Is the Osaka Amazing Pass Worth It? An Honest Verdict and How to Get the Most Out of It
Is it worth it?
- Worth itYes for a busy day riding the metro to Osaka Castle (¥1,200), the Umeda Sky Building (¥2,000, free 9.30 am-3 pm) and a few more.
- Skip itNo for the aquarium or USJ. Kaiyukan is only discounted, and USJ isn't on it.
- ¥3,500 (1 day)
- Unlimited Osaka Metro
- 40+ free sights
What is The Osaka Amazing Pass?
This is Osaka's own sightseeing card, not a pick-your-own bundle. For 1 or 2 days you ride the Osaka Metro as often as you like and simply show the card at 40+ sights for free entry. Both versions also work on the Hankyu, Hanshin, Keihan, Kintetsu and Nankai lines inside the city.
In Osaka it's a one-day sightseeing marathon by metro: Osaka Castle, Umeda Sky, the Dotonbori cruise and more.
Realistic on a full sightseeing day.
- Price
- ¥3,500 / ¥5,000
- Length
- 1 or 2 days
- Free sights
- 40+
- Osaka Castle
- Included
How to get the most value out of The Osaka Amazing Pass
Osaka Castle and Umeda Sky are ¥3,200, so a full day covers the ¥3,500 pass.
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Go to Umeda Sky in the evening on the pass | It's free only from 9.30 am to 3 pm; after that you get 10% off. |
| Expect free entry at Kaiyukan | The aquarium (¥2,700-3,500) only gives a discount. |
| Reach Osaka Castle at lunchtime | The tower is quietest from 9 to about 11 am. Start there, then ride the metro north to Umeda Sky before 3 pm. |
| Skip Nishinomaru Garden | The pass covers the castle garden (about ¥300) as well as the tower. It's the best view of the keep. |
| Do Osaka Castle at midday | Go at opening, before tour groups. |
| Leave Umeda Sky for the evening | It's free on the pass only from 9.30 am to 3 pm. |
| Head to Osaka Castle without checking how busy it is | Check Osaka Castle's live crowd level on beatthecrowd.co first. If it's busy, do another Osaka sight on your pass and come back later. |
Before you set off for Osaka Castle, check how busy it is right now on beatthecrowd.co. An hour in a queue is an hour of your pass gone.
Check live crowds in Osaka →Who The Osaka Amazing Pass is for
Good fit
- A busy day of Osaka sights by metro
- Osaka Castle and Umeda Sky are on your list
- First-timers who want Tsutenkaku, the castle and a bay-area ride in one day
Skip it if
- Your day is USJ or the aquarium
- You'll walk around one area
- A day trip to Kyoto or Nara
- ¥3,500 (1 day)
- Unlimited Osaka Metro
- 40+ free sights
What the pass covers
The pass gives free entry to 40+ attractions plus unlimited Osaka Metro rides.
- Osaka Castle's tower (¥1,200) and the Umeda Sky Building (¥2,000) alone are ¥3,200, nearly the 1-day price.
The big sights
- Osaka Castle (tower + garden)Included¥1,200 for the tower on its own.
- Umeda Sky BuildingIncluded¥2,000; free 9.30 am-3 pm on the pass.
- Tsutenkaku TowerIncludedFree on the pass (¥1,500 on its own). Book a time slot at the tower.
- Tempozan Ferris WheelIncludedNext to Kaiyukan. Free on the pass (¥1,000 on its own).
- Osaka Museum of HistoryIncludedBeside Osaka Castle Park. Regular exhibition free on the pass (¥600 on its own); special exhibitions cost extra.
- Osaka Aquarium KaiyukanExtra costDiscount only; ¥2,700-3,500.
- Universal Studios JapanNot included¥8,900-10,900 direct.
- ¥3,500 (1 day)
- Unlimited Osaka Metro
- 40+ free sights
Pass vs individual tickets
Osaka Castle (¥1,200) and Umeda Sky (¥2,000) are ¥3,200. Add a few metro rides and one more sight, and the ¥3,500 day pass pays off.
Worked example: one day
| Attraction | Adult ticket bought separately |
|---|---|
| Osaka Castle tower | ¥1,200 |
| Umeda Sky Building | ¥2,000 |
| Metro rides | A few hundred yen each |
| Total separately | ¥3,200 + rides + more sights |
| Osaka Amazing Pass, 1 day | ¥3,500 |
- ¥3,500 (1 day)
- Unlimited Osaka Metro
- 40+ free sights
Fine print
- Transport
- Osaka Metro, city buses and the private lines inside Osaka City, on both the 1-day and 2-day versions.
- Umeda Sky
- Free 9.30 am-3 pm; 10% off after.
- Refunds
- Unused, still-valid passes can be refunded through the site you bought from, with no fee. Once you've used it for a ride or a sight, there's no refund, even for bad weather or closures.
Is it safe? Where people lose money
- Reassuring: The Osaka Amazing Pass is official, from Osaka Metro.
- Reassuring: Refunds: Unused, still-valid passes can be refunded through the site you bought from, with no fee. Once you've used it for a ride or a sight, there's no refund, even for bad weather or closures.
- Watch out: The aquarium only gives a discount.
Where people lose money
| Don't | Do this instead |
|---|---|
| Buy it for a USJ day | USJ isn't on it. |
| Treat the 2-day pass as 48 hours | It runs for the calendar day you start and the next day, not 48 hours. Start it in the morning. |
| Queue at Osaka Castle at peak time | Check beatthecrowd.co for Osaka Castle's quiet hours before you go. |
Queuing is the easiest way to lose value in Osaka. Check which sights are quiet right now on beatthecrowd.co, starting with Osaka Castle.
Check live crowds in Osaka →- ¥3,500 (1 day)
- Unlimited Osaka Metro
- 40+ free sights
Alternatives
Planning your order and avoiding queues is the simplest way to get full value: see how busy Osaka’s attractions are right now →
- ¥3,500 (1 day)
- Unlimited Osaka Metro
- 40+ free sights
FAQs
Is the Osaka Amazing Pass worth it?
+
Yes for a busy sightseeing day: Osaka Castle and Umeda Sky alone are ¥3,200, against ¥3,500 with unlimited metro.
Does it include the aquarium?
+
Only a discount.
How much is it?
+
¥3,500 for 1 day, ¥5,000 for 2 days.
Is Umeda Sky free with the Osaka Amazing Pass?
+
Yes, from 9.30 am to 3 pm. After 3 pm you get 10% off the ¥2,000 ticket instead.
Does the 2-day pass cover private railways?
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Yes. Both the 1-day and 2-day passes cover the Hankyu, Hanshin, Keihan, Kintetsu and Nankai lines mainly within Osaka City. Reserved-seat express trains cost extra. Kansai Airport is outside the area; a separate 28-hour Kansai Airport version (¥5,300) adds a one-way Nankai ride from the airport to Namba.