Rainy day · Osaka · Japan
5 things to do in Osaka when it rains
Indoor sights that make a wet day feel planned rather than lost.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Start with Kuromon Market, Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan and Abeno Harukas 300. Together the 5 picks below take roughly 8–9 hours across 5 areas; 1 is free. June is usually the wettest month, with about 12 rainy days.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 5
- Free entry
- 1
- Time to see them all
- 8–9 hours
- Areas
- Namba, Bay Area and Tennoji
Osaka on a rainy day
Market · Namba
1.Kuromon Market
Prices are high for street food; compare a few stalls, and go mid-morning when everything is fresh.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Food
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Aquarium · Bay Area
2.Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
Go in the late afternoon on weekdays when school groups have left; combine with the Tempozan Ferris wheel next door.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Viewpoint · Tennoji
3.Abeno Harukas 300
Clear winter days give the longest views; the department store below has a large food hall.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- After dark
- Rainy day
- Couples
Museum · Ikeda
4.Cupnoodles Museum Osaka Ikeda
Take the Hankyu Takarazuka line from Umeda to Ikeda, about 20 minutes, and arrive early on weekends for the workshop.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Food
Street · Tenma
5.Tenjinbashisuji shopping street
Start at Osaka Tenmangu, walk north and finish with dinner in the Tenma izakaya lanes.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- Rainy day
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Namba | Kuromon Market | 1 hour |
| Bay Area | Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan | 2–3 hours |
| Tennoji | Abeno Harukas 300 | 1 hour |
| Ikeda | Cupnoodles Museum Osaka Ikeda | 1.5 hours |
| Tenma | Tenjinbashisuji shopping street | 2 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 5, 1 free, 1 low cost, 3 mid-priced. Book ahead for Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan and Cupnoodles Museum Osaka Ikeda. The longest visit is Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan: Buying tickets online lets you skip the ticket-office queue on weekends and holidays.
- Cupnoodles Museum Osaka Ikeda: Hands-on chicken-ramen workshops need advance reservations.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Namba, Bay Area and Tennoji): Kuromon Market → Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan → Abeno Harukas 300, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Ikeda and Tenma): Cupnoodles Museum Osaka Ikeda → Tenjinbashisuji shopping street, at least 4 hours.
The wettest months
- June: highs of 28°C (82°F), about 12 rainy days, moderate crowds. The rainy season brings humid, overcast days and frequent showers; indoor sights and food fill the gaps.
- July: highs of 32°C (90°F), about 11 rainy days, busy crowds. The rainy season ends mid-month and real heat arrives; summer festivals fill the evenings.
- September: highs of 30°C (86°F), about 11 rainy days, moderate crowds. Still hot early on and the peak of typhoon season; cooler by late month.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Namba and Dotonbori — Neon canal-side food streets, theatres and the Glico Running Man sign
- Bay Area — Universal Studios Japan, the Kaiyukan aquarium and harbour hotels
More of Osaka
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Osaka?
Kuromon Market. A 580-metre covered market of about 150 stalls, Kuromon was long where Osaka's chefs bought fish and produce.
+Which of these are free in Osaka?
Tenjinbashisuji shopping street.