The Bay Area features everything from amusement parks and shopping facilities to one of the world's largest aquariums, one of the world's largest Ferris wheels, and Universal Studios Japan™, one of the most unforgettable tourist spots in all of Osaka.
Endless Fun on the Waterfront
Osaka's newest tourist areas are located along Osaka Bay, in the western part of the city. The Bay Area is an area of amusement parks, museums, shopping, outdoor activities, and interaction with the sea. It's a place where you can easily spend an entire day on just a few of the many varied attractions available.
Things to See and Do
The most popular bayside destination is Universal Studios Japan, where visitors can immerse themselves in the excitement of the big screen.This theme park is the only place outside the United States where you can experience the genuine Hollywood magic of Universal Studios!
Across from Universal Studios Japan is Tempozan, an area that features one of the world's biggest aquariums, and that also features an art museum and a shopping center with a giant Ferris wheel. The Osaka Aquarium "Kaiyukan" is home to 30,000 creatures from the sea.
The Tempozan Market Place has a variety of shops and restaurants, and its Ferris wheel is one of the largest in the world. The nearby Suntory Museum hosts prominent rotating art exhibits; the building, designed by world-famous architect Ando Tadao, also has a 3D IMAX theater. And don't forget to climb Japan's lowest peak, Mount Tempozan, a mound in a local park.
From the Tempozan Harbor Village, you can see Sakishima Island, or Nanko (South Port) area as it is known, particularly easy to spot because of the World Trade Center (WTC) Cosmo Tower, which is the tallest building in Western Japan. Its observatory and restaurants give stunning views of Osaka and, in the distance, of the Akashi Straits Bridge, the world's longest suspension bridge.
In the old days the Nanko area was filled with containers and shipping yards, but today, because of its many shops, the international wholesale outlet mall in the Asia-Pacific Trade Center (ATC), and its other attractions, it's known to Osakans as a popular shopping and dating area. The ATC and WTC also house some of the world's most up-to-date office facilities. Many companies or offices dealing with import goods, as well as business support facilities such as the Consumer Product End-User Research Institute and the Commerce Support Center for companies just starting up, are located inside the ATC. In terms of sightseeing, the view from the observatory on the 55th floor of the Cosmo Tower is one that can't be experienced anywhere else.
Meanwhile, exhibits at the nearby Osaka Maritime Museum show how Osaka developed into an important center for sea transportation and detail its history of maritime trade.
