Using the 1-Day Pass: Enjoy Eco Card

📍 Osaka · 👁 957 reads

Using the 1-Day Pass: Enjoy Eco Card – A Great Deal to Explore Osaka! Must-Visit Sights Edition

Merhaba! I'm Aysel from Turkey.

I’ve been living in Osaka for 20 years. I absolutely love this city – it’s so livable, and the people are incredibly warm!

If you're not sure where to go in Osaka, it’s best to start with the classic must-see spots for first-time visitors and discover what makes Osaka so charming. Today, I want to take you on the ultimate Osaka sightseeing route that you can’t miss. I’ll be using the most popular 1-Day Pass from Osaka Metro, the Enjoy Eco Card – let’s go!

You can buy the Enjoy Eco Card at ticket vending machines inside subway stations – it's very easy!

As for the price, it’s 820 yen for adults on weekdays, 620 yen on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays (310 yen for children).

It’s valid on all Osaka Metro lines and most Osaka City Bus routes (except some lines).

While using an IC card like PiTaPa during your trip is convenient and offers discounts, if you plan to visit many places in one day, I highly recommend the Enjoy Eco Card!! It also comes with coupons that give you discounts at various Osaka attractions, making it a great value! Today, I’m going to make full use of the Enjoy Eco Card!

First, I head to Umeda.

My first stop is the iconic landmark – the Umeda Sky Building • Kuchu Teien Observatory.

The Sky Building seen from Osaka Station City looks so cool!! The sleek glass façade reflects the blue sky and surrounding buildings beautifully. On the underground path leading to the Sky Building, I discovered some wall art! I recommend snapping a photo here too.

It’s about a 10-minute walk from Umeda Station. This is the view from directly below. The Umeda Sky Building is a very unique structure – you rarely see anything like it. It’s been selected as one of the “Top 20 World Buildings,” so it’s very popular among foreign tourists.

Excited, I headed to the popular photo spot on Instagram and other social media – the Kuchu Teien Observatory. The transparent escalator gives a near-futuristic feel, doesn’t it? If you focus too much on taking photos, you’ll see the unobstructed view outside and feel a bit scared…

At the ticket counter, showing my Enjoy Eco Card got me an adult ticket for 1,350 yen instead of the regular 1,500 yen. I was so happy to get a discount on the admission fee♡

Then I went up to the observatory! Wow! It’s a 360-degree panoramic view – so refreshing! I took a deep breath under the vast sky. The weather was great, and the building’s glass reflected the clear sky. Standing among the endless high-rises, gazing at the blue sea in the distance, I leisurely enjoyed the scenery of Osaka. Every angle is worth a photo to treasure!

Rows of colorful padlocks – that’s the Sky Building’s famous “love locks.” It’s a popular romantic spot for couples. Even coming down from the observatory, I saw couples at the café on the 40th floor. It’s really romantic♡

Oh, and there are even cute capsule toy machines at the Sky Building!

On the basement floor, there’s the retro-style “Takimi Koji” street, which gives a feel of old Japan. The Umeda Sky Building truly has something worth seeing from the top to the bottom.

Next, using the Enjoy Eco Card, I take the Midosuji Line from Umeda to Shinsaibashi. Coming out of the station, I find Daimaru and Shinsaibashi PARCO for great shopping.

As I walk along the arcade, checking out window displays, I reach Ebisubashi Bridge over the Dotonbori River. This is the iconic “THE・Osaka” scene!

On the bridge, I have to strike the classic Glico pose for a photo. Lol.

Then I imitate the Kani Doraku crab pose. Lol.

And I go see Osaka’s most famous drummer – Kuidaore Taro.

Near “Dotonbori Imai,” famous for its kitsune udon, there’s “Ukiyo no Komichi” – a very photogenic spot with a nostalgic atmosphere.

It feels like stepping back in time.

The Dotonbori area is a treasure trove of street food. First, I try takoyaki from “Takoyaki Douraku WANAKA.” Since I only eat halal food, I ordered the “suyaki” (plain, unseasoned) takoyaki – safe to eat. The broth flavor is rich, and the crispy exterior wraps a soft filling – it’s so good I can only nod in approval.

On Ebisubashi-suji, I spotted “Sansei Dessert,” eye-catching with its strawberry-topped sweets. There were so many choices – strawberries, roasted sweet potato, matcha desserts – but I chose the seasonal roasted sweet potato crepe. It was huge and very satisfying♡

After dessert, I craved something savory. So I bought crispy fried chicken from “Gold Rush” next door. It’s an endless sweet-and-salty cycle. Lol.

From Dotonbori to Namba, you can shop and eat while wandering around – it’s very satisfying.

Next, I’m off to Osaka Castle, the most popular attraction in Osaka and once ranked No. 1 on foreign tourists’ search list! From Namba Station, I take the Midosuji Line to Honmachi Station, then transfer to the Chuo Line to Tanimachi 4-chome Station.

Exiting Tanimachi 4-chome Station, walking past the impressive Osaka Museum of History, I enter Osaka Castle Park. Passing through the main gate, “Otemon,” leads to a straight path. I immediately feel my spirits lift.

This is the Otemon masugata stone. How did people in the Edo period move such huge stones?

Originally a historic building, it’s now a complex called MIRAIZA Osaka Castle. Inside, there are elegant restaurants and shops offering ninja experiences for tourists.

And finally, the iconic Osaka Castle Main Tower (Tenshukaku). It’s a lavish castle with gold decorations. Quick, let’s go up! At the Osaka Castle ticket counter, showing my Enjoy Eco Card gives me a 10% discount on the regular 600 yen ticket – I got in for 540 yen.

Inside, there’s an elevator, giving it a modern feel different from what you see outside. The exhibition rooms offer displays that let you learn more about Osaka Castle’s history.

From the middle, I take the stairs – are these steep steps remnants of the original castle? Stepping onto the outdoor corridor of the Tenshukaku, I see a lush green view of Osaka.

The angle and height are different from what I saw at the Sky Building, offering a unique perspective.

The castle walls are decorated with golden shachihoko (tiger-headed fish) and tiger replicas. It truly reflects Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s love for extravagance – everything looks splendid at first glance.

Next, I take the Chuo Line in the opposite direction to Osaka Port Station. No transfer needed – only 15 minutes. When you mention Tempozan, the giant Ferris wheel comes to mind. Looking up, you can see just how huge it is.

Here, showing my Enjoy Eco Card gets me a discount – 800 yen instead of the regular 900 yen.

From the Ferris wheel, the view of Osaka’s harbor area is breathtaking and expansive.

At Tempozan Market, I found something interesting – “Amezaiku” (traditional Japanese candy making). I watched as hot candy quickly transformed into animal shapes before hardening, turning into a cute unicorn. It’s like magic! It seems too nice to eat!

After a full day visiting Osaka’s must-see spots, it’s already evening. I also really enjoy watching the sunset from Tempozan Market. Unfortunately, the “Santa Maria” sunset cruise was cancelled – the last one – I missed it… Too bad. With the Enjoy Eco Card, the Santa Maria ticket also gets a discount from 1,600 yen to 1,000 yen! Super deal.

I took another boat, the “Captain Line,” departing from the Maritime Museum West Wharf.

With the Enjoy Eco Card, the Captain Line adult single fare of 900 yen is discounted to 810 yen. Round trip from 1,700 yen to 1,530 yen. The Captain Line isn’t a loop; it goes to Universal City. I boarded and went to the open deck on the second floor – just as the sun was setting into Osaka Bay. The ocean was dyed orange – dreamlike!

From the boat, the view of the Kaiyukan Aquarium and Tempozan Market was enchanting.

I took a photo with the beautiful Tempozan Bridge as the backdrop. Passing under this bridge was a new experience. While enjoying the scenery from the boat, I soon arrived at Universal City Port.

After disembarking, I took a commemorative photo at the entrance of Universal Studios Japan, loved by people worldwide. If the night ticket sales time happened, I could buy a ticket and go in! But is that too greedy? Just experiencing the atmosphere of USJ was enough! I took many nice photos of the neon signs and felt overjoyed.

Today, I toured Osaka’s must-see spots. Coming from my accommodation, if I had paid regular subway fares, it would have cost around 1,200 yen, but since it was Sunday, I only paid 620 yen. That’s a saving of 580 yen compared to weekdays. Plus, with the attraction ticket discounts of 400 yen, I saved a total of 1,020 yen!! That’s enough for a lunch!

The Enjoy Eco Card is so convenient and cost-effective – be sure to use it when visiting Osaka! Next time, I plan to buy the value ticket and explore more of Osaka City.

Table of Contents:

1. ● Best Partner for Osaka Sightseeing: 1-Day Pass “Enjoy Eco Card”

2. ● Starting from Umeda Sky Building Kuchu Teien Observatory!

3. ● Heading to Dotonbori – a Treasure Trove of Food and Photo Spots

4. ● Osaka Castle Tenshukaku – Most Popular Among Foreign Tourists

5. ● Finally, to the Bay Area – Tempozan Tourist Information

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