Day 1: Arrival in Osaka
Exploring Osaka Castle – Tsutenkaku Tower – Dinner – Dotonbori Sightseeing Cruise
The flight from Macau to Osaka takes about three and a half hours, which is one of the fastest options.
Upon arrival at the airport, as foreigners, we had to complete immigration procedures. I highly recommend visiting the Visit Japan Web website in advance to fill out your entry information and generate a QR code. Without it, you’ll have to manually fill out forms in the busy immigration hall and then line up. I saw some people get their forms rejected for incorrect information and had to rewrite them and queue again.
Immigration procedures are divided into three parts:
- Fingerprint and facial recognition collection.
- Submission of documents and passport inspection.
- Baggage inspection for prohibited items. Both luggage and passengers go through automated inspection systems.
Although there were a lot of foreigners, the process was efficient thanks to the many service counters. It took us about 30-40 minutes to get through.
At Kansai Airport, the Japanese aesthetic is immediately noticeable.
A quick tip: From Kansai Airport to Namba, the Nankai Electric Railway offers two types of trains at different price points. When I first reached the platform, I was confused since both trains were labeled as “express,” and I had to ask a stranger to confirm which one matched my ticket. If the seats look like standard subway benches, it’s the cheaper train. If it looks like first-class bullet train seating, it’s the more expensive one. Be careful not to board the wrong one, or you’ll have to pay the fare difference.
We booked the Nankai Swissotel, conveniently located within Namba Station, which is one of Osaka’s main transportation hubs. Nankai Electric Railway is on the third floor, so after getting off the train, just head to the left at the exit, and you’ll find the hotel’s private elevator.


The front desk staff today seemed to be mostly foreigners. The person assisting me was a European gentleman, and judging by his accent, I suspect he was Russian. The check-in process felt quite formal and filled with standard phrases.
As a Platinum member, I was upgraded to the executive floor (mainly just a higher floor, but given the hotel’s central location at Osaka Namba Station, the view from the higher floors is definitely better). In many Japanese hotels, access to the pool and gym isn’t free for guests, but the front desk informed me that I could use them for free due to my membership.
I asked if afternoon tea was available at the lounge, but they said it’s only served at the lobby bar (with an additional charge). However, the lounge offers a happy hour from 5 PM to 7 PM, and they gave me a drink voucher for a rooftop cocktail.
We booked through a mini-program channel, which included not only breakfast but also a $100 credit for use at the hotel’s restaurants (equivalent to 14,000 yen).
As for checkout, the standard time is 11 AM. When I requested an extra hour, the Russian gentleman replied, “Oh, based on your membership status, 2 hours is OK. 1:00 PM it is.”


The entire Osaka Castle Park, aside from the castle itself, is incredibly beautiful. Another thing that stood out was the number of locals jogging through the park. On a clear day, the river reflects the white clouds, creating a picturesque scene.


Compared to Osaka Castle, Tsutenkaku Tower didn’t leave much of an impression on me. It’s just a pedestrian street lined with shops and stores offering archery games.


We reserved a teppanyaki restaurant at our hotel for the first night. The reservation was made through the official website, which links to TableCheck, allowing us to select the number of diners and the set menu directly.
The highlight of a teppanyaki restaurant is that a Japanese chef prepares the meal right in front of you, with top-notch ingredients and techniques. While the chef’s English wasn’t very good, the restaurant’s waitstaff spoke English fluently. Even the dessert was unique—fruit grilled on the teppan.
We ordered the deluxe set, priced at 11,000 yen per person. However, with the Accor A+ card, we got a 50% discount for two people, essentially making it a buy-one-get-one-free deal. Including the 14,000-yen dining credit from our stay, the meal was practically free—but the quality was absolutely first-class.



After dinner, we went on a cruise at Shinsaibashi, one of many available in the area. Reservations can be made on the cruise’s official website (though some timeslots don’t require it, but Mondays do). We booked the 9 PM cruise and arrived on time.
The staff was energetic and enthusiastic throughout the experience. The cruise lasts only about 20 minutes round trip, and at the iconic Glico Running Man sign, the staff helps passengers take souvenir photos.



DAY2
Our only destination today was Universal Studios Japan (USJ), and we had already carefully planned which attractions to enjoy. With the Express Pass, we were guaranteed entry to the Super Nintendo World, so there was no need to rush in early to grab timed entry tickets. After a tiring day yesterday, we decided to sleep in and entered the park around 10 AM.
About the Restaurants in USJ
Aside from Super Nintendo World’s restaurant, which requires a reservation, many popular restaurants also need reservations or involve long waits. Even well-known snack stalls outside the restaurants had queues, like the Butterbeer stand in the Harry Potter area.
The One Piece: Sanji’s Restaurant requires a reservation, as does the Harry Potter restaurant, which had a line. The Demon Slayer Japanese cuisine spot also required pre-booking—when I checked around noon, reservations had already been pushed to 3 PM.
If you prefer not to reserve, there are non-reservation restaurants, and their food is decent. Menus and prices are listed on the official website. The park was packed, and in the afternoon, almost every restaurant was full, with many people sitting just to rest with snacks.
About Super Nintendo World Timed Tickets
Even though we entered the park at 10 AM, timed entry tickets for Super Nintendo World were still available, but the slot was for 5 PM, which matched our Express Pass time. So, it’s probably not worth spending extra for guaranteed entry unless you plan to arrive really late in the day.









Day 3: Nara Day Trip
Itinerary:
National Museum → Todai-ji Temple (passing by Nigatsu-do and Sangatsu-do) → Walk towards Wakakusa Mountain → Kasuga Taisha Shrine (40 minutes) → Nara Park → Walk back to Kintetsu Nara Station → Japanese Kaiseki Dinner at Swissotel
From Namba Station, we took the Kintetsu Line directly to Nara Station. The fare was around 600 yen, and the journey took less than an hour. The National Museum is just a short walk from the station.

Nara truly lives up to its reputation—deer are everywhere. The downside is that there’s also deer poop scattered all over the place.




The images above show the surroundings of Todai-ji Temple. The entrance fee for Todai-ji is 800 yen for adults. Inside, it mainly features enormous structures.