Port of Osaka

Located in the northeast of Osaka Bay, the Port of Osaka is divided into three areas: North Port, Inner Port, and South Port, and hosts 39 major pier berths in total. Beyond the docking berths for freighters, it is also a stopping point for large international cruise ships. Visitors can also board a ship here to cruise Osaka Bay. Tempozan Harbor Village just by the port is very popular among tourists, where gathers Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan and Tempozan Ferris Wheel.

Port of Osaka Photos ( 10 )

View around the Port of Osaka

Top Things to Do Around the Port of Osaka as a Tourist

1. Take Santa Maria Cruise Ship to Appreciate Osaka Bay View

Santa Maria is a sailboat-type cruise ship that is modeled after the ship Columbus sailed to America. The size of the ship is twice of the original Santa Maria, and it has 4 floors. Taking the ship to appreciate the view of Osaka Bay is enjoyable, and you can watch Tempozan Bridge, Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel, Minato Bridge, and Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan in the process. It has day cruises and twilight cruises, taking 45 minutes and 60 minutes respectively. Both routes start and end on the Kaiyukan West Pier, though you can see more bridges during twilight cruises.  

Port of Osaka

View of Osaka Bay

2. Observe Varied Sea Creatures in Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is next to the Port of Osaka, and you can see the biggest shark species in the world, the whale shark there. Besides, you have the opportunity to touch these cute sea creatures in the special pool. Beyond the sea creatures, you also can watch varied land creatures living in the rainforests and cute penguins living in the Antarctic. During the night, the Aquarium Kaiyukan shows a different scene from the day, and you can appreciate these sea creatures sleeping quietly. Furthermore, you can see how cute these creatures are during feeding time.

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel

3. Overlook the Osaka Port and City on Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel

With a diameter of 100 meters (328 feet) and a height of 112.5 meters (369 feet), the Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel is the largest Ferris Wheel in the world. Riding the huge Ferris wheel, you can overlook the cityscape of Osaka and view the scene of mountain Ikoma of Nara, Akashi Kaikai Bridge, Kansai International Airport, and Mountain Rokko. Besides, the eight transparent gondolas are the highlights of the Ferris wheel, and both the floor and seats are transparent. If you want to have a try, please remember to book the ticket in advance or you may spend a lot of time waiting in line. In addition, the night view of the Tempozan Giant Ferris Wheel is charming, and you can watch the light show on the Ferris wheel. The lights on the Ferris wheel will predict the weather for the next day, red for sunny, green for cloudy, and blue for rainy.

4. Taste Delicious Osaka Food and Enjoy Shopping in Tempozan Market Street

Tempozan Market has a total of three floors and contains more than 80 shops. There are some drinks shops on the first floor. The second floor mainly sells some of Osaka's special snacks, like Japanese rice bowl dishes, ramen noodle soup, Sushi, and Takoyaki. Besides, on the second floor, you can find a themed street that shows the style of Japanese Osaka street in the 1960s and there are 20 representative and well-known old shops. In addition, there is a large Lego store on the third floor, as well as a small petting zoo. 

How to Get to Port of Osaka

By Metro

You can take Osaka Metro Chuo Line, then get off at the Osakako Station, and come out from Exit 1.

By Bus

You can take the Limousine Bus from the Kansai International Airport, then get off at Tenpozan (Kaiyukan) station. The single route takes about one hour.

Nearby Attractions to Visit

After exploring the Port of Osaka, you can take the Cap Line boat to visit the nearby Universal Studios Japan. You can take the boat at the Kaiyukan West Pier, and a single way takes about 10 minutes. 

See More:

•  Port of Osaka Photos
•  Osaka Photos