Osaka Amazing Pass Review and Itinerary — Is It Worth It?
Last Updated on January 16, 2025 by Kay
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As a resident of Osaka, I was quite skeptical of the Osaka Amazing Pass when I first heard of it, as was my Japanese husband. We both thought it was some tourist trap and not worth it at all. But oh, how wrong we were.
After trying out the 2-Day Osaka Amazing Pass, I have to say… It is absolutely worth it. Even my husband said the pass is “sugee“, which means “amazing” in Japanese, and he isn’t impressed often.
In this article, I’ll share everything you need to know about the Osaka Amazing Pass, my experience using the pass, and break down the costs so you can see exactly why.
Table of Contents
What is the Osaka Amazing Pass?
The Osaka Amazing Pass is, unsurprisingly, a pass that provides you with access to around 40 attractions in Osaka as well as unlimited use of certain public transportation, all for one low cost.
You can find the full list of places you can use the pass here.
In terms of public transportation, the Osaka Amazing Pass only covers certain lines in Osaka, specifically Osaka Metro and the private railway (Hankyu line, Keihan line, etc), as well as certain stations. You can find the full list here. These lines will get you wherever you need to go in Osaka to see attractions covered under the pass, so your transportation is free when you use it as long as you stay within the applicable stations.
The pass also gives you discounts to shops and restaurants in Osaka.
There are two kinds of Osaka Amazing Passes, a one-day pass and a two-day pass. If you get the two-day pass, you need to use it consecutively, meaning that you cannot, for example, use it on Monday and then use it on Wednesday.
How Much is the Osaka Amazing Pass?
A 1-Day Osaka Amazing Pass costs 3,300 yen and a 2-Day Osaka Amazing Pass costs 5,500 yen. There is no Osaka Amazing Pass for kids, so children have to pay the same cost as adults.
You can purchase the pass from Klook or the Osaka Amazing Pass official website.
I got mine from Klook. You can use the code TINYTOTINTOKYO to get up to $10 off!
Osaka Amazing Pass Review and Itinerary
To start, I want to share how to use the Osaka Amazing Pass.
Using the Osaka Amazing Pass was incredibly easy. Since I had purchased it from Klook, I simply downloaded the Klook app and was able to access QR Codes for each attraction from there.
To find the Osaka Amazing Pass via the app, simply go to your account and click on Bookings. Click on See Voucher, which is an orange button, and then access the link on your digital voucher.
⚠️IMPORTANT⚠️: Do not activate your Osaka Amazing Pass until you arrive in Osaka and are ready to use it! The pass is also valid for only 90 days from the booking confirmation date, so make sure you don’t purchase it too early in advance.
I highly recommend downloading the Klook app and using the Osaka Amazing Pass from there because it’s so much easier than opening the voucher link that you initially receive via email. The first half of the first day I was stubborn and didn’t want to download yet another app, and I highly regret doing that.
You cannot print out the QR Codes, so again, the app is necessary. (And no, I am not getting paid to say this!)
All attractions covered under the Osaka Amazing Pass have a special QR Code that you scan to get into the facility. The signs for the QR Code are easy to find but you can always ask a staff member if you’re unsure.
For public transportation, you simply have to access the QR Code for trains and scan it under the QR Code reader at a gate.
There are only a few (perhaps even only one) QR Code readers at a gate, so look carefully for it because the QR Code will not work if you try to scan it using an IC Card reader.
For buses, you need to scan a QR Code inside the bus and then show it to the bus driver when you get off the bus. If your bus ride is longer than 15 minutes, you’ll need to scan the QR code again.
Day One
Note that I used the Osaka Amazing Pass while traveling with my daughter (age 5) so some of the activities are a little more kid-oriented.
9:30 AM — Tennoji Zoo
On the first day, we started off by going to Tennoji Zoo.
Despite living in Osaka, I hadn’t visited Tennoji Zoo because I’m not a fan of zoos and I hadn’t heard good things about it. It was undergoing renovations when we visited so hopefully it will look better but the zoo is indeed very dated.
Personally, I wouldn’t recommend this zoo and I might visit again if only to see what the renovations look like.
Although it was the end of September, it was really hot so we only stayed about two hours before heading to Tsutenkaku Tower.
If you don’t have kids or want an alternative to the zoo, I recommend visiting Shitennoji Temple instead, which is also covered under the Osaka Amazing Pass.
12:00 PM — Tsutenkaku Tower
Tsutenkaku is one of the most famous landmarks in Osaka and is a popular photo spot for both domestic and international tourists alike.
Using the Osaka Amazing Pass, you can do three activities at Tsutenkaku Tower:
- Visit the Observation Deck
- Go down the Tower Slider (you slide 60 meters down the tower and you can download a video of your trip!)
- Do the Dive and Walk (you can “skydive” from the middle of the tower while wearing a harness)
You need to be at least 120 cm tall to go down the Tower Slider and at least 15 years old for the Dive and Walk, so my daughter and I simply went to the Observation Deck.
The view of the city from the tower was quite lovely (although I think the view from Umeda Sky Building, which is also included in the Osaka Amazing Pass, is much better). If you pay a separate fee, you can walk out onto a transparent floor protruding from the tower.
There’s a fun UMAIBO observation deck one floor down with disco balls and different lighting. I imagine it must be quite fun once it’s dark. (Note that last entry using the Osaka Amazing Pass is at 7:30 PM except for Dive and Walk, which is 7:00 PM).
The 2nd and 3rd floors of the tower also have lots of fun, Osaka-related displays that make perfect photo ops, so we took our time looking around.
1:00 PM — Lunch
We decided to have kushikatsu, one of Osaka’s specialty dishes, at Shinsekai Gifuya. Note that this restaurant has a seating charge and I believe a one-drink minimum order.
Another popular place to have kushikatsu is Kushikatsu Daruma, which is a chain restaurant but quite good.
2:45 PM —Cruise Ship Santa Maria Day Cruise
We took Osaka Metro trains (Chuo Line and Tanimachi Line) to Osakako Station and headed to Cruise Ship Santa Maria. All you have to do is join the line to get on the ship (if there is one) and scan the Osaka Amazing Pass QR Code before you get on.
You don’t have to make a reservation and when I called, the staff said that it’s never too full that you can’t board. (But hey, things can change.) The cruise ship runs every hour on the hour from 11 AM to 4 PM.
I thought this was a really touristy thing to do but my daughter and I actually enjoyed it. After walking around all morning, it was nice to sit down and enjoy the view of Osaka Bay from the ship.
The cruise lasted about 45 minutes and it surprisingly didn’t feel too long for us, probably because we got up occasionally and explored the ship (don’t forget to check out the hub!).
You can also order food and drinks on the ship if you like! (I regret finding this little cafe on the ship too late.)
It was also quite nice to feel the summer breeze while on the ship, although at times I took out my parasol because the sunlight was quite strong.
4:00 PM — LEGOLAND OSAKA
When the cruise finished, we walked to LEGOLAND Osaka, which is located in Tempozan Harbor Village and less than ten minutes on foot from the cruise ship.
Note that LEGOLAND Osaka only allows children and their guardians, so unfortunately, adults alone cannot go inside.
You need to make a reservation in advance to go to LEGOLAND Osaka so to find out more about how to do this, read this article.
We spent about 1.5 hours here but I’m positive my daughter would have stayed longer if we didn’t have other plans.
If you don’t have kids, I recommend skipping straight to our next stop — TEMPOZAN Ferris Wheel.
5:30 PM — TEMPOZAN Ferris Wheel
TEMPOZAN Ferris Wheel is also located inside Tempozan Harbor Village. I think in the past it used to be the largest Ferris wheel in the world because they have a sign proudly proclaiming, “TEMPOZAN WORLD’S LARGEST GIANT WHEEL”.
You can ride one of two kinds of gondolas — a clear, see-through type and a regular type. The line for the see-through gondola was quite long so we opted for the regular gondola and were able to ride right away.
Since we rode the TEMPOZAN Ferris wheel during sunset, we were treated to beautiful pastel skies along Osaka Bay, which gradually turned golden.
It was also really cool to see the world-famous Kaiyukan Aquarium from so high up, and you can also get a glimpse of Universal Studios Japan!
Overall, my daughter and I absolutely loved the ride, which lasted about 15 minutes.
7:00 PM — WONDER CRUISE
We took the train to Dotonbori (specifically Nippombashi Station) and met up with my husband to do the WONDER CRUISE.
The WONDER CRUISE takes you on a round trip along Dotonbori River. I always saw these boats and thought they were so touristy, and as someone living in Osaka, I would never ride one of these. Well, imagine my surprise when I did and it turned out to be great! Even my husband (as a reminder, a Japanese national) said that it exceeded his expectations.
We were able to see the highlights of Dotonbori, such as the famous Glico Running Man and the Don Quijote Ferris Wheel from the comfort of our seats.
Dotonbori can be very crowded, especially at night, so it was really nice to be able to sit down and look at all the sights. The guide also took a family picture of us, which I really appreciated.
The cruise lasted about 20 minutes.
It can get quite busy at night so I recommend making a reservation in advance (which you can do online). And yes, Osaka Amazing Pass holders can make a reservation for the WONDER CRUISE!
Afterward, we had some okonomiyaki at Okonomiyaki Bonkuraya Dotombori, which is popular with locals, before heading home.
If you’re traveling as a group or with family and need overnight accommodation in Osaka, you might want to consider staying at MIMARU Osaka Shinsaibashi East, which is a short walk from Dotonbori (read my review here). I have other family-friendly options in this article.
For couples or solo travelers, Candeo Hotels Osaka Shinsaibashi is an excellent option, with large rooms and a rooftop spa with an outdoor onsen (rotenburo), which I’m a huge fan of.
Day Two
9:30 AM — Osaka Castle
For Day 2 of the Osaka Amazing Pass, we decided to visit Osaka Castle, known as Osaka-jo in Japanese, which is incredibly famous in Japan due to its history, having been built by Hideyoshi, a samurai and feudal lord from the 1500s.
You can use the Osaka Amazing Pass at several spots in and around Osaka Castle, as shown below.
First, I used the Osaka Amazing Pass to get a 10:00 AM boarding ticket for the Gozabune (or Gozafune), which is a traditional Japanese boat that tours the moat around Osaka Castle. This is another one of those “so touristy” things that I used to roll my eyes at but like the WONDER CRUISE, it was a great experience.
🚢 Kay’s Tip : If you’re staying near Temmabashi Station, you can take the Osaka SuijyoBus Aqua-Liner to Osaka Castle using the Osaka Amazing Pass (which would typically cost you 2000 yen). However, the first departure is a little late at 10:30 AM and you cannot ride it during cherry blossom season. During cherry blossom season, you can take the Okawa River Sakura Cruise instead. There’s also a sunset cruise from the same station called YORIMICHI, but this won’t take you to the castle.
Having lived in Japan for over 15 years, I’ve been to Osaka Castle more times than I can count. However, seeing it from the boat and learning about all the little secrets of the stone wall was quite interesting. I learned something new that day!
The boat ride took about 20 minutes and my daughter had a great time, although she was disappointed she couldn’t see any fish in the water.
If you want to sit at the front of the boat, I recommend getting your ticket early (I believe they open at around 9:45 AM) and line up near the boats right away. It doesn’t really matter what side you sit on because the boat will turn around halfway through the ride but I think the right side is a fraction better than the right because you’ll be able to see the castle a little closer.
Here is a map showing the route the boat takes.
After the boat ride was over, we walked to Osaka Castle and could easily get inside since we had an Osaka Amazing Pass. I think we waited for less than five minutes. (There was a HUGE line for people who were buying tickets at the front desk.)
The castle, a reconstruction after being destroyed several times, consists of eight floors. When we visited, the elevator was undergoing repairs so we had to walk all the way up, but if it’s working, I recommend going to the top floor, which is an observation deck, and working your way down.
There are lots of informative panels about the history of the castle throughout as well as important cultural relics. My daughter liked the 3D dioramas that were like little movies about the castle but despite that she knows Japanese, I doubt she understood anything since she was only five years old at the time.
Some floors don’t allow you to take photos so please keep that in mind. Osaka Castle can also be quite crowded, especially in spring because Osaka Castle Park has seasonal flowering trees such as cherry and plum blossoms.
Since we’ve been to Osaka Castle a few times already, we only spent an hour here before having a fancy lunch at crossfield with TERRACE LOUNGE. This restaurant is located in Miraiza Osaka-Jo, which is just a two-minute walk from Osaka Castle.
Note that I don’t think this restaurant is the most kid-friendly since it’s pricey and they don’t carry kids meals. I shared my lunch set with my daughter and we enjoyed the unlimited bread.
There are also snack stalls on the 1st floor of Miraiza Osaka-Jo, so you can get something to eat there. Other options include eating something from one of the food stalls in the castle grounds or buy something from one of the many LAWSON convenience stores in Osaka Castle Park and have a picnic.
Keep in mind that the LAWSON stores are quite far from the castle itself and sometimes can have long lines going out the door, especially if Osaka Jo Hall is having an event.
After lunch, we checked out the souvenir shops on the 1st floor and my daughter had some fun throwing real shuriken at targets at a store called Shinobiya! (This experience was not included in the Osaka Amazing Pass.) I also bought her a stuffed katana sword.
We then went to KAIYODO FIGURE MUSEUM MIRAIZA OSAKA-JO, which is located in the basement and, of course, included in the Osaka Amazing Pass. Here we could see different anime figures such as Evangelion, dioramas, as well as vintage gatcha, shokugan toys, and blind box toys. We also got free gatcha (capsule toys)!
This museum is quite small so we were done looking at everything within 15 minutes, but that was okay because it was entertaining and free with the pass.
At 12:30 PM, we quickly visited Osaka Hokuku Shrine (entry free!) where I got a seasonal goshuin.
We then made our way to Osaka Castle Nishinomaru Garden. In spring it’s quite a beautiful garden and during late autumn and winter, it has illuminations. However, we went in September and there wasn’t much to see. My daughter enjoyed running after birds, though.
Note that there’s lots of walking when it comes to the Osaka Castle Park (the castle grounds), so make sure you wear good shoes and if you have a young child, consider bringing a carrier or stroller. (Pushing a stroller up to the castle is tough, though!)
If you’re interested in learning about whether or not to bring a stroller to Japan, read this article.
Kay’s Tip 🚌: If you like, you can take a bus around the castle grounds. One-way costs 300 yen for adults and a one-day pass costs 1000 yen. This bus will also take you to Morinomiya Station and Tanimachi Station.
If you have kids, they might enjoy this playground located on the south-east side of Osaka Castle Park grounds.
There’s also an indoor and small outdoor playground by Bornelund.
2:30 PM — Umeda Sky Building
We just made it to the observatory at Umeda Sky Building, which you can enter for free with the Osaka Amazing Pass until 3:00 PM. After 3:00 PM, you can only get a 30% discount from the entry fee (but you’ll be able to see Osaka’s night view).
Note that the observatory is located in Tower East.
I’ve been here a few times and I truly believe that Umeda Sky Building offers one of the most beautiful views of the city, especially since it has both indoor and outdoor observatories.
3:30 PM — Koji Kinutani Tenku Art Museum
After we took in our view of the city, we headed to Koji Kinutani Tenku Art Museum.
This is one of those places I wouldn’t go to without the pass, and since it was essentially free, I was pleased with the experience. The 3D movie in the beginning was really cool and my daughter surprisingly liked the art.
Unlike Umeda Sky Building, it was fairly empty so we took a break at the cafe and enjoyed looking at the city.
This is a good place to visit as well if you missed the 3 PM cut-off for Umeda Sky Building and want a view of the city, although you won’t be able to see the view from outside.
5:00 PM — HEP FIVE Ferris Wheel
When we were done, we headed to HEP FIVE, one of my favorite places to shop, and rode its famous Ferris wheel for the first time.
This was another sunset ride although I think the scenery was nicer from the TEMPOZAN Ferris Wheel. But if you love city views, you’ll enjoy this Ferris wheel.
When we were done, we explored HEP FIVE before heading home.
Osaka Amazing Pass Cost Breakdown — Is It Worth It?
Now let’s take a look at how much each activity I did under the Osaka Amazing Pass cost and how much I saved.
As you can see, after breaking down the cost of everything we did, the Osaka Amazing Pass was absolutely worth it. The two-day pass cost me 5500 yen but all the activities I did totaled 16,400 yen, making the savings huge. And this doesn’t even cover the transportation costs in Osaka that I saved!
However, you really have to pack a lot into your schedule if you really want to get the most out of your money, so it would be nicer if the pass could be used more leisurely over a three-day period.
I also liked how easy it was to get into each attraction. I didn’t have to worry about paying and everything was in one place with the Klook app.
⭐️ If you’re interested in getting up to $10 off your purchase of the Osaka Amazing Pass, use the TINYTOTINTOKYO on Klook!
Is the Osaka Amazing Pass Worth It for Kids?
Depending on how old your child is, the Osaka Amazing Pass might not be worth it price-wise.
I think it’s absolutely worth it for children when they’re in elementary school (for more on what age is considered “elementary school” in Japan, read this article).
As a reminder, a children’s Osaka Amazing Pass costs the same as an adult’s, so 5500 yen for a two-day pass. As you can see in the table in the previous section, everything we did totaled 10,080 yen for kids in elementary school and up.
However, for my daughter (age 5 and not in elementary school when we used the pass), the cost if we paid the normal admission fee instead of using the Osaka Amazing Pass would have been 6430 yen. So not THAT much when it comes to savings but still something! It was also great not to have to buy her tickets separately.
If your child is three or under, then I don’t think this pass is worth it.
Traveling to Osaka with kids? Then you might want to read my article about things to do in Osaka with kids and my family-friendly Osaka itinerary.