See Osaka With Kids in a Weekend: An Itinerary

Osaka, Japan is the kind of city that doesn’t demand early mornings or tightly packed schedules. With its walkable neighborhoods, endless food options, and playful attractions tucked between temples and museums, it’s surprisingly easy to explore with kids, especially over a short weekend.

We didn’t go into our Osaka weekend with a lot in mind, I wanted to see Katsuo-ji temple, my daughter wanted to shop for the most kawaii things she could find, and my husband just wanted to eat. We arrived on a Friday night and left on a Sunday evening, giving us almost two full days that balanced nature, culture, shopping, and just the right amount of novelty.

Osaka with kids can be a blast. Get ready for two days with temples, food, shopping, and fun:

• Day 1: Forest Temples, Owl Meetings & Convenience Store Eats
  • Make Goals at Katsuo-ji Temple
  • Eat Lunch at Mino-kayano Station
  • Sit With Owls at Owl Cafe Chouette
  • Dinner Japanese Convenience Store Style
• Day 2: Shopping Arcades, Characters, and Traditional Art
  • Shinsaibashi, Snacks & Character Shops
    • Kiddy Land Parco
    • Osaka Ukiyeo Museum
  • Finding Temples and Interesting Facades in Dotonbori
  • Eat at Kuromon Market
  • Play with Piglets at Mipig

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Our weekend in Osaka was a balance of nature and city, quiet moments and very playful ones. We wandered, we vibed, we ate, we enjoyed. We were busy and definitely walked a lot, but it didn’t feel crammed. There are some really great amusement parks and things to do in Osaka, but we opted for a more laid back approach to the city and enjoyed our family-friendly Osaka trip greatly.

Day 1: Forest Temples, Owl Meetings & Convenience Store Eats

Make Goals at Katsuo-ji Temple

Instead of diving straight into the city, we started Saturday by heading north into the forested hills of Minoo to visit Katsuo-ji temple (勝尾寺). After the bustle of Osaka Station and the subway ride out to Minoh Kayano, the shift in atmosphere was immediate, cooler air, trees on all sides, and a sense of space.

Katsuo-ji temple is sprawling, green, and quietly playful. Daruma dolls peek out from between stones, sit along railings, and cluster on staircases, turning the walk into a slow scavenger hunt. On top of that, there is a fun postcard stamp that is created in layers as you walk through the temple. This keeps kids motivated and moving forward to create a beautiful souvenir to take home.

Eat Lunch at Mino-kayano Station

There isn’t much in the way of food at the Katsuo-ji temple, but there are plenty of options at Mino-kayano Station. After spending the morning at the temple, this was the best option for eating that would still be on the way. We opted to go for the must-eat Japanese ramen and it really hit the spot.

Sit With Owls at Owl Cafe Chouette

There’s just something about owls. Their secretive silent nature. How they can turn their heads 270 degrees in either direction. Creepy, scary, cool? After returning to the Shinsaibashi area where we were staying, we wanted to find something that had us sitting but was still very cool and wouldn’t you know it? An owl cafe really provides something for everyone.

We were all fascinated by these feathery flying predators that look so calm and even somewhat friendly when up close. Having grown up on cartoons that showcased the owl as educated, Owl Cafe Chouette had me wanting to open up a book and see if the owls had anything of interest to share.

Dinner Japanese Convenience Store Style

If you haven’t heard about the plentiful and delicious Japanese convenience store food options, then you’re hearing it now. While restaurants are great, my family tends to need to chill in the evenings and we find eating in our room very appealing after a long day out. Eating in the room is made all the better when it’s in Japan with all of the convenience store finds.

Day 2: Shopping Arcades, Characters, and Traditional Art

Shinsaibashi, Snacks & Character Shops

We eased into the day by walking through Shinsaibashi-Suji Shopping Street (心斎橋筋商店街), a covered arcade that’s perfect for families no matter the weather. It’s lively, so make sure you’re holding onto those little ones, but it’s very fun.

We were on the hunt for very specific experiences and items including anything Ghibli, Japanese gachas aka capsule toys, I was looking for Meiji period artwork, and thus we began our adventures and this was a great place to start.

One of our favorite stops was Kiddy Land Parco, especially the Ghibli shop inside. The photo-op zones are irresistible, kids and adults alike line up to snap pictures with familiar characters. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s worth popping in just for the atmosphere.

There were too many cute shops and things to do here. It also housed a Japanese dollar store which was the perfect spot for my daughter to spend the allowance money she had saved up.

Next, we stopped into the Osaka Ukiyeo Museum (大阪浮世絵美術館), a small private museum with ukiyo-e woodblock prints from the Edo to Meiji periods. The space encourages you to move closer, then step back, noticing details you’d never catch in a textbook or online image. For kids, it’s surprisingly engaging. Get a magnifying glass from reception so you and your kids can look up close at the details.

Want a historical souvenir to take home? You can also look at some amazing art available for purchase as well as prints if you want to be more budget-friendly.

Finding Temples and Interesting Facades in Dotonbori

Next, we passed through Dotonbori and found the small, moss-covered statues of Hozen-ji Temple (法善寺) along the way. We watched as the water trickled down and enjoyed the small quiet pocket in the area before stopping into the Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum (上方浮世絵館) just across from the temple for a little artsy stop.

Eat at Kuromon Market

The markets all seem to meld into one, though Shinsaibashi was more shopping. When we arrived in Kuromon Market (黒門市場) we were ready to eat and luckily, this market has plenty to try. A historic market that is home to 150 stores that sell fresh fish, produce, food, and knick-knacks too, we took our time trying strawberry mochi and watching as giant salmon were expertly sliced.

This market is also well-known for conger eel and pufferfish. If that doesn’t stand out to you, there’s also grilled seafood skewers, juices, and green tea soft serve ice cream among the many many options.

Play with Piglets at Mipig

We weren’t quite done with our animal experiences and found a micropig cafe in the area. Reservations are required, but we got lucky and there was room when we rocked up. I recommend making reservations though and don’t depend on luck for the experience.

Sitting on the floor, our daughter may have been squealing more than the pigs, but everyone was happy and cuddled up for the duration of the visit.

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We enjoyed our quick whirlwind of a weekend in Osaka. There are a lot of things to do in Osaka including some cool amusement parks too so we have it on our list to go back for sure. But if you want a more relaxed trip, this is a great option.

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