'I’ve holidayed in Japan 3 times. This underrated destination is better than Tokyo.'

There's only one holiday destination I have visited multiple times, and that is Japan.

The first was in 2018 with my family, the second was the following year with a group of our friends, and my husband and I just returned from our third. And there are many reasons why we keep going again and again.

Firstly, it's an easy destination to get to with a direct flight that only takes 10 hours or so, depending on which part of Japan you are visiting. If you're taking an overnight flight you can literally fall asleep in Australia and wake up in Japan. Minus the jet lag.

On top of that, the time difference isn't a punishment. With Sydney being only two hours ahead, it's easy to adjust both on the way there and back.

It's also relatively affordable to visit. The flight doesn't cost the earth and once you get there, you don't lose a heap on currency conversion, with the Australian dollar currently being on par with the Japanese yen.

The reasons to visit Osaka really are endless.Image: Supplied.

On that, food is fairly priced (a nice break from the cost of living crisis in Australia), and I have never had a bad meal in Japan. No matter the establishment — a supermarket, street food stall, or higher end restaurant — Japan always delivers.

I've also found that people in Japan are incredibly hospitable and friendly. Put simply, they like tourists and will make a real effort to minimise the language barrier. Japan is also rated one of the safest countries in the world due to its low crime rate, so you can wander the streets at any time without a worry.

There's also lots to do. Whether you like food, culture, and sightseeing, want family friendly activities, or all of these things at once, the reasons to visit are endless.

But while you might be tempted to visit Tokyo as Japan's capital, I would argue the best and most underrated destination to visit is actually Osaka — and I say that as someone who has seen both many times.

So if you're looking to visit, here is everything you need to know about getting there and exactly what to do:

Fly from Australia to Osaka, Japan.

Every time I have visited Japan, I have flown with Jetstar because it's not only hassle free, but very affordable.

They offer more than 760,000 low-fare seats between Australia and Japan every year. For example, you can find one-way fares to Osaka from as low as $285 from Cairns, $373 from Brisbane, and $404 from Sydney.

Jetstar is the only airline offering direct routes to Osaka from three Australian cities, including Cairns, Brisbane, and Sydney, which reduces the likelihood of lengthy layovers or complication connections. With up to 25 flights running between Australia and Japan each week, you've got plenty of options to choose from.

Once you're on the plane, all flights to Japan are operated by Jetstar's Boeing 787 Dreamliners, they're even getting a multi-million-dollar makeover in the coming years. This means new seating in both business and economy, and more than double the business class capacity.

Previously, I'd always flown economy, but on my most recent trip, I was lucky enough to fly business, and it did not disappoint. The seats are much bigger and more comfortable, there's lots of legroom and you can buzz a flight attendant for anything you like at any time. The best part is, it's more affordable than a standard business ticket.

The seats are bigger and just as comfy as they look. Image: Supplied.

Once you're in your seat, you are offered orange juice or bubbles (from a glass cup, I might add!), and given a menu to select your meal from. Oh, and there are unlimited drinks and snacks for the remainder of the flight, too. It's the most comfortable flight I have taken, and the easiest I have ever slept while in the air. I would say the flight is an experience in itself.

Stay at the Centara Grand Hotel Osaka.

When we arrived in Osaka at Kansai International Airport, we took a transfer to our accommodation, which took about 40 minutes. However, it's just as easy to hop on a train directly from the airport, because the rail network is amazing.

We stayed at the five star Centara Grand Hotel Osaka located in the heart of Namba — about a five minute walk to the local train station and very close to the main entertainment and shopping district.

The view from the rooftop at the Centara Grand Hotel Osaka. Image: Supplied.

The Centara Grand Hotel is a Thai hotel chain that opened its Osaka location in July 2023, which means all the facilities are still very new. The hotel itself is 33-storeys with 500 rooms and eight restaurants. They also have a spa, 24-hour gym, and a stunning rooftop bar that also has a hi-tech serve yourself section.

Our room was incredibly comfortable and well serviced, with a section for tea and coffee, a lounge, and a separate bathroom vanity, shower and bath. There was plenty of closet space and most important, the bed was spacious and comfortable. The attention to detail was second to none — the staff even tidied up our messy cords on our bedside tables! Yes, really.

Inside our room. Image: Supplied.

Each day we had breakfast included at Suan Bua, which offered an international breakfast buffet that featured both traditional Thai recipes as well as favourites from the local area. After a great mix of food — and once we'd fuelled up with coffee — we felt ready to explore each day.

The international section of the buffet breakfast. Image: Supplied.

Explore Osaka by foot.

There is so much to do around Osaka. About 20 minutes walk towards Namba is one of Osaka's main shopping districts, which we visited almost daily for both the food and shopping.

Between Umeda and Namba is the 600-metre long Shinsaibashi-suji arcade. At Dotonbori, Shinsaibashi-suji becomes Ebisubashi-suji, transitioning from small food stalls and markets to department stores and brand name shops. Its length has a great mix of both budget and high end stores, all of which contribute to its atmosphere.

If you're looking to shop, this is the perfect place to stock up on Japan-specific wares and brands. We made sure to buy Japanese knives and whiskey, which are much more affordable locally than in Australia. If you're a fan of brands like UNIQLO and Onitsuka Tiger, this is where to find them at a discount.

Tombori River Cruise.

The Tombori River Cruise. Image: Supplied.

While exploring we stopped at the Dotonbori canal to take the Tombori River Cruise. It's a 20-minute 'mini cruise' hosted by a local enthusiast who made the whole experience one to remember. She had so much knowledge to share and little Easter eggs to look out for along the way.

Once the river cruise was over, we couldn't help but explore nearby Don Quixote, just behind the ticketing booth for the Tombori River Cruise. It's a multi-level store that sells… pretty much everything you can think of. Their theme song — which is sung and performed by Bruno Mars (it has to be seen to be believed) —is so catchy you'll be singing it by the time you leave.

Tsutenkaku Tower Observation Deck.

The Tsutenkaku Tower. Image: Supplied.

Next up, we visited the Tsutenkaku Tower, a landmark of Osaka that was built in 1912. Originally, it was built to look like the Eiffel Tower, before it came down due to a fire during WW2. The current version was built in 1956, and its observation deck allows you to see an uninterrupted view of Osaka and spot lots of landmarks, like Osaka Castle and the local zoo.

You'll also see Billiken, a statue that is said to bring good luck if you touch the soles of his feet and make a wish. If you're feeling adventurous, you can even take a slide to the bottom of the tower, rather than taking the many lifts back down.

I'm not joking when I say there's a slide. Image: Supplied.

Do a food tour of Osaka.

Osaka is known as the 'foodie' city of Japan, and for good reason. Hand on heart, I can honestly say that I have not had a single bad meal in Japan in the three times I have visited. And if you are a fan of Japanese food, visiting Osaka is a real treat. I'm taking sushi, sashimi, katsu, ramen and so much more.

Andy, founder of Deep Osaka Food Tours. Image: Supplied.

We did a food tour with Deep Osaka Food Tours. The tour's founder — Andy, who is half Japanese and half Australian — was incredibly knowledgable, having lived in Japan for 14 years and run food tours for 10 of them. Andy was incredibly generous, and offered an experience that was part history lesson and part dining experience — with incredible food that only a local would know how to order. It's no surprise Deep Osaka Food Tours was recently listed as one of the top 20 food tours in Asia.

See below for the menu:

Tachinomiya

Tenpeiyaki and eringi mushrooms. Image: Supplied.

Kombi Restaurant

The best sashimi you'll ever eat. Image: Supplied.

Takoyaki Stall

Osaka is famous for yakoyaki which was made right in front of us. Image: Supplied.

Kushikatsu Eatery

Yamaimo kushikatsu. Image: Supplied.

IZAKAYA

Assorted sushi, pork steak and agedashidofu. Image: Supplied.

There was so much food it would be quite easy to go into a food coma afterwards. However, this is the part of the night that I would suggest hitting up one of the local karaoke spots. The Japanese invented karaoke which, fun fact, we were told translates to 'empty orchestra'. There are so places around you'd find it hard to land on a bad one.

Visit Nara Deer Park.

Nara is known for being home to the sacred deer who roam the area, and it's only a short trip on one of the local trains to visit. As soon as we arrived at the Nara train station, we were greeted by deer. There were deer on the streets. There were deer crossing the road. There were deer in the park. There were quite literally, deer everywhere.

A short five-minute walk will bring you to the main part of Nara Deer Park, where you can purchase biscuits to feed the deer. However, the deer (while very cute) are highly excitable when they get a mere look or sniff of these biscuits, but honestly, who could blame them?

Yes, they are very cute. Image: Supplied.

Thankfully the Marketing Manager at the Centara Grand Hotel happened to live in Nara and gave us some great tips on how to handle the deer. See below:

Through trial and error, I found it was actually better to not have the biscuits and just quietly observe them as they walk by.

But be warned: Do not make the mistake of giving them the hand signal that you do not have biscuits when you do, indeed, have biscuits. They know you're lying.

Also, the male deer are more difficult to handle, as they have antlers and will use them if they think you have biscuits. We were told that at this time of the year, it is also mating season, which makes them more brazen than usual. The female deer and young are much more friendly but of course, they also enjoy the biscuits.

If you follow these tips, I guarantee you will have a good time and likely get a great deer photo at the end of it.

Take a day trip to Kyoto.

Visiting Kyoto is like taking a step back in time, as it was the former capital of Japan for 1,000 years.

Like most places in Japan, it is easy to get there by train and well worth the trip. It is full of history and boasts a variety of temples and other iconic sites to visit, and if you're lucky, you might even spot a geisha.

Yasaka Shrine

The entrance of Yasaka Shrine. Image: Supplied.

Yasaka Shrine was the first shrine we visited in Kyoto, and it's one of the most famous. Founded over 1,350 years ago, there is a stage with hundreds of lanterns, all of which are lit up in the evening. Nearby worshippers are also able to pray to the gods nearby, and use dangling cords to ring the bell, to notify the gods of their presence before praying.

Kiyomizu-dera Temple

The walk to Kiyomizu-dera Temple. Image: Supplied.

The Kiyomizu-dera Temple is more about the walk you take up the beautiful mountainside. It's lined with lots of local shops selling unique souvenirs, as well as lots of food shops and stalls, and once you reach the top, the views are picturesque and the vibrant orange temple is incredible.

Fushimi Inari Shrine

Fushimi Inari Shrine just after sunset. Image: Supplied.

We ended the day with a visit to the famous Fushimi Inari Shrine. It has iconic vibrant orange torii gates which lead you to the sacred Mount Inari, which is 233 metres high. It is dedicated to Inari, the Shinto god of rice. There are many fox statues to be found, which are believed to be Inari's messengers. The walk itself takes about two-to-three hours, but of course, you can walk as far as you like before turning back.

After my third time back to Japan, I'm convinced Osaka really does have it all as a travel destination. So if you're dreaming of slurping ramen in Dotonbori or marvelling at Osaka Castle, there's never been a better time to pack your bags.

Where is your favourite place to stay in Japan? Tell us in the comments section below.

Mamamia travelled as a guest of Jetstar. All opinions expressed in this article are the author's own.

Featured image: Supplied/Valentina Todoroska.