A 10 hour trip from Osaka to Nara from Den Den town, Osaka Palace, Kuroshio Market, Tuna Show and Nara Deer Park with bowing deer.

How Osaka Different to Tokyo?

Osaka has more or a food culture with Den Den Town labelled as Japan’s Kitchen. They are all about fresh seafood, with places like Kuroshio Market and Zauo Fishing Restaurant.

Tokyo to Osaka

The Shinkansen Hikari train leaves approximately every 30 minutes from Tokyo station and arrives at Shin-Osaka station after 2 hours and 53 minutes on average. It is included with the JR Rail Pass .

I recommend grabbing a breakfast bento from the station on the way to the train and a good book. You can see the rice paddy fields along the train line and different cities.

Den Den Town

When we arrived at Shin-Osaka station we got on a train to Nipponbashi Station. My hotel is next to Den Den Town which is known as Japan’s kitchen. We went to the Zauo Fishing Restaurant, you catch your own fish for them to cook freshly for you.

8:00am Start

In the morning we had to meet our tour guide at the front of a hotel at 8.10am. The train ride from our hotel to the meet up point was an hour. Our train was 15 minutes late and we were still two stations away and the tour guide did nearly leave with out us. We ran as fast as we could and got on the tour bus.

We booked the Viator Osaka to Nara day tour, which I highly recommend we wouldn’t have been able to see so much in 1 day by ourselves. Having the tour and sleeping between stops was a great way to rest especially in the heat of summer. If you have a limited time in Osaka like I did you should consider the viator tour.

Osaka Palace and Gardens

We start at Osaka Palace with 2 hours to spend. We spent most of the time in the garden which has a tearoom with cakes. It was so green. Just note that most of the toilets are squat toilets, there is only two normal toilets. We started to walk towards the palace. Took the wrong staircase but eventually found the correct ones. Don’t forget your Osaka palace stamp at the entrance. This the view from inside the palace.

Porto Europa

Porto Europa A full-scale reproduction of streets in France, Italy & Spain have been constructed within a romantic theme park surrounded by the ocean. https://www.marinacity.com/eng/europa/. This is right next door to the Fish Market.

Kuroshio Fish Market

Fresh seafood like snails, abalone and lobsters. You simply can’t miss the tuna show at Kuroshio Market that takes place 3 times a day: at 11:00am, 12:30pm and 15:00pm!

We used the outside BBQ’s, after you pay for your seafood just walk out side and ask a waitress to light the BBQ for you. You must turn the BBQ off yourself when you leave. You will be given English instructions. We cooked scallops in butter, fish, octopus, more scallops and marbled beef, rice and they have marshmallows for toasting.

Nara Deer Park

When we arrived at Nara Deer Park we had 2 hours to explore.

If you are also with a tour like I was then do what I did. Focus on walking straight down to the Great Buddha Temple first. You have to resist feeding the deer and other little side temples on the way. These replica hands are the entrance to a museum that has replica parts of the buddha.

All the way down to the gate entrance to the Great Buddha temple. You pay at the gate. They will as you which temples you want to see. I just bought access to the Great Buddha as that is the most grand one I knew I wouldn’t have time for anymore as after I wanted time feeding the deer.

Todai-ji Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall)

Then keep walking to the Todai-ji Daibutsuden (Great Buddha Hall) temple complex that was once one of the powerful Seven Great Temples, located in the city of Nara, Japan. Remember to stamp your journal. Also there are signs everywhere that no tripods are allowed past the gate.

Towards the back of the building, look for a hole in a pillar where it is said to represent the nostril of the Buddha. It is believed that those who can pass through the hole will be granted good health and protection from bad luck.

Just outside the temple is drinkable water at the water fountain also known as a Temizuya and is meant to be used before entering a temple. See this article for more information about the shrine water ritual. I couldn’t find any other drinkable water places when I was looking around.

Bowing Deer

There are around 1,400 deer living around Nara Park, and they are believed in Japan to be closely connected with the gods.

You can pay 200Yen for special crackers to feed the deer. They are known as bowing deer. But be warned they do nudge you, these ones wouldn’t even let my boyfriend out of the store entrance. There are signs warning that they will pull on bags, bit butts and are rude.

For more places to add to your Japan trip see my article on the 7 Hells of Beppu and Mount Aso Bike Tour.