself.
By the time we were finished exploring, we were definitely ready for food.
🥞 Soufflé Pancake Lunch
For lunch, we stopped at Café Annon for their famous Japanese soufflé pancakes.
And wow.
These were the kind of pancakes that are almost more like dessert than breakfast. They were incredibly light, fluffy, and jiggly, with a soft texture that practically melts in your mouth.
After a morning of walking around Osaka Castle, sitting down with a plate of warm soufflé pancakes was a pretty perfect reward.
Day 3 — 🐙 A Slow Morning & Osaka After Dark
After several very busy days, we decided to make Day 3 our free day.
No alarm.
No early tour.
No rushing.
We slept in and took our time getting ready before heading out later in the day. This turned out to be a great decision because Osaka in the summer can be HOT, and waiting until the evening made exploring much more comfortable.
Our destination was Dotonbori.
This is the Osaka you see in all the pictures—bright neon signs, giant restaurant displays, crowds, and food everywhere you look.
We arrived around 5:30 PM and went straight to Sushiro, a popular conveyor-belt sushi restaurant.
Even though it was technically a quick, casual dinner, the whole experience was part of the fun. Plates of sushi come around on the conveyor belt, you choose what you want, and before long the table starts filling up with colorful little plates.
We had a mix of sushi, rolls, and other small dishes, and the kids loved being able to pick exactly what they wanted.
Important tip: GO EARLY.
We arrived around 5:30 PM, and by the time we left around 7 PM, the wait to get into the restaurant was already about an hour. Osaka dinner crowds are no joke!
After dinner, we walked around Dotonbori, taking in all the crazy signs and lights.
Of course, we had to stop for pictures at the famous Glico Running Man sign. The entire area is full of giant 3D restaurant signs, glowing billboards, and food displays, making it feel almost like a real-life video game.
We wandered around, took pictures, soaked up the atmosphere, and eventually decided to call it an early night.
We had one more big day ahead.
Day 4 — 🦌 Miyajima, Hiroshima & A Day of History
Our next adventure took us outside Osaka on a Viator day trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima Island using the bullet train from Osaka.
It was a long day, but absolutely worth it.
Our first major stop was Miyajima, famous for the enormous Itsukushima Shrine torii gate, which appears to float in the water.
Seeing the gate in person was incredible. The setting—with the mountains, water, shrine, and traditional Japanese architecture—was one of the most beautiful scenes of the entire trip.
After Miyajima, we headed to Hiroshima.
This part of the trip was very different from everything we had done so far. We visited the Peace Memorial sites and Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, and it gave the kids an opportunity to see an important part of history firsthand.
It was a difficult experience, but an important one.
We wanted the kids to understand that this wasn’t just something they read about in a history book. It happened to real people and had a devastating impact on Hiroshima and Japan.
Hopefully, seeing the memorials and learning about what happened will stay with them and help them understand the importance of peace.
It was a long and emotional day, but one that I’m very glad we included in our Japan itinerary.
Dinner: Gyukatsu Mako Beef Katsu that you cook on the table, probably one of the best meals we had in Japan.
Day 5 — ✈️ Goodbye Japan… Until Next Time!
Sadly, it was time to leave.
We checked out and headed to ITM Osaka Airport for our flight to Tokyo Haneda.
I intentionally booked the Osaka-to-Tokyo flight rather than flying directly home from Osaka because JAL was offering a free domestic connection when booked with an international itinerary. That saved us roughly $400, so it was an easy decision.
And we got a bonus out of it:
🗻 Mount Fuji from the Air!
If you’re flying Osaka to Tokyo and want a chance to see Mount Fuji, sit on the left side of the plane. JAL notes that west-to-Haneda flights can provide views of Fuji from the left side, although the exact view depends on the flight route and weather.
We were lucky enough to see the top of Mount Fuji as we flew past, which was such a cool final glimpse of Japan.
Once we landed at Haneda Terminal 1, we took the free shuttle over to Terminal 3, the international terminal.
And even though we were technically leaving Japan, we still had time for one more little adventure.
The international terminal has a really cool shopping and dining area, so we wandered around, grabbed some lunch, and did a little last-minute exploring.
Of course, we also found the Pikachu vending machine. Because apparently Pokémon had to follow us all the way to the airport. 😂⚡
✈️ JAL Business Class Home
For the flight home, I decided to splurge on JAL Business Class.
After nearly two weeks of nonstop sightseeing, walking, trains, planes, theme parks, early mornings, and late nights, I knew I needed to sleep.
And honestly?
It was worth it.
The seat was comfortable, the service was excellent, and having the space to actually relax and sleep made the long flight home so much easier.
Before leaving, we also stopped by the JAL lounge, where we enjoyed some JAL Sky Time and, of course, one last taste of Japanese curry. The curry was surprisingly good for an airport lounge meal and felt like a fitting final meal in Japan.
Then it was time to board.
Goodbye, Japan! 🇯🇵❤️
From Tokyo to Kyoto to Osaka, this trip gave us everything we hoped for—amazing food, incredible technology, temples and shrines, Pokémon, Mario, history, shopping, and countless family memories.
Japan was every bit as amazing as we imagined.
Until next time! 🇯🇵✈️
