Take a break from Osaka’s street food and dive into the city’s past at the Osaka Museum of History. This ten-floor museum covers Osaka’s 1,400-year history from the courtesan days of the 9th century to the 20th-century Showa era through life-size structures that transport visitors back in time.
The time travelling starts with an elevator ride to the tenth floor, which also boasts some of the best views of Osaka Castle. Here you’ll find a partial reconstruction of the Daigokuden (imperial audience hall) of the 8th-century Naniwa Palace, the region’s historical seat of government, whose remains can still be seen outside the museum. Visitors are invited to walk through the Daigokuden, which also features reproductions of court costumes worn in the 8th century.
Time will flash forward as you descend through the museum and enter the zone that recounts the beginning of trade and city life. Bunraku (traditional Japanese puppet theatre) leads visitors through the middle ages and into the Edo period (1603–1867) zone, which features a diorama of Osaka’s former commercial hub, Senba. Ending your trip down memory lane is the Showa era (1926–1989) display, complete with a movie-style set of nightlife antics from the beginning of Japan’s ‘modern’ age.
The museum also holds special exhibitions on Osaka art and culture, and includes a restaurant and a gift shop.