Thorough investigation of shopping spots in Osaka! Introduced by area

Osaka, the largest city in the Kansai region, is lined with high-rise buildings and commercial facilities, and has a well-developed railway and subway network. It is dotted with tourist attractions and is also a base for sightseeing in the Kansai area. Above all, it is a recommended area for shopping. In this article, we will introduce indispensable shopping areas in three areas: Umeda, Namba & Dotonbori, Abeno & Tennoji, and outlet malls such as "RINKU PREMIUM OUTLETS" and "LaLaport Kadoma" located a little outside the city!

There are so many shopping spots in Osaka!

Osaka is the second largest city in Japan after Tokyo and has long prospered as the economic and cultural center of the Kansai region. There are many tourist attractions such as Universal Studios Japan, Abeno Harukas, Tsutenkaku Tower, Osaka Castle, and Expo'70 Commemoration Park. At the same time, there are many recommended shopping spots such as commercial facilities with apparel stores, general stores, and local shopping streets.

In the following, we will introduce the access methods and recommended commercial facilities for shopping in three areas.

Popular Shopping Area in Osaka: Umeda

​The Umeda area is the center of Osaka, where JR Osaka Station and various private railway terminal stations are located. The area around the station is filled with bustling streets and office districts, and is bustling with not only tourists but also business people day and night. Some people call the Umeda area "Kita", in contrast to the "Minami" area around "Namba".

HERBIS

A shopping center adjacent to The Ritz-Carlton Osaka. It is a building complex consisting of a total of 9 floors from the basement 2nd floor to the 7th floor of "HERBIS PLAZA ENT" and a total of 7 floors of "HERBIS PLAZA". There are many high brands such as "Gucci", "Tiffany", and "Emporio Armani". There are also select shops with high sensitivity, such as "L'arcobaleno" which offers functional and high-quality leather goods, and "ELLIOT RHODES LONDON", a specialty store for leather belts, which are recommended for searching for souvenirs for your loved ones.

HEP FIVE

A fashion building symbolized by a red Ferris wheel. It has floors from the basement 2nd floor to the 9th floor, housing about 160 stores including apparel, cosmetics, miscellaneous goods, and casual restaurants. A notable feature is the many stores selling character goods. If you like Hello Kitty, "Sanrio vivitix" is recommended, and "JUMP SHOP", which offers goods mainly from popular works serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, such as "ONE PIECE".

LUCUA osaka

A station-type commercial facility directly connected to JR Osaka Station. It consists of the east building "LUCUA" and the west building "LUCUA 1100". There is a restaurant floor "LUCUA Dining" from the basement 2nd floor to the 10th floor, with about 500 stores. There are shops of a wide range of genres such as accessories, leather goods, hats, bags, watches, and cosmetics. There are also character shops such as "Donguri Kyowakoku" that sell character goods of Studio Ghibli works.

Daimaru Umeda Store

A department store rich in fashion items directly connected to JR Osaka Station. In addition to products that pursue trends, there are also stores of first-class brands. It spans from the basement 2nd floor to the 15th floor, especially the 2nd floor cosmetic floor is well-stocked. On the 13th floor, there are character shops such as "Nintendo OSAKA", "Pokemon Center Osaka", and "ONE PIECE Mugiwara Store". The basement 1st and 2nd floors are useful for hotel meals as they have sweets and side dishes.

GRAND FRONT OSAKA

Located on the north side of JR Osaka Station, it is a complex commercial facility consisting of a south building and a north building. In addition to the shopping mall, there are restaurants, cafes, hotels, etc. Together, about 300 shops & restaurants gather, including popular stores such as "PORTER" and "BEAMS HOUSE", and "MUJI" is also available on 3 floors of the north building.

LINKS UMEDA

This commercial facility, which houses about 200 shops ranging from fashion and lifestyle to gourmet, spans from the basement 1st floor to the 8th floor. Its features include practical shops such as the supermarket "Harves", the drugstore "Sugi Pharmacy", and the 100 yen shop "Daiso". There are also stores like "Uniqlo" and "Ishii Sports" which sells outdoor-related products.

Hankyu Department Store Umeda Main Store

From the basement 2nd floor to the 13th floor, a wide range of products are available. The assortment and high quality of the products are so renowned that it is often referred to as "Isetan Shinjuku in the east (of Japan), Hankyu Umeda in the west". The food sections on the basement 2nd floor and basement 1st floor are also well-stocked. In particular, the basement 1st floor is filled with many Japanese and Western confectionery shops, making it an ideal place to buy souvenirs. In addition, the International Boutiques on the 6th floor carry jewelry such as "Cartier" and "Chaumet", as well as luxury watches like "Franck Muller" and "Omega".

Hanshin Department Store Umeda Main Store

Just outside the department store exit of the Hanshin Electric Railway's "Osaka Umeda Station" on the B1 floor, there is a casual department store that has been loved by locals for a long time. It spans from the B2 floor to the 9th floor, with a fully stocked food section. The "Food Event" (1st floor), which is home to a selection of bread specialty shops and popular bakeries, and the "Snack Park" (B1 floor), where famous shops such as ramen, squid grill, and udon noodle shops are lined up, are also recommended.

Popular Shopping Area in Osaka: Namba & Dotonbori

Dotonbori, represented by its bustling and powerful downtown area, is one of the most popular in Osaka. Around the Dotonbori River, there is a famous Glico sign, which is a popular photo spot. In addition to commercial facilities such as "Namba Parks" and "Shinsaibashi PARCO", please also visit the local Shinsaibashi shopping street. There are also "Uniqlo", "GU", "Onitsuka Tiger", and drugstores, and it is recommended for rainy days as it has a roof.

Namba Parks

A commercial facility directly connected to Nankai Electric Railway and Osaka Metro Namba Station. It houses over 200 stores, including popular select shops, fashion, miscellaneous goods, cosmetics, restaurants, cafes, and more. The main shopping floors are from the 1st to the 5th floor, the restaurant floors are on the 6th, 7th, and 8th floors, and the rooftop garden is on the 9th floor. There are also popular stores for foreign visitors, such as "Nakagawa Masashichi Shoten" which sells goods made with Japanese crafts, and "Loft", a specialty store for daily goods.

Shinsaibashi PARCO

Just off exit 4 of Osaka Metro's "Shinsaibashi Station", about 170 stores are located on 16 floors from the basement 2nd floor to the 14th floor. The feature is that it houses a wide range of stores, from luxury brands such as "PORTER EXCHANGE" and "BAO BAO ISSEY MIYAKE" to trendy fashion, street fashion, and select shops. Also, on the 6th floor, there is a pop culture-themed floor with "LEGO® Store", "Godzilla Store Osaka", and "CAPCOM STORE OSAKA" which stocks goods of popular characters from Capcom.

Nippombashi DenDen Town

Stretching around the 3rd to 5th districts of Nipponbashi, Naniwa-ku, it is one of Japan's leading electronics towns, alongside Akihabara in Tokyo. There are about 500 specialty stores for electronics and hobbies (anime, comics, games, etc.) lined up. The street west of Sakaisuji is home to many stores selling doujinshi, cosplay, figures, toys, etc., and is commonly referred to as "Ota Road".

Daimaru Shinsaibashi Store

From the basement 2nd floor to the 10th floor, a total of 12 floors house about 360 stores offering gourmet food, fashion, and miscellaneous goods. On the 2nd floor luxury fashion and jewelry floor, there are 20 high-end brands including "Cartier" with the largest VIP room in western Japan, and "Bottega Veneta®". The 9th floor features "Pokemon Center Osaka DX & Pokemon Cafe" and "JUMP SHOP", making it a recommended spot for anime fans.

Osaka Takashimaya

A long-established department store directly connected to Nankai Electric Railway and Osaka Metro Namba Station. It offers a wide range of products, including ladies' and men's fashion, cosmetics, and miscellaneous goods. On the basement 1st floor, there are popular sweet shops such as "Atelier UKAI" known for its assortment of cookies and "PRESS BUTTER SAND". It is a recommended place for those who want to buy Japanese and Western confectionery souvenirs.

Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street

An arcade shopping street about 580m north-south from the vicinity of Osaka Metro's "Shinsaibashi Station" (south side of Nagahori Street) to Ebisubashi (Soemoncho Street). About 180 stores are lined up, and it is recommended even when it rains because it has a roof. There are fast fashion stores such as "Uniqlo", "ZARA", "H&M", as well as popular sweets such as "Ujien" soft serve ice cream and "PABLO" cheesecake, so you can enjoy eating while walking around.

Amerikamura

A bustling town for young people, centered around Triangle Park, with various stores such as second-hand clothing stores, apparel, gourmet, and miscellaneous goods. In the 1970s, it became a topic of conversation to sell American West Coast second-hand clothes, jeans, used records, and miscellaneous goods in stores renovated from warehouses, and it came to be called "Amerikamura". There are also commercial facilities such as the fashion building "Shinsaibashi BIGSTEP", which is a landmark of Amerikamura, and the fashion building "Shinsaibashi OPA" directly connected from Exit 7 of Osaka Metro Shinsaibashi Station.

Namba Marui

Located right in front of the Nankai Electric Railway and Osaka Metro Namba Station, it is easily accessible. It has 9 floors from the basement level 1 to the 8th floor, dealing with a wide range of genres from ladies' and men's fashion to accessories and miscellaneous goods. The newly created food zone "Yottemite" on the 1st floor is filled with sweets such as lemonade and Japanese-style canelé. The "Gashapon Official Shop", a specialty store that only handles Bandai's gashapon products, is popular with foreign visitors to Japan.

Popular Shopping Area in Osaka: Abeno & Tennoji

The Abeno and Tennoji area is a core area of Osaka, along with the Umeda area and the Namba & Dotonbori area. The south side of the road in front of the Kintetsu Department Store is called "Abeno", and the north side is called "Tennoji". There are bustling spots such as the super high-rise building "Abeno Harukas" boasting a height of 300 meters, Tennoji Zoo, and "Shinsekai" where Tsutenkaku Tower is located.

Tennoji Mio

Directly connected to JR Tennoji Station. This fashion building consists of two buildings, the main building and the plaza building. With about 350 stores in both buildings, you can find everything from fashion to miscellaneous goods and cosmetics. There are also stores for household goods such as "Francfranc", "MUJI", and "Nitori EXPRESS". There are also affordable miscellaneous goods stores such as "3COINS+plus" and "THANKYOU MART", which are recommended for those who want to buy household goods such as room decorations and kitchen utensils.

Abeno Q's Mall

One of the largest shopping malls in Osaka Prefecture. About 250 stores of various genres gather here, including "SHIBUYA109 ABENO", which is the first in Kansai, "Uniqlo", "Daiso", "Bic Camera", and the general supermarket "ItoYokado". There are also sweets shops such as "FUJIYA FACTORY", "Beard Papa", and "Mister Donut", so why not buy some and try them at your hotel after sightseeing.

Abeno Harukas

A major complex boasting the highest height in the Kansai area. The basement 2nd floor to the 14th floor is the "Kintetsu Department Store Main Store Abeno Harukas", the 12th to 14th floors are the restaurant district "Abeno Harukas Dining", the 16th floor is the "Abeno Harukas Art Museum", and the 19th to 20th, 38th to 55th, and 57th floors are the "Osaka Marriott Miyako Hotel". And on the top floor, there is an observatory "Harukas 300", where you can overlook the city of Osaka.

Outlets and Large Shopping Malls in Osaka

In Osaka, there are mainly two outlet stores. The "RINKU PREMIUM OUTLETS" which expanded and opened in 2020, and the newly opened "Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Kadoma, Mitsui Outlet Park Osaka Kadoma" in April 2023.

RINKU PREMIUM OUTLETS

It is the largest outlet shopping mall in western Japan. It is located in Rinku Town on the opposite bank of Kansai International Airport, and it is a resort-like facility that makes you feel the streets of overseas. There are about 210 stores. In the "Seaside" area, which was expanded in August 2020, luxury brands such as Burberry and ESCADA, and sports and outdoor brands such as "ARC'TERYX" and "New Balance Golf" have opened.

Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Kadoma, Mitsui Outlet Park Osaka Kadoma

 This is a complex shopping mall consisting of a four-story building, with the 1st and 3rd floors being "Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Kadoma" (LaLaport Kadoma), and the 2nd floor being "Mitsui Outlet Park Osaka Kadoma" (MOP Osaka Kadoma). It just opened in April 2023, with 153 stores (20 of which are first-time openings in Osaka) in "LaLaport Kadoma" and 98 stores (17 of which are first-time outlet openings in Kansai) in "MOP Osaka Kadoma", totaling 251 stores. Also, it is recommended as 11 stores from Kuromon Market are located in the "Kadoma Delicious Food Street" on the 1st floor.