[Osaka Sightseeing Bus Tour] Enjoy 360° views of Osaka from an open-top bus!

• Table of Contents
• What is NANI-wonder?
• 18:15 Arrived at OCAT (Minatomachi Bus Terminal) in Namba, Minami, Osaka!
• 18:45 NANI-wonder departs!
• 19:50 Toilet break ends
• 20:20 Arrived at JR Osaka Station
• 20:55 Returned to OCAT (Minatomachi Bus Terminal) in Namba, Minami, Osaka.
• summary

What is NANI-wonder?

NANI-wonder is a sightseeing bus that takes you on a loop around Osaka's tourist attractions.

The most distinctive feature of NANI-wonder is that it's a double-decker open-top bus, allowing you to enjoy unobstructed views of Osaka's famous buildings, tourist attractions, and scenery from a high vantage point. You can enjoy a grand panorama on this very open bus and tour Osaka while directly experiencing its vibrant atmosphere.

The tours are divided into "Daytime Courses" and "Nighttime Courses," and the locations visited differ for each course. Please check the website for operating dates and times, and how to purchase tickets.

Check out the latest information about NANI-wonder.

How to book tickets for NANI-wonder

This article will introduce the highlights of taking the "Nighttime Course." The "Nighttime Course" departs from two locations: JR Osaka Station and JR Namba (Minatomachi Bus Terminal).

This time, I headed to OCAT in Namba, Minami, Osaka, to board the bus from JR Namba (Minatomachi Bus Terminal). The weather was perfectly clear! A wonderful day for NANI-wonder .

Please note that on rainy days, the roof will be closed during operation, but if it's just a light drizzle, the roof will be opened and raincoats will be available for rent.

*Travel time may vary depending on traffic conditions, weather, and schedule.

What is OCAT?

Osaka City Air Terminal, or OCAT for short, is a large multi-purpose building directly connected to JR Namba Station. JR Namba (Minatomachi Bus Terminal) is located on the second floor of OCAT. It offers easy access to major train lines, including the subway, Kintetsu, and Hanshin lines.

In addition to the bus terminal, the OCAT building also houses a shopping mall and a restaurant area, making it perfect for using during breaks between sightseeing or while traveling. It's also an ideal place to buy souvenirs.

For more details, please refer to the article below. If you would like to learn more about OCAT and its surroundings, 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-functional commercial complex located in Minatomachi, Naniwa Ward, Osaka City. It houses the South Osaka City Bus Terminal and a bus terminal for Kansai International Airport, and is directly connected to JR Namba Station. The six-story commercial floor also houses shops, restaurants, and an information center. OCAT is also a frequent venue for music performances, and the outdoor Ponte Square is a place for Osaka's young street dance community to practice and interact.

18:15 Arrived at OCAT (Minatomachi Bus Terminal) in Namba, Minami, Osaka!

On this day, I arrived at JR Namba (Minatomachi Bus Terminal) on the 2nd floor of OCAT 30 minutes before departure to catch the 18:45 NANI-wonder! If you plan to buy your ticket at the bus terminal counter, you should plan to arrive a little earlier. Also, if you are coming from the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line or Nankai Line, it takes time to get to OCAT, so be sure to allow plenty of time. For detailed directions to OCAT, please refer to this article.

Upon arriving at OCAT, the first thing to do is head to Yamaya on the first floor. The "Nighttime Course" allows you to bring your own canned drinks and food. To enjoy an alcoholic beverage while feeling the refreshing breeze unique to an open-top bus, choose your favorite drink at Yamaya .

Yamaya offers a wide variety of alcoholic beverages from around the world. If you're particular about your drink and have trouble choosing, you might want to arrive a little earlier. This time, I chose the Daisen Highball from Tottori Prefecture, which is refreshing and has a fruity flavor.

You can find more details about Yamaya in this article. Also, you can purchase alcohol at the convenience store and drugstore on the first basement floor of OCAT.

After purchasing canned drinks and snacks to bring with us, we finally head to the JR Namba (Minatomachi Bus Terminal) on the 2nd floor of OCAT. We check the monitor in front of the escalator to see which platform NANI-wonder will depart from. It appears to be platform 4 on this day.

Since all seats on NANI-wonder are reserved, you don't need to queue until the bus arrives; you can sit on a nearby bench.

18:45 NANI-wonder departs!

At 18:40, NANI-wonder arrived at the bus terminal. The bus is covered in images of Nishiba-kun, the official character of West Japan JR Bus. It's so cute.

We boarded the bus and went up to the second floor. It was a hot and humid day, and I was worried it would be hot since it was an open-top bus with no air conditioning, but there were fans placed on the seats. I really appreciate such thoughtfulness.

Now, the bus departs on time. Since it's a double-decker bus, when we pass indoors or under elevated structures, we pass very close to the ceiling.

In addition to the fans, there was another wonderful service: a multilingual information service.

On NANI-wonder , a bus guide is on board who will tell you all about the sights along the way and share lots of interesting facts that even people who live in Osaka might not know. However, this service is only available in Japanese. Therefore, to ensure that our international guests can also enjoy the experience, we offer a multilingual information service. The scenery from inside the bus is beautiful and the breeze is pleasant, so you can enjoy the bus even without the multilingual information service. However, if you want to learn more about Osaka or decide on your next travel destination, please scan this QR code with your smartphone.

Scanning the QR code will bring up the following screen.

It supports five languages. Once you select a language, a map will appear showing the bus's current location.

It's a good idea to make a note of any places that catch your eye as you pass by, and then check them out after you get off the bus.

You can listen to audio guidance by tapping on the place names at each location. Earphones are not provided on board, so please remember to bring your own if you wish to use them.

Even if you forget your earphones, you can still enjoy the game by reading the instructions displayed on the screen.

Well, we departed from JR Namba (Minatomachi Bus Terminal) on the 2nd floor of OCAT and arrived in the heart of Namba in no time. Seeing the bustling crowds in the shopping district made me feel happy too.

You can also catch a glimpse of the entrance to the famous Kuromon Market. The market boasts such a wide selection of goods that even professional chefs source their equipment there, so if you're interested, be sure to check it out.

We've passed Namba and arrived at Nipponbashi. This is the heart of Japanese subculture. It's a city where people who like anime, games, and computers can easily spend a whole day. You can also take great photos of the Gundam statue on the side of a building from the open top of the bus.

After passing Nihonbashi, you'll soon arrive at the entrance to Shinsekai. Shinsekai is a uniquely Osakan, vibrant neighborhood. While it's especially famous for kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers), you can also enjoy many other Osaka specialties like takoyaki (octopus balls) and okonomiyaki (savory pancake). You can also take beautiful photos of Tsutenkaku Tower, a symbol of Osaka, like this.

After a short while, you will see Abeno Harukas. Abeno Harukas is the second tallest building in Japan (and the tallest in Western Japan). If you wish, you can get off at Tennoji Station, which is close to Abeno Harukas. However, please note that once you get off, you cannot get back on.

After passing Abeno Harukas, we turn left and head north. The bus passes by Shitennoji Temple, which was built more than 1400 years ago, and the retro- 분위기 (atmosphere) Karahori Shopping Street. Although I wasn't able to photograph it this time, Osaka Castle can also be seen from inside the bus.

After passing the OMM Building, a symbol of Tenmabashi, there will be a restroom break at "Kawanoeki Hachikenya".

The restroom break is quite long, so you can take plenty of time to take photos around "Kawanoeki Hachikenya." Enjoy the sparkling night view of Osaka. Luckily, the fountain was lit up that day, so I was able to take lots of stylish photos that I could post on social media.

19:50 Toilet break ends

After our restroom break, we set off again. It was one month before the summer solstice, so it was still light even after 7 PM, but by the time we left "Kawanoeki Hachikenya," it was completely dark. We continued on towards Osaka Station. It looks like we'll be able to see even more beautiful night views of the city.

I was also able to photograph Yodobashi Camera, a place that almost every tourist from overseas stops by. At night, Yodobashi Camera's neon lights shine brightly, giving it a different look than during the day.

20:20 Arrived at JR Osaka Station

We have now arrived at JR Osaka Station. If you have business in this area, you can get off here. However, please note that once you get off, you cannot get back on.

After passing JR Osaka Station, we will head south towards JR Namba (Minatomachi Bus Terminal).

We'll be passing through a bustling downtown area for a while. This area is lined with a wide variety of restaurants, from long-established shops that have been around for nearly 100 years to popular spots for young people. It's also a classic spot for office workers in Osaka to choose a restaurant for company drinking parties.

The bus continues along Midosuji Avenue for a while. During the winter, the long stretch of Midosuji Avenue that goes all the way to Namba is sometimes illuminated. Only during that time can you enjoy the world of lights while riding the bus. Unfortunately, the day I took the photos was summer, so the illuminations were not on.

We can now see the Glico sign, a landmark of Namba. Our fun NANI-wonder trip is drawing to a close.

20:55 Returned to OCAT (Minatomachi Bus Terminal) in Namba, Minami, Osaka.

A uniquely shaped building came into view. This is OCAT in Namba, Minami, Osaka. When you see this, it's a sign that NANI-wonder journey is coming to an end. We've returned to JR Namba (Minatomachi Bus Terminal).

summary

I took a tour of Osaka's main tourist spots in about two hours using NANI-wonder . For tourists, it's a great way to easily get a feel for Osaka's unique atmosphere and attractions, so I recommend using it as an introduction to your trip. Then, take notes on any places that catch your eye and visit them yourself. You'll be able to feel the charm of Osaka on a deeper level.

Furthermore, since you can discover the charm of Osaka from a new perspective through an open-top bus, we highly recommend that even those currently living in Osaka try it. Enjoy your Osaka trip to the fullest with NANI-wonder , perfect for a day trip. For details, please visit NANI-wonder website!

NANI-wonder

① Daytime course

Price: Adults 2,000 yen, Children 1,000 yen

② Nighttime Course

Price: Adults 2,000 yen, Children 1,000 yen

Prices are as of the time of writing and are subject to change. Please check the following for the latest information.

Check out the latest information about NANI-wonder.

How to book tickets for NANI-wonder