I’d been looking forward to Osaka since the start of my Japan trip because we were going to the Universal Studios Japan Theme Park and in that park is The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™. I’m a huge Harry Potter nerd and so I was wholly focused on the Harry Potter World and hadn’t left much time to plan the rest of Osaka.
What I found was that Osaka seemed to have a lot of shopping districts and night life however was slightly lacking in the beautiful temples and gardens that I’d come to love in Japan. We had a few days to explore the area and one of the first stops we made was to see the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan which is one of the largest public aquariums in the world.
At the aquarium there were a multitude of animals to see splashing around and I even touched a tiny shark! When we visited the aquarium it was at the same time as a few preschool groups and it was very cute to watch the children get excited at the different displays.
It was on the way home from the aquarium that we stopped by a local coffee shop and met another Australian who was living and working in Osaka, specifically at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ area at Universal Studios! We spent a couple of hours talking to him there and it was a lovely way to end that day.
And so the next day we spent at the Universal Studios Theme park exploring all of the unique areas. Some of the rides we went on that day were the best I’ve ever experienced and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter lived up to my expectations and more.
There was a full scale Hogsmeade™ village where you could buy a wand and the trademark Harry Potter clothes. We even drank a warm butterbeer which was perfect on the cold day.
The main standout though had to be the huge Hogwarts Castle. Almost to full scale, you could walk through the classrooms and see the headmasters office. To watch the story come to life was something I’ll never forget.
It was also in Osaka that we purchased some hand made kitchen knife sets where the shop would engrave a name on the blade of the knife which made for some very nice, personalised gifts.
Overall I would say that I enjoyed my time in Osaka however I could have given up a day there for more time in Hiroshima or Kyoto as both of those cities had more of the natural wonders and historical sights that I personally enjoy more.
Osaka, I think, would be good for families with young children or the like as there is the theme park and aquarium along with a huge Lego world and various shopping districts.
Paddy Over the Moon 