20 Reasonably Priced Hotels and Ryokan In Osaka

Above, Osaka Castle. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Last October, we traveled to Osaka from Tokyo (with an overnighter at a ryokan in Atami) to visit some of the sights of Osaka and nearby Kyoto.

We stayed at the Toyoko Inn Osaka Umeda Nakatsu No.2. The hotel was conveniently located within walking distance from a subway station that took us to Dotonbori. It was reasonably priced, but nowhere near as reasonably priced as the hotels listed in Tsunagu Japan's list of 20 reasonably priced hotels and ryokan in Osaka. This information would have been very handy during our trip planning process. But, if you are planning a trip to Japan and Osaka is part of your itinerary, you may want to look over the list to find money-saving accommodations.

They begin with:

Here are some lodging establishments in Osaka where you can stay for 3000 yen or cheaper! Even though they're so cheap, these 20 places have plenty of services and amenities to make your stay comfortable. Many of them are also in great locations near train stations, in residential areas, or in business areas!

To see the list, go here. 

2015 Foreign Visitor Hotel Stays In Japan Rose 48.1%

Above, the Toyoko Inn Umeda Higashi
 in Osaka. Photo by Toyoko Inn.

The current boom in foreign tourism is paying dividends to Japan's hotel industry.

The Japan Times reported:

Hotel stays by foreign visitors to Japan rose 48.1 percent in 2015 to a record 66.37 million, government data showed Monday, amid a tourism boom helped by a weak yen and measures such as tax-free shopping and the easing of visa rules. 

Visitor stays are estimated by multiplying the number of visitors by days stayed.

We stayed in three different accommodations (2 hotels and one ryokan) during our October 2015 trip to Japan.

To read more, go here. 

Osaka Castle and Grounds

Above, a moat, wall and castle turrets of Osaka Castle. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Photos by Armand Vaquer

Back in October, I headed down to Osaka to do some wandering around. One of the places visited was Osaka Castle.

I stayed at one of the Toyoko Inns in Osaka and their check-in time was in the mid-afternoon. As I got to the hotel during the late morning hours, I checked in the luggage, grabbed a taxi and headed off to Osaka Castle.

I had previously posted photos of Osaka Castle, but these are mainly shots taken on the way to the castle.

After I got out of the taxi, and had a snack at a refreshment stand, I headed for the castle. On the way to the castle, I viewed old moats, castle walls and gates that are pictured here.

Also, an old cannon and one of the ornate fish figures on the castle are also shown.

Osaka Castle is a reproduction, built of ferro-concrete in the 1930s.