Osaka in half a day

Hello all!

Me and my family (3 young adults and 2 middle aged parents) are planning to go to Osaka for 2 days. Half of the first day is already booked as travel time and the full 2nd day is dedicated for USJ as we three are huge Potter fans, leaving the other parts of Osaka to be toured in half a day. We might start the tour at about 4pm and I for one wanted so much to see a lot of places, though I know it is near to impossible. The places I wished to see are Osaka Castle, Sumiyoshi-Taisha Shrine, Shi-Tennoji Temple, Umeda Sky Building and Dotombori.

Now I know covering all these is impossible but which of these places would you recommend for a first time traveller to Japan who wanted to see as much as she could? Can you also recommend a good route if the start and end point will be at Higashiyodogawa-ku? Any suggestions will be very welcomed!

Thank you so much!

I would just go shopping and dinner in the dotonbori area.

As you correctly recognised, this day is too rushed. You are here for holiday not for self inflicted pain. And you have 4 people in tow...

We might start the tour at about 4pm and I for one wanted so much to see a lot of places, though I know it is near to impossible. The places I wished to see are Osaka Castle, Sumiyoshi-Taisha Shrine, Shi-Tennoji Temple, Umeda Sky Building and Dotombori.

If you only start at 4 pm, Osaka castle and Shi-Tennoji temple are no options. Osaka castle closes at 5pm, last admission at 4:30 pm (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4000.html) the temple closes at 4 or 4:30 pm depending on time of the year (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4011.html). Even the shrine closes at 5 pm (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4007.html), which is unusual as most shrines in Japan don't close.

The good thing however is that Osaka is most famous for eating. So the advise from the previous poster to just do some shopping and then dinner is totally fine. If you want to do at least some sightseeing, the only attraction from your list that is open is Umeda Sky Building (http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4002.html), last admission at 22:00.

Enjoy your trip to Japan and don't stress out over it ;-)

Thanks, hakata14 and likebike! Suggestions are duly noted.. Kind of makes me sad but yeah, atleast I get the Umeda Sky and Dotombori. Thanks again!

ikay,
Don't feel bad about this, my family and I are planning to go to Osaka for 3 days next year, but the first day will be arriving in the evening, second day will be a day trip to Hiroshima, third will be USJ, then we will leave in the morning to Kyoto.

So like you and your family we are left with a half a day when either when we arrive or after USJ to explore Osaka if we still have energy left.

I didn't make big expectations, so if we get to see Umeda Sky Deck and Dontonbori I will be happy.
I was told that Osaka Castle is not worth it as it's a post war construction and not an ancient one, but it has nearby beautiful cherry blossom trees in Spring.

Osaka and Kyoto are 25 minutes apart from each other. So it isn't really a probably to catch up on a few things in the evenings or late afternoons. Not worth making a big deal out of something or trivial.