Sightseeing from Osaka to Naruto! How to get from OCAT to the Otsuka Museum of Art and a sample itinerary!

• Table of Contents
• Departing from OCAT! A convenient day trip to the Otsuka Museum of Art in Tokushima
• Day trip course 1: Whirlpools and masterpieces! A course touring dynamic nature and art
• Day trip course 2: Explore the charms of Naruto on foot! A model course where you can enjoy the view, food, and art all at once
• Recommended gourmet spots in the museum to enjoy between museum visits
• Let's visit the recommended tourist spots in the Naruto area!
• ◆Discount information: Discount access information to the museum
• summary

Departing from OCAT! A convenient day trip to the Otsuka Museum of Art in Tokushima

Located in Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture, Otsuka Museum of Art is a ceramic art museum with one of the largest permanent exhibition spaces in Japan. Approximately 1,000 masterpieces from around the world are reproduced in full size. All artworks are photographed, and photo spots such as the flower art wall have become very popular in recent years.

You can also visit the Otsuka Museum of Art on a day trip by express bus departing from OCAT (Osaka City Air Terminal). Here we will introduce a recommended sightseeing route for a day trip to the Naruto area of Tokushima starting from Osaka.

Otsuka Museum of Art Official Website

What is OCAT?

Osaka City Air Terminal, or OCAT for short, is a large complex building directly connected to JR Namba Station. It is located in an area with easy access to major lines, including the subway, Kintetsu, and Hanshin.

The OCAT building also has a shopping mall and a restaurant area, making it a great place to spend your free time between sightseeing or taking a break while traveling. It's also a great place to buy souvenirs.

More details are summarized in the article below, so if you would like to know more about the area around OCAT and what's inside it, please read the article below.

OCAT/Osaka City Air Terminal

1-4-1 Minato-cho, Naniwa-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka 556-0017

Osaka City Air Terminal (OCAT) is a multi-purpose commercial complex located in Minatomachi, Naniwa-ku, Osaka. It is home to the South Osaka City Bus Terminal and the Kansai International Airport bus terminal, and is directly connected to JR Namba Station. The six-storey commercial floors also house shops, restaurants, travel agencies and a tourist information centre. OCAT is also a frequent venue for music performances, and the outdoor "Ponte Square" is a place where Osaka's young street dance community can practice and socialise. In addition, an urban dance contest is held here every August.

Day trip course 1: Whirlpools and masterpieces! A course touring dynamic nature and art

From OCAT, get off at the Otsuka Museum of Art bus stop, then walk 2 minutes to the Uzushio Kisen Ferry

Departing from OCAT, take the 7:35am express bus to the Otsuka Museum of Art in Tokushima. You will arrive at the museum around 9:30am.

After arriving, it's about a 7-minute walk to the whirlpool steamer dock and you can view the whirlpools from the Naruto Strait. After about 20 minutes, you'll approach the point where the whirlpools originate, and you'll be able to see the gigantic swells created by nature. Depending on the day, they can reach a maximum of 20-30m (according to the Uzu-no-michi website). The whirlpools seen from the boat are an overwhelming sight.

*The whirlpools can be seen at times and not at all depending on the time of day, and change every day. Please check the tide table on the official website in advance.

Click here for the Uzushio Steamship website

After experiencing nature on the Uzushio Steamship, enjoy lunch at the Otsuka Museum of Art

After transferring from the Uzushio Steamship to the museum, it is time for lunch in the museum. Inside the museum, there is the Restaurant Garden and Cafe de Giverny, where you can enjoy local produce from Naruto, Tokushima, and an artistic lunch.

After the break, you can take your time to appreciate the masterpieces on display in the museum. Even if you are not an art expert, you will surely be soothed by the extraordinary space and composition that makes it enjoyable.

You can return to OCAT/Osaka from the bus stop in front of the Otsuka Museum of Art.

On the way back, we took the 15:52 express bus from the bus stop in front of the Otsuka Museum of Art before the evening. We arrived at the OCAT terminal at 17:49. Although it was a day trip, it was very fulfilling.

There are restaurants at OCAT, so you can have dinner there, and there are also places to shop, so you can spend the last day of your trip there.

Day trip course 2: Explore the charms of Naruto on foot! A model course where you can enjoy the view, food, and art all at once

From OCAT, get off at the Naruto Park bus stop, then walk for 2 minutes to the Onaruto Bridge Memorial Hall Eddy.

The second bus also departs the terminal at 7:35 in the morning and arrives at the Naruto Park bus stop at 9:24, from where you can start your sightseeing on foot.

First, we went to the Onaruto Bridge Construction Memorial Museum Eddie. This facility mainly features hands-on exhibits, where people of all ages can enjoy learning about the mechanisms of whirlpools, which are rare even in the world, and the construction process of the impressive bridge that crosses the Naruto Strait.

A 3-minute walk from the Onaruto Bridge Memorial Hall Eddy leads to Uzu-no-michi

If you're lucky, you might be able to see the spectacular whirlpools from the bridge on the "Uzu no Michi" (Road to the Whirlpools). The 449m-long Uzu no Michi (Road to the Whirlpools) offers the rare experience of walking directly above the sea, buffeted by strong natural winds.

After Uzunomichi, we had lunch at the local restaurant Umikaze and then headed to Eskahiru Naruto.

Leaving Uzunomichi behind, we headed to Senjojiki Observatory for lunch. Here, we enjoyed fresh seafood dishes at the local cuisine restaurant Shiokaze while overlooking the ocean of Naruto.

After lunch, we headed to "Eska Hill Naruto" to view the Naruto Strait. Eska Hill Naruto is home to a tourist escalator that boasts the highest elevation difference in East Asia at 34m and a total length of 68m. Once you reach the top of the escalator, a spectacular view awaits.

It is a 10-minute walk from Eska Hill Naruto to the Otsuka Museum of Art.

It takes 10 minutes on foot from Eska Hill Naruto to the Otsuka Museum of Art.

Set off with an aim to arrive at the Otsuka Museum of Art at 12:10, and enjoy the space filled with paintings to your heart's content until your return bus leaves at 15:52.

Return to OCAT/Osaka by express bus

On the way back, just like in "Part 1," we will take the express bus departing from the Otsuka Museum of Art bus stop at 15:52 and arriving at the terminal at 17:49.

Recommended gourmet spots in the museum to enjoy between museum visits

The Otsuka Museum of Art has so much to see that it can take more than half a day if you take your time to explore. If that happens, we recommend taking a break at one of the restaurants or cafes inside the museum. Eating in a relaxed atmosphere while still enjoying the afterglow of your art appreciation will enhance your experience at the museum.

Restaurant Garden

Restaurant Garden, located on the first floor of the museum, is an open, glass-walled space that gives off a sense of openness. In this bright, natural-light-filled restaurant, you can enjoy Western cuisine made with seasonal ingredients.

The most popular dishes here are the Naruto Sashimi Set Meal, which is limited to 50 meals per day, and the Suiren Lunch, which is limited to 60 meals per day (limited time only until August 31st). In addition, they also offer dishes typical of the Naruto area such as sea bream chazuke and seared sea bream rice bowl, so be sure to check them out when you visit.

Local cuisine Shiokaze

"Shiokaze" is a local cuisine restaurant located in a location overlooking the Naruto Strait. The recommended menu item is the "Omakase Sashimi Assortment Set Meal" made with fresh seafood. The menu changes daily and other menu items also allow you to enjoy seasonal fish and fresh fish caught in Tokushima.

*Please note that this restaurant is not located within the Bijukukan building, but is about a 15-minute walk from the museum.

Local Cuisine Shiokaze Instagram

*Re-entry is possible on the same day only. When you leave, you will need to go through the re-entry procedure at the information desk on the 3rd basement floor.

Let's visit the recommended tourist spots in the Naruto area!

Onaruto Bridge Memorial Museum Eddie

Onaruto Bridge Memorial Museum Eddie

772-0053 65 Fukuike, Tosa-tomariura, Naruto-cho, Naruto City, Tokushim...

At the Onaruto Bridge Memorial Museum Eddy, located next to Naruto Park, visitors of all ages can enjoy the exhibits, which have a theme of "whirlpools" and "bridges," as well as experiences such as a 360-degree 4K theater, LED digital art, and VR.

This spot is a memorial museum where you can learn about the Naruto whirlpools, the Naruto Strait, and the Onaruto Bridge while having fun. You can experience the structure of the bridge and the movement of the whirlpools through a life-size model and an AR experience. From the rooftop observation deck, the contrast between the entire bridge and the sea is beautiful, and the scenery that makes you want to take a picture is unbelievable.

The Path of Whirlpools: Naruto Whirlpools

Onaruto Bridge Promenade: Uzu no Michi

Naruto Park, Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture 772-0053

This facility is a tide observation facility that uses the bridge girder space of the Onaruto Bridge on the Honshu-Shikoku Bridge to set up a 450m promenade and a whirlpool observation room. You can experience and see the whirlpools and the Onaruto Bridge. Naruto Park has an observation deck where you can see the Onaruto Bridge and the whirlpools, as well as many scenic spots, the Onaruto Bridge Memorial Hall Eddie, the Otsuka Museum of Art, Eskahiru Naruto, and a tide observation boat. You can enjoy touring the tourist spots using the promenade.

The 449m long "Uzu no Michi" (Road to Whirlpools) is a highlight of Naruto tourism. The promenade is about 45m above sea level and has glass floors, allowing you to view the whirlpools from directly above.

This experience of feeling the power of nature is something everyone from children to adults should try at least once. If you time it right, you'll be captivated by the sight of the swirling water, almost like a living thing.

◆Discount information: Discount access information to the museum

For the bus tour to Tokushima mentioned above, we recommend purchasing a ticket that also includes an exchange coupon for an admission ticket to the museum. The details of the ticket are as follows.

"Bus Travel Discount Ticket with Exchange Coupon for Otsuka Museum of Art Admission Ticket"

・Contents: A set of "Osaka to Otsuka Museum of Art round-trip express bus ticket" and "Otsuka Museum of Art admission ticket exchange coupon"

・Travel time: Approximately 2 hours one way

·Fee

Adults: 9,640 yen, Children: 3,720 yen

・Details/Purchase

Ticket information here (Japanese)

Ticket information here (English)

The express bus timetables listed for the day trip courses are accurate at the time of writing and are subject to change.

Please check the latest timetable.

Osaka⇔Tokushima Route: Flights and timetable [Osaka⇔Tokushima] Timetable

SETOUCHI ROUND PASS is also recommended for foreign tourists

The "SETOUCHI ROUND PASS" is a special, convenient ticket designed for foreign visitors to Japan that allows you to travel around the Seto Inland Sea area efficiently.

This pass includes a one-way ticket for the express bus connecting Osaka to Tokushima, Takamatsu to Hiroshima, and Hiroshima to Osaka, as well as a ticket for the Uzushio limited express train connecting Takamatsu to Tokushima.

In addition, shopping vouchers are also included at participating Shikoku Kiosk stores, allowing you to enjoy sightseeing and shopping at the same time.

Price: Adults 17,700 yen

More info & purchase

summary

Using Osaka OCAT as a base, you can visit wonderful places all over Japan.

In this article, we have introduced a model itinerary for spending a day in Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture. You can enjoy the convenience of being able to access the city without having to transfer, the power of the whirlpools, the intellectual stimulation of the art museum, and the satisfaction of the local cuisine.

The Tokushima day trip from Osaka OCAT is packed with such "heart-moving experiences."

Why not get up a little earlier than usual and enjoy a unique travel style?