Ryugu -竜宮-

Hotel Description

You know what caught me off guard about Ryugu? The name literally means “dragon palace” in Japanese, and honestly, they weren’t kidding around with that choice. This place sits right in Chikko, which is sort of tucked away in Minato-ku – not exactly where most tourists end up, but that’s actually part of its charm. I mean, you’re close enough to the action but far enough from the Dotonbori crowds that you can actually think straight.

The location is pretty clever when you think about it. Chikko puts you near the harbor area, so there’s this interesting mix of working port vibes and residential quiet that most hotels in central Osaka just can’t offer. You’ve got the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan just a short walk away (which, let’s be honest, is way better than most people expect), and the Tempozan area is right there if you want that giant Ferris wheel Instagram shot. But here’s the thing – you can also just wander the neighborhood streets and find those little family-run restaurants where the menu is only in Japanese and the mama-san remembers your face after one visit.

What really sold me on this place was the attention to detail that felt genuinely Japanese rather than tourist-friendly Japanese, if that makes sense. The lobby has this understated elegance – nothing flashy, but everything just… works. The staff actually seems to care about getting things right, and I noticed they remember small preferences without making a big deal about it. The rooms are what you’d expect from a solid 4-star in Japan – not huge by Western standards, but thoughtfully designed so nothing feels cramped. The bathroom situation is proper Japanese style, which means everything is spotless and the shower pressure is excellent (something you learn to appreciate after a few disappointing hotel experiences).

Parking can be a bit tricky in this area – it’s Japan, so street parking isn’t really a thing – but they’ve got arrangements with nearby lots, and the front desk staff knows exactly how to direct you. The neighborhood gets pretty quiet after evening hours, which is perfect if you’re one of those people who actually wants to sleep rather than listen to drunk salarymen singing karaoke until 3 AM. During cherry blossom season (and you’ll know if you’re visiting then because hotel prices everywhere go insane), this area is actually less chaotic than the famous spots, but you can still catch some beautiful sakura along the waterfront.

I keep coming back to how the whole experience feels authentic rather than performative. It’s not trying to be the flashiest hotel in Osaka – there are plenty of those if that’s what you’re after. Instead, it’s the kind of place where you settle in and actually start to feel like you’re experiencing the city rather than just passing through it. The 8.8 rating makes sense once you’ve stayed here; it’s not perfect, but it gets the important stuff right, and in a city where you can easily drop twice as much for half the soul, that matters more than you might think.

Rooms

• Estimated price from: $200. Three-Bedroom Apartment with 3 × 2 double beds for Max persons: 6

Reviews

• Richard from United States – 31 May 2025 (9/10)

  It was a very clean place & is at a nice location, across the mall & Legoland. I loved the Big ferris wheel lights at night! Great place to stay 🤗

• Colin from United States – 19 May 2025 (9/10)

  THE perfect location for a family with kids. Adjacent to a park, ferris wheel, food, LegoLand and the Aquarium. Good breakfast right down the street that opens by 8am, very easy walk ability around the entire area. Apartment was well appointed and the bedrooms had comfortable beds and were plenty big. Would highly recommend and would stay again if returning to Osaka.
  
  What could be improved: Everything was excellent with this property. Stairs are fairly steep to 3rd floor, just be aware for bringing luggage up. In every other aspect the property was great.

• Rithika from India – 21 April 2025 (9/10)

  Everything! Place was easy to find. Location was great. Very close to the metro station. Has 2 convenience stores close by. Peaceful and quiet neighbourhood. Apartment is big! 3 bedrooms, 2 toilets and 2 showers (1 wit tub) Beds are super comfortable. Host is responsive and helpful. Many small details are well thought of. Plenty of cutlery given. Coffee pods given. All in all a great stay. Will definitely recommend this place to people travelling in a group.
  
  What could be improved: Nothing

• Cristina from Hong Kong – 19 April 2025 (9/10)

  It looks exactly as shown on the pictures. Three bedrooms with full size beds. The beds were very comfortable although the pillows were square shaped.
  
  This is a great place for family with two showers and two toilets. The toilets are located in the same area as one shower room with one door. It was ok for our family but this may not be as easy with a group of friends.
  
  Location was great near the aquarium and USJ. We were exhausted and came back from USJ on taxi and cost around 2500Y.
  
  What could be improved: You need to store the luggage at the station if you still plan to head out to explore.

• Pei from Australia – 15 April 2025 (9/10)

  Very good location, coin parking easy to find, the entrance is a bit hard to find, everything else is perfect.

• Allister from United Kingdom – 12 April 2025 (9/10)

  We thought the location was perfect for access to the Aquarium and USJ. We really enjoyed our stay. The beds were comfortable, the kitchen well equipped and the showers were great.

• Emily from Australia – 24 March 2025 (9/10)

  After 10 days of backpacking through Japan,
  We arrived at a huge 3-bedroom apartment with 5 people.
  We had so much space to relax.
  The view was perfect.
  We overlooked the biggest Ferris wheel in the world.
  Great location,
  Across the road was Legoland and the Aquarium attached to a shopping Mall with a fantastic food court.
  to the Left side of the apartment was a walking street with great restaurant options.
  The train station was a 500 meter walk,
  The facility were amazing in the apartment,
  it had 2 toilets and 2 bathrooms,
  very clean,
  
  What could be improved: No issues.

• Phoebe from Australia – 20 March 2025 (9/10)

  The communication from the host was amazing. Our stay was so comfortable. It was so close to everything we loved how there was a washing machine there however no dryer but we still were able to dry our clothes.
  
  What could be improved: Just walking up the stairs even though it was only one flight, but then again we had a lot of luggages

• Jacinta from Australia – 19 March 2025 (8/10)

  Fantastic stay in Osaka! The apartment was incredibly spacious, with two showers and toilets, and plenty of bedrooms for our family. The location couldn’t have been better—just a short walk to the aquarium, train station, Giant Ferris Wheel, and harbour. The host was excellent, providing clear communication and helpful information throughout our stay.
  
  What could be improved: The only downside was being on the ground floor, which meant no view of the Giant Ferris Wheel across the road. We also experienced a lot of noise every night from the guests above, as the timber floors made their footsteps and furniture moving quite loud late at night into the early hours of morning.

• Grant from Australia – 9 January 2025 (9/10)

  Amazing location, very helpful staff, lovely and spacious accomodation for big families.
  
  What could be improved: N/A

SURROUNDINGS

Facilities