Oct 17–19 · 2 nights
Osaka
Universal Studios weekend
Photo Martin Falbisoner · CC BY-SA 4.0, resized
Two nights, with all of Sunday at Universal Studios Japan.
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Where we're staying
GN98 OsakaminpakuBooked
Oct 17 → Oct 19 · 2nights · check-in 4:00 PM · out 10:00 AM
- Reservation
- 24344375
- Room
- Superior Apartment · 2 Bedrooms (Room GN05, 5th floor)
- Check-in
- Oct 17 · 4:00 PM
- Check-out
- Oct 19 · 10:00 AM
3-3-14 Saiwaicho, Naniwa Ward, Osaka 556-0021 (Crice Nikko Saiwaicho III)
Self-check-in minpaku apartment (Room GN05, 5th floor), location with fast 20–25 min access to Universal Studios Japan. No front desk: must complete the online registration with passport copies before arrival. Check-in codes received Oct 16; see the smart lock details. Card only (no cash accepted).
Getting there
Osaka → Hikone → TokyoLocked in
Breaking the journey at Hikone. Osaka to Hikone is about 1 hr 20; Hikone on to Tokyo is around 2.5 hrs. Lockers at Hikone Station for luggage during the castle visit.
Day by day
Oct 17
SatKyoto → Osaka, Dotonbori & Yakiniku Dinner- 1:00 PM
Train: Kyoto ➔ Osaka
Locked inJR Kyoto Station ➔ JR Osaka Station ➔ Sakuragawa / Taisho Station
🗺️ Route & Stops: 1. JR Kyoto Station ➔ JR Osaka Station (JR Special Rapid · 30 min) 2. JR Osaka Station ➔ Sakuragawa / Taisho Station (~15 min via Osaka Loop Line or subway) 3. Walk 5 min to GN98 Osakaminpaku (3-3-14 Saiwaicho)
- 4:00 PM
Check in — GN98 Osakaminpaku (Room GN05)
Booked3-3-14 Saiwaicho, Naniwa Ward, Osaka 556-0021 (Crice Nikko Saiwaicho III)
Room GN05 on 5th floor. Self check-in; the codes are on the smart lock card. Ensure online guest registration and passport submission are completed 24h+ in advance. Earliest check-in is 4:00 PM.
- 5:30 PM
Explore Dotonbori & Shinsaibashi
IdeaDotonbori Canal & Ebisu Bridge (15–20 min walk or 2 subway stops)
Vibrant neon canalside, Glico Running Man sign, giant mechanical crab (Kani Doraku), and street snacks before dinner.
- 7:00 PM
Dinner Option 1: Yakinikuya Daibokujo (焼肉屋 大牧場)
IdeaDotonbori / Nippombashi (3 min from Namba Exit 14)
Selected A4/A5 Kuroge Wagyu beef yakiniku sets and all-you-can-eat BBQ. Great casual, lively atmosphere with tabletop grills.
- 7:00 PM
Dinner Option 2: Yakiniku Hanamichi (焼肉 華道)
IdeaShinsaibashisuji / Namba (5 min from Namba Station)
Upscale A5 Kuroge Wagyu beef & Kagoshima Kurobuta pork BBQ in private dining rooms with recessed smokeless roasters.
Oct 18
SunUniversal Studios Japan- 7:30 AM
Transit to Universal Studios Japan
IdeaSakuragawa / Taisho ➔ Universal City Station
🗺️ Quick 20–25 min route to the park gates: • Walk to Sakuragawa Station ➔ Hanshin Namba Line to Nishikujo Station (6 min) ➔ switch to JR Yumesaki Line to Universal City Station (5 min) ➔ 3 min walk to main gate. • (Or walk 8 min to JR Taisho Station ➔ JR Osaka Loop Line to Nishikujo ➔ JR Yumesaki Line to Universal City).
- 8:30 AM
Universal Studios Japan (Ann & Tony)
BookedUniversal City, Osaka
Booked: 1-Day Studio Pass + Express Pass 8 for Ann and Tony. Adam has a relaxed free day to explore Osaka at his own pace (e.g. Dotonbori, Shinsekai, Den Den Town, Kuromon Market, or sleeping in). Ann & Tony's counter-clockwise loop: Harry Potter (10:30–12:15) ➔ Minion Blast & JAWS (12:30–14:15) ➔ The Flying Dinosaur (14:15–14:50) ➔ Super Nintendo World & Donkey Kong (15:00–18:00, Kinopio's Café dinner at 16:30) ➔ Halloween Horror Nights street zombies & Zombie de Dance (18:00 onward). See the dedicated USJ page for the full timed loop, ticket rules, and Kinopio's Café strategy.
Oct 19
MonOsaka → Hikone → Tokyo- 10:00 AM
Check out — GN98 Osakaminpaku
BookedCheck-out strictly by 10:00 AM. Key back in lockbox. No luggage holding on-site; take bags to Osaka Station or Hikone Station coin lockers.
- 10:30 AM
Transit: Osaka ➔ Hikone Station
Locked inJR Osaka Station ➔ JR Hikone Station (JR Special Rapid · 1 hr 20 min)
Store suitcases in Hikone Station coin lockers before visiting Hikone Castle.
- 12:00 PM
Hikone Castle & Omi Beef lunch
IdeaHikone Castle (15 min walk from station)
One of only 12 original castle keeps remaining in Japan, designated a National Treasure. Great spot for lunch (local Omi wagyu beef).
- 3:00 PM
Train: Hikone ➔ Maibara ➔ Tokyo Station
Locked inHikone Station ➔ Maibara Station (5 min) ➔ JR Tokaido Shinkansen to Tokyo Station (2 hr 15 min)
Details
Apartment, Check-in & House RulesKeyless check-in · policies & 0 house rules
Apartment Overview & In-Room Amenities
Superior Apartment · 2 Bedrooms (Room GN05, 5th floor)
Apartment
- Layout
- 50.0 m²
- Occupancy
- Fits 2 adults per the listing
Amenities & Appliances in Unit
- In-unit kitchen: Fridge, stove, microwave, cookware
- Washing machine:
- Wi-Fi:
- Air conditioning:
- TV:
- Private entrance & balcony:
Smart Lock & Access Guide
Lockbox + apartment keypad (the email doesn't say which takes the PIN)
No front desk. Try the PIN on the lockbox first, then the apartment keypad; the check-in code matches the booking confirmation. Questions or problems: +81 90-6068-0752.
PIN Code Delivery: Check-in code 24344375 · PIN 8m1t5j5axv
Check-in / Check-out Timing & Policies
- Check-in
- 4:00 PM
- Check-out
- 10:00 AM
Practical Information & Payment Details
- Address
- 3-3-14 Saiwaicho, Naniwa Ward, Osaka 556-0021 (Crice Nikko Saiwaicho III)
Practical & PoliciesGN98 check-in deadlines, payment rules, transit, booking references
Getting in (no front desk)
- Complete the host's online registration and upload passport copies at least 24 hours before arrival; the responsible guest must be 18+.
- Codes received Oct 16, on the smart lock card. The email doesn't say which one opens what; try the PIN on the lockbox first, then the apartment keypad.
- Questions or problems: +81 90-6068-0752. Lockbox instructions arrive by email within 7 days of arrival.
- Check-in 16:00–00:00 via private entrance; checkout strictly before 10:00, no luggage storage on site.
Payment & fees
- Credit cards only, no cash; a deposit may be required for incidentals.
- Osaka city tax is collected at the property, charged per person per night by room-rate band: under ¥7,000 exempt; ¥7,000–¥14,999 ¥100; ¥15,000–¥19,999 ¥200; ¥20,000–¥49,999 ¥300; ¥50,000–¥99,999 ¥500; ¥100,000 and above ¥1,000. Expect ¥100–¥300 each here; extra-person charges may apply.
- Non-smoking; no breakfast served; smoke detector present, no CO detector indicated.
Getting there & around
- Sakuragawa Station 5 min (Hanshin Namba + Sennichimae subway), Shiomibashi 5 min (Nankai), JR Taisho 8 min.
- USJ: 20–25 min via Hanshin to Nishikujo, then the JR Yumesaki Line to Universal City.
- In-unit kitchen, washing machine, Wi-Fi, AC, TV; private entrance and balcony.
Booking references
Klook PZF410738 · supplier 910320554 · hotel confirmation 24344375 · +81 90-6068-0752 · 3-chome-3-14 Saiwaicho, Naniwa Ward (Crice Nikko Saiwaicho III).
Luggage Storage Near the HotelCoin lockers at Sakuragawa & Taisho · the early-arrival plan
The room opens at 16:00, so the early-arrival plan is: drop bags at the Sakuragawa coin lockers (350 m from the apartment), go play, retrieve after getting the lockbox code. Ask the host (+81 90-6068-0752) whether an early bag drop is possible anyway; otherwise:
- Osaka Metro Sakuragawa lockers (survey 2023, counts may shift): 14 small at ¥300, 1 medium at ¥500, 1 extra-large at ¥700 that fits big suitcases. ¥100 coins only, and there is no change machine nearby — bring a stack of hundred-yen coins. · Map
- Hanshin Sakuragawa lockers (near exits 3/4, past the gates to the left): 7 lockers, 5 small at ¥300 plus one large at ¥600 and one at ¥700. Also ¥100-coin, cash-only. · Map
- JR Taisho (8 min walk): two locker spots, one inside the JR gates (you need a ticket or IC card to reach them) and one by the Osaka Metro side. · Map
- Bookable backups: Bounce reservation lockers inside Sakuragawa's west gate, Multiecube reservations for Osaka Metro Taisho, and the ecbo cloak app lists insured shop storage around Taisho. Namba, two stops away, has the biggest locker farms of all as the last resort. · Map
- How they work: pay per calendar day, take the printed key or PIN slip, and note that reopening after midnight charges another day. Checkout-day bags follow the Hikone plan instead (see Oct 19).
Dining & Food Guide2 spots
Dotonbori / Nippombashi
Yakinikuya Daibokujo
RestaurantA popular Dotonbori spot known for high-quality Japanese Black Beef (Kuroge Wagyu). Savor beautifully marbled sirloin, kalbi, tender beef tongue, and seafood grilled over tabletop roasters. Comfortable wooden booth seating in the heart of Osaka's bustling food district.
📍 5F Komurado Doton Bldg, 1-6-15 Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka (3 min from Namba Exit 14 / Nippombashi)
🕒 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM · 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM (L.O. 10:30 PM)
💰 ¥4,000–¥8,000
Shinsaibashi / Namba
Yakiniku Hanamichi
RestaurantAn upscale, stylish yakiniku establishment featuring top-tier A5 Black Wagyu beef and tender Kagoshima Kurobuta pork. Famous for thick-cut beef tongue, ribeye, and private dining rooms equipped with modern smokeless table roasters.
📍 2F Diamond Bldg, 2-3-12 Shinsaibashisuji, Chuo-ku, Osaka (5 min from Namba / Shinsaibashi)
🕒 5:00 PM – 12:00 AM Midnight (L.O. 11:00 PM)
💰 ¥6,000–¥12,000
Stamps to hunt6 spots on this leg
- Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan — iconic whale shark and ringed seal stamps near the info desk and exit.
- Umeda Sky Building — 40th-floor Floating Garden (Kuchu Teien) observatory stamp (All-Japan Tower Federation).
- Osaka Castle — castle #54 in the Japan 100 Famous Castles rally, located inside the main keep museum.
- Universal Studios Japan (USJ) — in-park guest services and character shop commemorative stamps.
- Pokémon Center Osaka DX & Nintendo Osaka (Daimaru Umeda) — character display and promotional stamps.
- JR Osaka Station and Namba Station — classic Kansai station master stamps.