Dotonbori

Dotonbori refers to the area on both sides of the Dotonbori River. It gathers countless stores decorated with eye-catching neon lights and mainly selling varied Osaka flavor snacks, like Takoyaki, yakitori, and sushi. Many interesting activities are also wait for you to take part in, like shooting, painting, and cooking. Beyond that, Dotonbori River Cruise and Ebisu Tower Ferris Wheel offer you different ways to appreciate the lively scenes of Dotonbori.

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Top Things to Do in Dotonbori

1. Taste Osaka Delicacies

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The countless gourmet stores with large stereoscopic signs are the unique scenes of Dotonbori. In the shapes of octopus, crab, dumplings, or fried skewers, you can quickly know the specialties of the restaurants through these signs. Here are some recommended gourmet stores:

Kushikatsu Daruma: It is a famous kushiage store and the huge male face sign makes it stand out. The store provides three different dips and you are not allowed to dip the same skewer twice. It is open from 11:30 to 22:30.

Kani Douraku: Crab pot is the specialty of the restaurant, and you can see a big red crab sitting on the sign outside the shop. The golden soup of the crab pot is made of kelp, bonito, and white soy sauce. It is open from 11:00 to 23:00.

Store of Kushikatsu Daruma

Store of Kani Douraku

Dotonbori Kukuru Konamon-Museum: The store not only sells ready-made octopus balls but also offers experiential service for guests to make octopus balls in person. The cost of making octopus balls is about 2,000 yen. It is open from 11:00 to 22:00 during the weekdays and from 10:00 to 22:00 during weekends and holidays.

Store of Dotonbori Kukuru Konamon

Store of OSAKA OHSHO

OSAKA OHSHO: It is a store that mainly sells fried dumplings, and you can quickly find the store according to the huge fried dumplings sign. It is open from 11:00 to 22:30.

HONKE OOTAKO: It is the oldest octopus meatball shop in Dotonbori, Osaka and the store has been recorded on several TV shows and online media. It is open from 10:00 to 23:00.

Delicious Octopus Meatball

Store of Genroku Sushi

Genroku Sushi: It is the first revolving sushi restaurant in the world, and you can taste more than 70 types of sushi here. Each serve of sushi in the store costs 125 yen.

2. Enjoy a Cruise on Dotonbori River

Dotonbori Cruise Tour

The Dotonbori River Cruise takes about 20 minutes to show guests scenes around Dotonbori. The ship begins and ends in front of the Ebisu Tower Ferris Wheel. During the cruise process, you can view nine bridges over the Dotonbori River, like Dotombori-bashi Bridge, Ebisu-bashi Bridge, and Tazaemon-bashi Bridge. The fee is 1,200 yen and it runs from 11:00 to 21:00. It is more advisable to take the cruise at night when the colorful lights decorate the street and form more beautiful scenes.

Notes:
*Smoking is forbidden on the cruise ship.
*It still runs when it rains lightly. Since the cruise ship is open air, raincoats will be provided. However, you are not allowed to use an umbrella.
*The cruising route may be temporarily altered during celebrations or religious activities.

Dotonbori River Cruise

A Popular Shooting Store

3. Shoot for Varied Toys

There are three popular shooting stores that provide varied toys. You can try shooting these toys, and once you shot them, you can get the toy for free. The three stores are generally open from 11:00 to 22:00, and the fee is about 500 yen for 7 rubber bullets.

4. Make Ukiyo-e Woodblock Prints by Yourself

Ukiyo-e is a traditional Japanese art form and the artisans painted on wooden boards. Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum is the only private museum showing Kamigata Ukiyo-e. You not only can appreciate these beautiful paintings but also experience painting in person. The cheapest experiencing activity is about 600 yen and takes about 10 minutes. The museum is open from 11:00 to 18:00.

5. Take Ebisu Tower Ferris Wheel to Overlook Dotonbori

The Ferris wheel is oval and located on the bank of the Dotonbori River. The entrance of the Ferris wheel is next to the Don Quijote Doutonbori shop. It takes about 15 minutes to ride the Ferris wheel. It is open from 14:00 to 22:00, and the fee is 600 yen. It is a better choice to ride the Ferris wheel during night, when the colorful store signs and street lights are lit.

Ebisu Tower Ferris Wheel

The Sign of Glico

6. Take a Photo with the Sign Glico

The huge brand of Glico is the landmark of Dotonbori, and many tourists like to model the gesture of the figure of Glico. You can take a picture with this sign to punch in.

7. Shop for Osaka Specialties at Souvenir Shops

Some large duty-free stores and souvenir stores are located in the Dotonbori and you can buy varied makeup products, snacks, and handmade products at reasonable prices.

Recommended Visit Time

About 1 hour.

How to Get to Dotonbori

1. From Other Places in Osaka

You can take the Osaka Metro Sennichimae Line, Kintetsu Nara Line, Nankai Main Line, or Midosuji Line and get off Namba Station.

2. From Kansai International Airport

You can take Nankai Airport Express “Rapid”, and get off at Namba Station, which takes about 35 minutes. Or you can take the airport Limousine bus, and get off at Namba Station, which takes about 1 hour.

3. From Osaka International Airport

You can take the airport Limousine bus, and get off at Namba Station, which takes about 40 minutes.

Nearby Attractions to Visit

1. Hozenji Yokocho is an ancient and quiet alley that gathers about 60 stores that sell Osaka snacks, like Oshiruko and Okonomiyaki. Besides, you can visit Hozenji temple and pour the water on the Buddha statue of Acala to gain good luck.

2. Shinsaibashi is a shopping street that sells high-end goods, like Chanel, Bulgari, Gucci, and Rolex. Besides, you can buy varied animation products and electronic products, or taste gourmets in some food stores.

3. Kuromon Market mainly sells seafood at reasonable prices, and you can taste butter-seared scallops, Kanto boil, roasted wagyu beef, grilled crab, sushi, and other Japanese delicacies.