Osaka
UN/LOCODE JPOSA · Japan · Asia-Pacific · 27
Crew guide
Shore leave
Osaka, Japan's second-largest port complex (alongside Yokohama and Tokyo). Major container, ro-pax, and cruise tonnage. Shore leave follows the standard Japanese procedure. Welfare provision via Mission to Seafarers and Japan-specific orgs. Osaka has a slightly looser, more outgoing culture than Tokyo — generally easier for crew to enjoy shore time.
Walking distance + transit
Most terminals are within 30 minutes of central Osaka by van. Osaka's subway system is extensive and English-signposted on every line.
Essentials
- ATMs: 7-Eleven, Family Mart, Japan Post Bank everywhere
- Money changers: at the airport or Namba/Umeda central areas
- Hospital: Osaka University Hospital, Osaka City General Hospital
- Prayer rooms: Osaka Ibaraki Mosque, several smaller mosques across the metro area
- Halal food: better selection than Nagoya or Yokohama — Namba and Shinsaibashi have multiple halal restaurants
- Supermarket: 24/7 convenience stores everywhere
- SIM card: same Japan-standard — eSIM simplest
Seafarer tips
Do: try Osaka street food (takoyaki, okonomiyaki) — the city's cuisine is its signature. Don't: forget your shore pass when leaving the ship — Japanese immigration logs every departure and return. Watch for: Osaka's friendlier culture doesn't extend to port officials — paperwork is still strict. The Stella Maris Osaka centre is well-positioned for support.
Last verified: 2026-06-29. Confirm with ship's agent before going ashore — local policy changes.
Osaka (UN/LOCODE JPOSA) is a designated seaport with an adjacent airport in Japan (27) in the northern Asia-Pacific region. The port operates on Asia/Tokyo, uses the Yen (JPY), runs shore power at 100V/50Hz (Type A/B). Nearest major airport for crew changes is Osaka Itami International Airport (ITM), 14 km from the port.
Reference
- Coordinates
- 34.6667, 135.5
- Time zone
- Asia/TokyoUTC +09:00no DST
- Local currency
- JPY— Yen
- Languages
- ja, en
- Nearest airport
- ITMOsaka Itami International Airport~14 km
- Electricity
- 100 V50 Hzplugs A, B(country default — verify at berth)
- Climate
- CfaHumid subtropical
Country-coastal Köppen zone (most ports cluster on the coast). For port-coordinate resolution use Kottek 2006 0.5° grid.
- Function codes
- 1--45---
seaport · airport · postal exchange
- Port authority
- Port Authorities Roundtable 2025 @ Osaka | Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Operational details
Compiled from public port-authority and P&I-club directories. Always verify current contacts via your agent before arrival.
Pilotage / VTS
Osaka Port Control
ISPS security level (normal): 1
Port of Osaka, Japan. Verify pre-arrival, pilot booking, and agent details with the port authority.
Helplines for seafarers in Japan
Welfare, abandonment, wages, medical, mental health, harassment — 24/7 lines where available. See full helplines directory.
- Tokyo MoU SecretariatAsia-Pacific · Mon-Fri 9-18 JST · en, ja
- ISWAN SeafarerHelpGlobal · 24/7 · en, ar, es, fr
- ISWAN Mental Health & Wellbeing helplineGlobal · 24/7 · en, es, ru, tl
- ITF SeafarersGlobal · 24/7 for emergencies · en
- ISWAN — Family helpline (for relatives of seafarers)Global · 24/7 · en, hi, tl
- ISWAN Yacht Crew HelplineGlobal · 24/7 · en
Other ports in Japan
Port-state-control region: tokyo MoU · how to file a PSC complaint.
Osaka: seafarer FAQ
- Is shore leave allowed at Osaka?
- Shore leave at Osaka is governed by Japan immigration rules, the flag administration's policy, and the port authority's local rules. Seafarers normally need their seaman's book + a shore-leave permit issued by the agent. Confirm with your agent before going ashore — local policy changes frequently.
- What visa or shore-pass do I need for Osaka?
- Seafarers calling at Osaka on a vessel are generally exempt from regular tourist visas under Convention 108 / 185 (Seafarers' Identity Documents) if their flag administration has ratified the convention and they hold an SID. The standard document is the seaman's book + ship's crew list. Japan may also require a shore pass issued by the agent. Confirm before you board the vessel — visa rules vary by nationality and by recent immigration-policy changes.
- Is there a seafarer welfare centre at Osaka?
- Yes — 1 seafarer welfare centre is listed for Osaka in our directory. The centres are typically run by the Mission to Seafarers, Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea), or a regional ministry, and offer wifi, transport, shop, chaplaincy, and advocacy. Walk-in is normal; no appointment needed.
- Is there a crisis or welfare helpline I can call from Osaka?
- Yes — 6 helplines are listed for Japan in our directory, plus ISWAN's 24-hour multilingual SeafarerHelp (+44 20 7323 2737) and the ITF Helpline. Helplines handle crisis support, abandonment, wage theft, mental health, and bereavement.
- What's the nearest hospital to Osaka?
- Most major ports have a port-area hospital with seafarer-accustomed admissions; the welfare centre and the ship's agent can both advise. For serious cases, the nearest international hospital is normally in the same city or the next major city. The nearest major airport is Osaka Itami International Airport (ITM), about 14 km away — useful for medevac planning.
- Is Osaka a recognised crew-change port?
- Yes — Osaka is listed in our directory of recognised crew-change hubs, consolidated from IMO MSC.1/Circ.1636, ICS/IFSMA briefings, and ITF priority-port reports. Recognised hubs typically have better port-state and immigration facilitation for crew-change operations, faster visa processing for seafarers, and more welfare-centre presence.
For the arriving crew
- Pilot ladder (SOLAS V/23) — rigging + inspection + Master's duty of care.
- Pre-arrival checklist — the standard bridge + engine + agent workflow before entering port.
- Ships' agent — role + documentation + interface with pilotage + tug + immigration.
- Currency at port — cash-carrying limits + declaration + safe practices.
- Hours of rest — STCW VIII/1 + MLC A2.3 rest rules during port operations.
Sources & verification (14)
- country_iso3 · ISO 3166-1 (JP)retrieved 2026-05-06
- country_name · ISO 3166-1 (JP)retrieved 2026-05-06
- currency_code · ISO 4217:2015 (JPY)retrieved 2026-05-06
- currency_name · ISO 4217:2015 (JPY)retrieved 2026-05-06
- languages · CIA World Factbook (public domain), national-language listing (JP)retrieved 2026-05-06
- timezone_iana · IANA tz database (Asia/Tokyo)retrieved 2026-05-06
- timezone_utc_offset · ECMA-402 Intl.DateTimeFormat (computed) (Asia/Tokyo)retrieved 2026-05-06
- timezone_dst · ECMA-402 Intl.DateTimeFormat (computed) (Asia/Tokyo)retrieved 2026-05-06
- electricity · IEC TR 60083 plug-and-socket standard list (JP)retrieved 2026-05-06
- function_codes_expanded · UNECE Rec. 16 — UN/LOCODE function-code mask (1--45---)retrieved 2026-05-06
- nearest_major_airport · OurAirports (CC0) — davidmegginson.github.io/ourairports-data (ITM)retrieved 2026-05-07
- wikidata_qid · Wikidata SPARQL (P1937 UN/LOCODE join) (Q35765)retrieved 2026-05-07
- osm_relation_id · Wikidata SPARQL (P1937 UN/LOCODE join) (Q35765)retrieved 2026-05-07
- climate_classification · Kottek et al. 2006 / Beck et al. 2018 — country-coastal Köppen zone (JP)retrieved 2026-05-07
Last verified
High confidenceEditorial confidence: how we grade. Data sources and methodology: /sources.