Things to do in Hirakata

The castle is must a visit. Purchasing tickets from Trip ahead made the visit very convenient. We don't need to queue and we entered the castle immediately.

easy to enter usj , worth price! with free popcorn and kansai pass

It’s showed the related historycal knowledge in a very intresting manner. It gives a lot of information and you don’t need to wait for the tickets office, where always has big line.

Go to the 3rd floor via escalator, then elevator to the 39th floor. Head to the reception, show them the QR code to exchange for a physical ticket. After which you can head up to enjoy a panoramic view of Osaka city and the distant mountains.

Just went to Osaka in Oct. I planned to go to Katsuoji on my trip but only found out there is entry fee when I was waiting for the bus, so I searched for tickets here and bought it on my way to the temple. Best decision made, cuz when I got there the queue for purchasing tickets were starting to lined up more and more. There are separate gate for advance qr ticket so I got to enter right away. Highly recommend for people who plan to visit (especially on weekends like me when there are lots of tourists and visitors). The temple area is spacious with decent amount of stairs and LOTS of Daruma (very cute!). I would definitely visit again (on weekday next time for less crowd lol)

It was very crowded, this was the first castle I visited in Japan, quite impressive.

Fushimi Inari Taisha was a magical place. So beautiful for pictures. We went early evening before it got dark and it was perfect as not too many people. Highly recommended in Kyoto.

If you are one who doesn't like to wait in line for anything, then Hirataka Park is for you. I arrived just before the park opened, and using the QR code to enter was a breeze. However, I bought the unlimited rides pass so I had to stop at the information counter to collect a wrist band. This band is for unlimited rides entry usage. There was barely any queue for any ride, but be warned that the rides cater mostly for the 6 - 12 years old group. My daughter (12yrs) and I spent 3h there and had an enjoyable time there. You cannot compare the level of the rides in USJ and here. However, the absence of any waiting time makes up for the difference in my opinion.

The view from Harukas 300 was breathtaking, I thoroughly enjoyed it! Head to the 16th-floor ticket counter after dinner, and take the high-speed lift to the 60th-floor observation deck. The glass atrium here is incredibly massive and airy. You can walk around the 360-degree perimeter at your own pace, listening to the calm background music while watching the millions of lights across Osaka twinkle to life. It feels entirely detached from the chaos of the city streets below.

There aren't many tourists, so it's recommended to reach the top an hour before sunset so you can get a good shot of the sunset. The rooftop has full glass windows so you can see Osaka Castle from afar. You can also buy a drink and find a seat indoors to slowly experience the sky garden.