Travel to Japan

Osaka International Peace Center

Located on the southern edge of Osaka Castle Park, this museum strives for global peace by educating present and future generations about the horrors of war, related by those who survived it. Unlike other museums in Japan dedicated to peace -- including those in Hiroshima and Nagasaki -- this one does not shy away from Japan's role in the Asian conflict, including its war campaign in China, the abduction of Koreans to work in dangerous areas, and massacres committed by Japanese in Singapore, Malaysia, and elsewhere. But its main focus is on wartime death and destruction, with personal testimonies of air raid survivors (15,000 people died during World War II air raids on Osaka), displays centering on the suicide attacks by kamikaze pilots at the end of the war, graphic photographs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki after the atomic bombs were dropped, and a section devoted to the horrors of the Auschwitz concentration camp. You'll probably spend 45 sobering minutes here.

Museum of Oriental Ceramics

This modern facility, about a 15-minute walk south of Osaka Station on Nakanoshima Island in the Dojima River, is my favorite museum in Osaka. Indeed, its 2,700-piece collection of Chinese, Korean, and Japanese ceramics -- of which 300 are on display at any one time on a rotating basis -- ranks as one of the finest in the world. Built specifically for the collection, the museum does a superb job showcasing the exquisite pieces as the masterpieces they truly are, in darkened rooms that utilize natural light and computerized natural-light simulation. Korean celadon, Chinese ceramics from the Song and Ming dynasties, Arita ware from the Edo Period, and much more are on display. Even if you've never given ceramics more than a passing glance, you're likely to come away with a heightened sense of appreciation. You'll want to spend 30 minutes or more here.

Universal Studios Japan

While the rides are really fun and the park always clean and well organized, the waits can be outrageously long (2 hours and 40 minutes for Spiderman to give you an example) and the Express Passes, an expensive addition that makes the waits much shorter, are usually sold out by 11am. Food it's also  more expensive than Disneyland. Having said that, the staff members at Universal Studios are very helpful and you are gonna have a really good time. Best rides...Spiderman and Jurassic Park.

Osaka

Osaka is Japan's third largest but second most important city. For many centuries it has been the economic powerhouse of the Kansai region.

I was known as Naniwa before the Nara Period, when the capital used to be moved with the reign of each new emperor. Naniwa was the first ever known capital of Japan.

A great place to visit or for bussiness, but not a quiet one. If you are looking to relax this could be the wrong destination for your trip.