The below photos are from Osaka Castle (大坂城) during one of the peak times for the blooming cherry blossoms. I got lucky with the time I chose to go to Osaka as most if not all the cherry blossoms were in full bloom. The weather was (as you can see) pretty much perfect. Barely a cloud in the sky and the temperature was neither hot or cold. A ton of Japanese and tourists alike were out that day. The actual building you see has been converted into a museum with an observation level and small gift shop at the top. There is a small charge to go up into the actual 'castle'.
Osaka Castle (大坂城)
Website: http://www.osakacastle.net/english/Hours: Entrance to the Museum is from 9AM - 5PM (extended seasonally) with the last admission at 4:30PM.
Admission: 600 Yen to enter the Museum (Grounds are free)
Getting there: http://www.osakacastle.net/english/access/index.html
What to bring/wear: Good walking shoes, a camera/camcorder if you want to take pictures. There are some food options/vending machines available onsite.
Maps: http://www.osakacastle.net/english/park/index.html
After spending the day at Osaka Castle, I visited Dotonbori, a large tourist area that straddles a canal that runs through Osaka. Here you can find a ton of restaurants and shopping as well as a sea of people when night time hits. The iconic Glico Running Man is also located here (picture below). My dinner here consisted of a visit to Kamukura Ramen. To order food, you use the vending machine outside of the restaurant for a meal ticket and then just go in a find an open seat. I chose a set meal that include gyoza and rice formed into a triangle. Everything was delicious!
Dotonbori (道頓堀)
Website (Japan National Tourism Organization): http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/regional/osaka/dotonbori.html
Hours: Restaurant and shop hours vary. Place comes alive at night.Admission: None
Getting there: Accessible via the subway system (Namba and Nipponbashi Stations) and various other methods
What to bring/wear: Good walking shoes, a camera/camcorder if you want to take pictures. An appetite.
Maps: http://goo.gl/maps/FPaJf
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