Planning a Trip

Getting There

By Plane -- Osaka's Kansai International Airport (KIX; tel. 072/455-2500; www.kansai-airport.or.jp) receives both domestic and international flights. The two major domestic airlines that fly into KIX are Japan Airlines (JAL; www.jal.com) and All Nippon Airways (ANA; www.ana.co.jp). From Tokyo's Haneda and Narita airports, flight time is about 1 1/4 hours. A JAL fare is ¥23,600 one-way, though discount fares go as low as ¥11,100.

Arriving at KIX -- Arriving at KIX, you experience Japan at its modern best. Constructed on a huge man-made island 5km (3 miles) off the mainland in Osaka Bay and connected to the city by a six-lane highway and two-rail line bridge, this 24-hour airport boasts the latest in technology -- glass elevators ferry passengers to the four floors of the complex in an atrium setting, dozens of computers spread throughout the terminal provide Internet access for ¥100 per 10 minutes, and touch screens provide information in many languages. And, like the city itself, it's traveler-friendly: Signs are clear and abundant, and facilities -- which range from restaurants and shops to a post office (second floor south; Mon-Sat 8am-7pm, Sun 8am-5pm), ATMs that accept foreign credit cards, a children's playroom in the international departure area (free of charge), cellphone rental counters, and dental and medical clinics -- are seemingly endless.

Getting from KIX to Osaka -- Taxis are prohibitively expensive: Expect to spend at least ¥17,000 for an hour's cab ride to the city center. Easiest, especially if you have luggage, is the Kansai Airport Transportation Enterprise (tel. 072/461-1374; www.kate.co.jp), which provides bus service to major stations and a few hotels in Osaka (and even stations in Kyoto and Kobe). Most fares cost ¥1,500, and tickets can be purchased at counters in the arrival lobby. Another bus service, the OCAT Shuttle (tel. 06/6635-3000; www.ocat.co.jp), travels from KIX to the Osaka City Air Terminal (a downtown bus station for shuttle buses going to the airport), next to JR Namba Station (the major train station in Namba) in the heart of Osaka; buses depart every 30 minutes for the 48-minute ride and cost ¥1,000.

If you want to take the train into Osaka or even farther to Kyoto, simply walk through KIX's second-floor connecting concourse (baggage carts are designed to go on escalators and as far as train ticket gates). The JR Airport Express Haruka, which travels to Tennoji and Shin-Osaka stations before continuing to Kyoto, departs about twice an hour; the fare to Shin-Osaka is ¥2,470 for the 50-minute trip. Slower is the JR Rapid Service (JR Kanku Kaisoku), which travels from the airport to Tennoji and Osaka stations. The 70-minute trip to Osaka Station costs ¥1,320. Note: When returning to the airport from Osaka, make sure you're in a compartment that goes all the way to KIX; not all of them do. If you a have a Japan Rail Pass, you can ride these trains for free. Exchange your voucher at the Kansai Airport (rail) Station on the third floor (daily 6am-11:30pm).

Next to the JR trains in the same station at the airport is the private Nankai Line, which has three types of trains to Namba Nankai Station. The sleek rapi:t a (pronounced "rapito alpha") train reaches Namba in 35 minutes. There's one train an hour, and ordinary reserved seats cost ¥1,390. The rapi:t b ("rapito beta") at the same price stops at more stations, including Sakai, and takes 39 minutes. You can also take an ordinary Nankai Express Line for ¥890 and reach Namba in 43 minutes.

Itami Airport -- If you're arriving on a domestic flight, chances are you'll arrive at Itami Airport (ITM; tel. 06/6856-6781), north of the city. Buses connect to various parts of Osaka; to Osaka Station, the ride takes 25 minutes and costs ¥620.

By Train -- Osaka is 3 hours from Tokyo by Shinkansen bullet train; tickets are ¥13,240 for an unreserved seat (the Nozomi Shinkansen, which is not valid with a Japan Rail Pass, is faster and more expensive). All Shinkansen bullet trains arrive at Shin-Osaka Station at the city's northern edge. To get from Shin-Osaka Station to Osaka Station and other points south, use the most convenient public transportation, the Midosuji Line subway; the subway stop at Osaka Station is called Umeda Station. JR trains also make runs between Shin-Osaka and Osaka stations.

If you haven't turned in your voucher for your Japan Rail Pass yet, you can do so at Osaka Station's or Shin-Osaka Station's Green Windows (daily 5:30am-11pm).

If you're arriving in Osaka from Kobe or Kyoto, the commuter lines, which will deliver you directly to Osaka Station in the heart of the city, are more convenient than the Shinkansen, which will deposit you at out-of-the-way Shin-Osaka Station.

By Bus -- JR "Dream" night buses depart from both Tokyo Station's Yaesu exit and Shinjuku Station's New South exit several times nightly (including a bus just for women), arriving at Osaka Station about 9 hours later and costing ¥5,000. Cheaper still is a nightly JR Seisyun Eco Dream bus from both Tokyo Station (at 11pm) and Shinjuku Station (at 9:50pm) for ¥4,300, arriving at Osaka Station at 7:03am and 6:13am respectively. There are also many JR day buses from Tokyo Station to Osaka Station costing ¥6,000. Tickets for most buses can be bought at any major JR station, JR bus terminal, or at a travel agency; for inquiries, call tel. 03/3516-1950 (tel. 03/3844-0489 for reservations) or check www.jrbuskanto.co.jp. In addition, Willer Express (tel. 050/5805-0383; http://travel.willer.co.jp) buses depart Tokyo and Shinjuku stations several times nightly, arriving at Osaka Station the next morning. The cost of these range from ¥4,200 to ¥8,600, depending on the date and type of seat (reclining seats cost more); only online reservations are accepted.

Visitor Information

At the Airport -- The Kansai Tourist Information Center (tel. 072/456-6025; daily 9am-9pm Nov-Mar, 8:30am-8:30pm Apr-Oct) counters are near both the south and north end of the International Arrivals Lobby. The multilingual staff can help with general travel information about Japan, book hotels, and provide brochures and maps of the larger Kansai area, including Kyoto and Kobe.

In Town -- At Osaka Station, the Visitors Information Center Umeda (tel. 06/6345-2189; daily 8am-8pm) is at the east (Midosuji) exit of JR Osaka Station in a kiosk; the English-speaking staff gives out good maps of the city and can assist in securing a hotel room. Another center is located in Shin-Osaka Station on the third floor (tel. 06/6305-3311; daily 9am-6pm). Note that if you're arriving by Shinkansen, you'll be up on the fourth floor, so simply go down one flight to the tourist office. At JR Namba Station, you'll find the Visitors Information Center Namba (tel. 06/6631-9100; daily 9am-8pm) in the Nankai Namba Station across from Takashimaya Department Store. Another Tourist Information Center is in JR Tennoji Station (tel. 06/6774-3077; daily 9am-6pm).

To find out what's going on in Osaka, Kansai Scene (www.kansaiscene.com) is a free bilingual monthly magazine with articles, reviews, listings, and information on the Kansai area. Meet Osaka, a quarterly pamphlet available free at tourist offices and many hotels, has maps and information on sightseeing, bunraku, festivals, concerts, and special exhibits and events. Look, too, for the free Osaka Guide, published every 2 months by the Osaka Convention and Tourism Bureau with information on special events, museum exhibitions, concert information, and even which nearby beaches are open in summer.

Finally, information on Osaka city is available on the Web at www.osaka-info.jp, and www.kansai.gr.jp gives information on the Kansai region.

Consulates -- Several embassies maintain consulates in Osaka, including Australia (tel. 06/6941-9448); Great Britain (tel. 06/6120-5600); New Zealand (tel. 06/6373-4583); and the United States (tel. 06/6315-5900).

Internet Access -- Near the Midosuji exit of Osaka Station is an area called Float Court, where you'll find New Square (tel. 06/6341-7870), open daily 8am to 10pm and charging ¥262 for 30 minutes of computer use.

Mail -- The Central Post Office, or Osaka Chuo Yubinkyoku, is in the Osaka Ekimae No. 1 Building, 1-3-1 Umeda, Kita-ku (tel. 06/6347-8112), a 5-minute walk south of Osaka Station. It's open for mail Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm; its ATM service for international credit cards is available 24 hours Monday to Saturday and from 12:05am to 8pm Sunday and holidays.

Orientation

Osaka is divided into various wards, or ku, the most important of which for visitors are Kita-ku (North Ward), which encompasses the area around Osaka Station; and Chuo-ku (Central Ward), where you'll find Osaka Castle and Namba, the heart of the city. Some city maps divide Osaka by location: Kita (North), around Osaka Station; Minami (South), around Namba and Shinsaibashi; Higashi (East), around Osaka Castle; and Nishi (West) which is Osaska's bay area. Shin-Osaka Station, three subway stations north of Osaka (Umeda) Station, is a tourist wasteland with a few hotels.

Around Osaka Station -- Kita-ku embraces the area around Osaka and Umeda stations and includes many of the city's top hotels, the city's tallest buildings, lots of restaurants, and several shopping complexes, mostly underground.

Around Osaka Castle -- Osaka Castle, which lies to the east, is the historic center of the city. It's in Chuo-ku, which stretches through the city center.

Minami/Namba -- Four subway stops south of Umeda Station is Namba (also referred to as Minami, or South Osaka), with a cluster of stations serving subways, JR trains, and Kintetsu and Nankai lines, all of which are connected to one another via underground passageways. This is the heart of the city, bustling with the spirit of old Osaka, where you'll find more hotels, Osaka's liveliest eating and entertainment district centered on a narrow street called Dotombori (also written Dotonbori), and major shopping areas such as the enclosed pedestrian streets Shinsaibashi-Suji and America-Mura with imported goods from America. Farther south is Den Den Town, Osaka's electronics district; and Dogayasuji, famous for cooking supplies. Connecting Kita-ku with Namba is Osaka's main street, Midosuji Dori, a wide boulevard lined with gingko trees and name-brand shops.

Around Tennoji Park -- At the south end of the JR Loop Line is Tennoji-ku, which was once a thriving temple town with Shitennoji Temple at its center. In addition to a park with a zoo, it boasts Spa World, one of Japan's biggest and most luxurious public bathhouses.

Osaka Bay & Port -- West of the city around Osaka Bay is where you will find Universal Studios Japan and Universal CityWalk shopping and dining complex; Tempozan Harbour Village with its first-class aquarium, shopping complex, and Suntory Museum; and domestic and international ferry terminals.

A Note on Directions -- For all the attractions, accommodations, and restaurants, I've included the nearest subway or JR station followed by the walking time to the establishment once you reach the indicated station (in parentheses).

Getting Around

Despite its size, I find Osaka easier to get around than other large Japanese cities because there are lots of English-language signs and information. The exception is Osaka Station, used for JR trains, and its adjoining Umeda Station, used by subway lines and private railway lines Hankyu and Hanshin. Underground passages and shopping arcades complicate navigation; there's no escaping -- you will get lost.

When exploring by foot, it helps to know that most roads running east and west end in "dori," while roads running north and south end in "suji," which means "avenue."

By Subway -- Osaka's user-friendly subway network is easy to use because all lines are color-coded and the station names are in English (even English-language announcements are on many lines). Lines run from about 5am to midnight. The red Midosuji Line is the most important one for visitors; it passes through Shin-Osaka Station and on to Umeda (the subway station next to Osaka Station), Shinsaibashi, Namba, and Tennoji. Fares begin at ¥200 and increase according to the distance traveled; or, purchase a prepaid Rainbow Card for ¥500 to ¥3,000 to prevent having to buy an individual ticket each time. For more information, stop by the Osaka Municipal Transportation Access office at Namba Station (tel. 06/6211-9503), open Monday to Friday 9am to 7pm and weekends and holidays 10am to 7pm, or check the website www.kotsu.city.osaka.jp.

Transportation Passes: If you think you'll be traveling a lot by subway on a given day, consider purchasing a 1-Day Pass (Ichinichi-Joshaken) for ¥850, which allows unlimited rides on subways and buses all day. On the 20th of each month (or on the following day if the 20th falls on a Sun or holiday) and every Friday, this pass (nicknamed No-My-Car-Day) costs just ¥600 and offers slight discounts to several attractions.

For sightseeing, there's the Osaka Unlimited 1-Day Pass, which costs ¥2,000 and allows unlimited rides on subways, city buses, and private railways in Osaka plus free entrance to 25 attractions, including Osaka Castle, Floating Garden Observatory, Shitennoji Temple, Museum of Oriental Ceramics, and Osaka International Peace Center. If you're a visitor to Japan, you're also entitled to the Osaka Unlimited 2-Day Pass for ¥2,700, valid for travel on subways and buses and providing the same free admission as the 1-Day pass but for 2 days; for this you must show your passport. Passes are available at the Osaka Visitors' Information Centers and at the Osaka Municipal Transportation Access office in Namba .

For trips outside Osaka, the Kansai Thru Pass (Surutto Kansai; www.surutto.com) allows foreigners (you must show your passport) to ride subways, private railways (no JR trains), and buses throughout Kansai, including Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Nara, and Mount Koya, with a 2-day pass costing ¥3,800 and a 3-day pass costing ¥5,000. It's available at the KIX Travel Desk (first floor international arrivals) or at the Visitor Information Centers in Osaka, but you'd have to do quite a bit of traveling to make this worthwhile.

By JR Train -- A Japan Railways train called the Osaka Kanjo Line, or JR Loop Line, passes through Osaka Station and makes a loop around the central part of the city (similar to the Yamanote Line in Tokyo); take it to visit Osaka Castle. Fares begin at ¥120.