The area around Umeda and Osaka Stations is full of attractive sightseeing, shopping, and dining spots. In this issue, we will introduce all of these classic spots. Many of these places can be easily visited in between trips.
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Umeda Sky Building (梅田スカイビル)
The Umeda Sky Building is considered a landmark of Umeda. The Sky Walk, a 360-degree rooftop corridor, is recommended not only for night views but also for evening views. The view from the Sky Walk is different from what you usually see in Osaka.
Inside the building, there are also a movie theater, Takimi-koji, a dining area with an old-fashioned Japanese atmosphere, and the Koji Kinutani Tenku Art Museum, with its colorful artwork, making it a great place for sightseeing.
Grand Front Osaka (グランフロント大阪)
Grand Front Osaka is a large-scale commercial facility located in front of the North Exit of JR Osaka Station. It consists of the Umekita Plaza, the South Wing, and the North Wing, which spreads out right in front of the North Exit. There are more than 260 stores offering fashion, general merchandise, lifestyle, beauty, cafes, restaurants, bars, and more. Visitors can enjoy shopping in the heart of Osaka while feeling like they are taking a stroll amid the murmuring water and lush greenery of the city.
In addition, UMEKITA FLOOR on the 6th floor of the North Building is a food floor with a relaxed atmosphere where you can enjoy each restaurant’s specialties and drinks until late at night.
HEP FIVE
HEP FIVE is a commercial facility with a red Ferris wheel as its landmark. 9 stories high, the building houses many fashion brands popular among young people. 7F has a food area called TAMLO, where you can enjoy the latest trends in food and sweets in a pop-up store. There are also plenty of photo spots.
The bright red Ferris wheel, which is set up so that it eats into the top of the building, can be ridden, giving visitors the feeling of being in an amusement park in the middle of the city. On a clear day, you can see Osaka Castle and Mt. Ikoma, and at night you can enjoy the night view.
Hankyu Department Store Osaka Umeda Main Store (阪急うめだ本店)
Hankyu Department Store Osaka Umeda Main Store is one of the largest department stores in western Japan. The large facility offers everything from daily necessities to brand-name goods. In the basement, there is a collection of Osaka souvenir stores, which are crowded with tourists every day as they offer a wide variety of items at one location.
On the 10th floor, there is the Umeda Souk, a floor designed to look like a marketplace where sundries gather, and it is attracting a lot of attention.
LUCUA osaka
It is one of the largest fashion buildings in Japan, located right in front of the ticket gates of JR Osaka Station. About 400 stores are gathered in the east wing LUCUA and the west wing LUCUA1100.
The second basement floor and the 10th floor are restaurant floors and can be used by people of all ages. Popular restaurants serving takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and kushikatsu, Osaka’s most famous gourmet foods, are located here, so you can stop by for a quick bite while sightseeing.
HERBIS PLAZA / HERBIS PLAZA ENT
HERBIS PLAZA and HERBIS PLAZA ENT are two commercial facilities where you can enjoy a higher-grade moment. The two buildings are home to world-class luxury brands and restaurants with a relaxed atmosphere.
Entertainment facilities are also plentiful. At the Osaka Shiki Theatre, you can enjoy a performance by Japan’s largest theater group, the Shiki Theater Company, and at Billboard Live Osaka, you can experience a variety of musical experiences. Recommended for those who want to spend a rich time.
Water Clock
At the central south exit of JR Osaka Station, there is a water clock that was selected as one of the 12 most beautiful clocks in the world. As the name suggests, it is not an ordinary clock, but rather, the time and patterns are drawn with drops of water. Although it is often overlooked, it is a wonderful spot that is soothing just by looking at it and should not be missed.
Tsuyunoten Jinja Shrine (露天神社)
Tsuyunoten Jinja Shrine suddenly appears about a 10-minute walk down the Ohatsu Tenjin Street shopping street. It is commonly known as “Ohatsu Tenjin. The shrine is said to be the most famous and beneficial of the many match-making spots in Japan, and is crowded with tourists who come to pray for match-making and love fulfillment.
On the first Friday of every month, the Ohatsu Tenjin Flea Market is held and is famous for the 30 to 40 antique dealers that line the streets.
Hankyu Sanbangai (阪急三番街)
Hankyu Sanbangai is a large-scale shopping facility with an array of specialty stores for shopping and dining from the second basement floor to the second floor above ground at Hankyu Umeda Station. Stores of various genres such as fashion and interior design are all here.
There is also a gourmet floor and food hall, and the UMEDA FOOD HALL offers a variety of popular restaurants in a shared eating and drinking area. There is also a street zone “Umecha Koji/Hankyu Old Book Town” lined with old books and antiques, and art works such as the “Hourglass of Light” and objects HANKYU BRICK MUSEUM offers a powerful exhibit created with LEGO bricks. Find your own way to enjoy them.
Shin-Umeda Shokudogai (新梅田食道街)
Shin-Umeda Shokudogai is a dining district located just a short walk from Umeda Station. It has been loved by locals for about 70 years and currently has about 100 restaurants of various genres in operation. While it has an old-fashioned atmosphere, it is easy to enter, even for first-timers, so why not explore it for yourself?
Hankyu Kappa Yokocho (阪急かっぱ横丁)
Hankyu Kappa Yokocho is a side street lined with izakayas and other restaurants located just outside of Umeda Station. Restaurants, coffee shops, izakaya (Japanese-style pubs), bars, and other establishments are located under the elevated railway tracks of the Hankyu Railway. Each one is unique and can be enjoyed either as a single drink or as a group of drinks. In addition to izakaya, the lineup includes yakitori, ramen, udon, okonomiyaki, and other typical Japanese dishes.
Whity Umeda
Whity Umeda is an underground shopping mall located in a huge terminal where JR, Hanshin Electric Railway, Hankyu Electric Railway, and Osaka Metro are concentrated, with approximately 300,000 visitors per day. It is lined with approximately 180 stores, mainly restaurants, fashion stores, and miscellaneous goods stores. The “Fountain Plaza,” a famous meeting spot, has been newly renovated, and the LED-lit “Water Tree” has become a familiar symbol of the area.
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