USJ the Top Osaka Attraction for Foreign Visitors
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Shibuya-based Mov, which operates the website Hōnichi Labo concerning business related to inbound tourism to Japan, analyzed 6,944 foreign-language reviews of 100 tourist spots in Osaka Prefecture to compile a popularity ranking.
The most popular attraction by far was Universal Studios Japan, which came ahead of more established tourist attractions in the Kansai region such as Osaka Castle, the Dōtonbori district, and Tsūtenkaku Tower.
Most Popular Osaka Attractions for International Visitors
| Site | Points |
|---|---|
| Universal Studios Japan | 1,508 |
| Osaka Castle | 1,054 |
| Dōtonbori district | 945 |
| Kaiyūkan aquarium | 719 |
| Kuromon Market | 418 |
| Umeda Sky Building | 344 |
| Harukas 300 (observation deck at Abeno Harukas) | 312 |
| Tsūtenkaku Tower | 310 |
| Floating Garden Observatory (in Umeda Sky Building) | 296 |
| Abeno Harukas skyscraper | 219 |
Created by Nippon.com based on information from Mov.
The iconic Glico runner sign that is a popular subject for photographs in Dōtonbori. (© Pixta)
A look at the ranking by language of reviews (traditional Chinese, simplified Chinese, Korean, Thai, and English) shows that USJ tops the ranking for traditional Chinese, Korean, and English, while Dōtonbori is the top attraction for simplified Chinese and Thai.
Skyscrapers are also popular among foreign tourists, including the Abeno Harukas building and its observation deck Harukas 300, and the Umeda Sky Building and its Floating Garden Observatory, which were among the top tourist destinations according to reviews in traditional and simplified Chinese, Korean, and English. For reviews in Thai, skyscrapers were not among the top spots. Instead, the Nanba Grand Kagetsu theater and Osaka Museum of History were among the top destinations even though they were not in the top 10 according to reviews in other languages.
| Traditional Chinese | Simplified Chinese | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Universal Studios Japan | Dōtonbori district |
| 2 | Kuromon Market | Kuromon Market |
| 3 | Dōtonbori district | Universal Studios Japan |
| 4 | Tsūtenkaku Tower | Abeno Harukas |
| 5 | Osaka Castle | Tsūtenkaku Tower |
| 6 | Harukas 300 (observation deck at Abeno Harukas) | Dōtonbori Glico sign |
| 7 | Kaiyūkan aquarium | Denden Town |
| 8 | Abeno Harukas | Harukas 300 (observation deck at Abeno Harukas) |
| 9 | Nanba Yasaka Shrine | Osaka Castle |
| 10 | Umeda Sky Building | Kaiyūkan aquarium |
Created by Nippon.com based on information from Mov.
Denden Town is a center for electronics stores and a hub for subculture in the Kansai region. (© Pixta)
| Korean | Thai | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Universal Studios Japan | Dōtonbori district |
| 2 | Dōtonbori district | Universal Studios Japan |
| 3 | Osaka Castle | Kuromon Market |
| 4 | Hep Five Ferris Wheel | Nanba Yasaka Shrine |
| 5 | Harukas 300 (observation deck at Abeno Harukas) | Dōtonbori Glico sign |
| 6 | Kaiyūkan aquarium | Osaka Castle |
| 7 | Floating Garden Observatory (in Umeda Sky Building) | Nanba Grand Kagetsu theater |
| 8 | Umeda Sky Building | Osaka Castle Park |
| 9 | Abeno Harukas | Osaka Museum of History |
| 10 | Tsūtenkaku Tower | Tenpōzan Harbor Village (location of Kaiyūkan aquarium) |
Created by Nippon.com based on information from Mov.
Nanba Yasaka Shrine features an enormous lion-shaped hall (7 meters wide and long, and 12 meters tall), which is a “power spot” popular for bringing luck, especially in business, and often shows up on social media sites. (© Pixta)
| English | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Universal Studios Japan |
| 2 | Osaka Castle |
| 3 | Dōtonbori district |
| 4 | Kaiyūkan aquarium |
| 5 | Umeda Sky Building |
| 6 | Kuromon Market |
| 7 | Floating Garden Observatory (in Umeda Sky Building) |
| 8 | Hep Five Ferris Wheel |
| 9 | Harukas 300 (observation deck at Abeno Harukas) |
| 10 | Osaka Castle Park |
Created by Nippon.com based on information from Mov.
Abeno Harukas, a 300-meter skyscraper, is the tallest building in Japan as of June 2023. (© Pixta)
(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)
Osaka tourism theme parks Universal Studios Japan Osaka Castle