A Generous 1-Day Osaka Itinerary—
Kaiyukan Aquarium and More☆

● Gotta Love Kaiyukan☆

I love marine animals. The uniquely designed Kaiyukan Aquarium in Osaka is a perfect place to see them. Its location is great, too—it’s easy to get to Kaiyukan from any major stations on Osaka Metro like Umeda and Namba.
My friend, Kyenga, and I decided to do a full day of Osaka sightseeing and visited Kaiyukan and other cool spots in Osaka using Osaka Metro’s 1-day pass called Enjoy Eco Card.

We began our trip at Osakako Station. It’s only a 6-minute walk to Kaiyukan from there!

I’ve been to the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan several times but, every time I go, I see a different side of the various creatures there.
Walking down the spiral path around that huge tank and watching the fish swimming graciously above me is my favorite part of the visit.

In the hallway leading to the Arctic Region, walls covered in mirrors produce an infinity mirror effect which, with a series of ice reflections on the ceilings, creates an optical illusion that the sea is expanding endlessly above you. It was as if I was taking a stroll underwater♪

Kaiyukan does this well. It lets you get a taste of life under the sea. Their special exhibits are also great—another reason I go back there again and again.

After we took our time visiting with these animals, the Tempozan Market Place was a perfect spot for lunch. I like the many options of the Osaka gourmet scene offered there.
A couple of other nice attractions around Kaiyukan where you can get a discount with Enjoy Eco Card (although we skipped them this time) are the Tempozan Ferris Wheel and Santa Maria bay cruise!

● To the Floating Garden Observatory!

The day was starting to catch up with us already so we took Osaka Metro to Umeda and headed to the Floating Garden Observatory in the Umeda Sky Building to catch the sunset. I’d been interested in going there for a long time, and Enjoy Eco Card got us a nice discount.

The panoramic view of the big city Osaka from 173 meters above ground was amazing! The sun slowly setting in the sea was simply breathtaking.

● The Bustling Osaka Station City

Our last stop was Osaka Station City nearby.

People are coming and going all day every day at Osaka Station. The one place you can see everyone enjoying their own time is the “Toki no Hiroba” (literally means the plaza of time and space). It is a pleasant space with lots of benches—many use it as a meeting spot. You can see the trains coming and going below you and enjoy different events each season—you might just forget time.

● A Great Deal—Enjoy Eco Card

Osaka Metro’s 1-day pass, Enjoy Eco Card is a great pass to use for a day of sightseeing in the City of Osaka. It costs only 820 yen during the week and even less on weekends and holidays—only 620 yen!—for adults. For children, it’s a mere 310 yen for a full day of transportation.
You can easily purchase the pass at ticketing machines at Osaka Metro stations and get one day of unlimited rides on all of Osaka Metro lines and most of the Osaka City Bus system. You can literally go anywhere in Osaka with this pass!
What’s more, it even gets you discounts at popular tourist attractions like Tempozan Ferris Wheel and the Floating Garden Observatory. Who can say no to that?!

Kyenga and I had a great day out in Osaka with Enjoy Eco Card. What would be your itinerary for maximizing the benefits of this 1-day pass in Osaka?

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