Yodobashi Camera is located on basement floors 2F through 4F of Yodobashi Umeda. In 2017, thanks to the completion of a bridge connecting the walkway between JR Osaka and Hankyu Umeda Stations to the second floor of Yodobashi Umeda, the building is now accessible via a one-minute walk from JR Osaka Station.

Prepare to be shocked at the size of the store! Of all the Yodobashi Camera stores in Japan, this one has the top lineup of products in stock, so it's safe to say that most of the overseas tourists coming to Osaka to shop for appliances visit here first.

This branch also has various services and courtesies in place to cater to such foreign visitors.

Descriptions and information targeting foreign shoppers are located throughout the store, and employees who can speak foreign languages are always available, so you can shop without facing any language barriers.

There are checkout registers on each floor. Shoppers from overseas can receive sales tax exemptions when purchasing over 5,400-yen worth of items. Therefore, according to prices, combining purchases from several floors into one check-out may be the cheapest method. When paying, using a credit card is more economical than cash. In particular, in China, combining major UnionPay cards with a Visa credit card will give you an extra 5% discount. There are also occasional surprise campaigns on an irregular basis that you won't know about until you visit. Furthermore, all price tags at Yodobashi Camera are listed with sales tax already factored in, so remember that when calculating discounts.

With that, we will now introduce the ten most popular home appliances by floor.

First, let's start on the first floor, the beauty care product floor. The most popular products on this floor, filled with items related to inner and outer beauty, are the cosmetic devices. You'll find everything from face steamers, to pore care products, to nail care, and much more.

Skincare is universal. We got the impression that, among shoppers, many of them prepared for their visit ahead of time, bringing along photographs and information about the products they want to buy saved on their smartphones to show to employees. Some items are available for testing, so it may be a good idea to try out a product in real-life and make sure it’s what you want before purchasing.

The next popular items are hair dryers. Japanese brand dryers, such as Panasonic, are made compatible for use overseas by running on 100-240 volts and are therefore highly sought-after.

Products made for women aren't the only popular items. The electric razors often used by men are also popular. Choosing from so many different kinds can be difficult, so to meet the demands of shoppers who want to actually try out the razors, there's a help counter where you can do just that. Don't forget to buy replacement blades, too.

A popular product often bought in threes or fours are the electric toothbrushes. Since there are many relatively cheap options available, there are plenty of people who buy toothbrushes not only for themselves but for family and friends as well. Don't forget the replacement disposable brush heads.

If you want something to bring back for family members, blood pressure meters and low frequency electric therapy devices make great gifts. Products come with manuals in languages like English and Chinese, so don’t worry about any language issues. Apparently, many people buy these items two or three at a time, so they often sell out.

The second floor is where camera and watch related items are sold. Just as the store name Yodobashi Camera would suggest, their cameras are popular products. They carry a particularly extensive lineup of luxury models, so even just looking around is exciting. Incredibly popular mostly among younger people now are the Instax mini “Cheki" and "Printoss" cameras which let you immediately print out photos you take. Yodobashi Camera has a special section with a wide variety of such products.

For TVs, speakers, and other audio devices, check out the third floor. The beauty of the displays on OLED or 4K/8K televisions is a sight to behold. With speaker setups you can try out in real-life, this floor is almost like an amusement park! On this floor, the headphones are popular. We learned that many people buy Japanese-made luxury headphones here.

The affordable full wireless earphones are another popular product. With earphones becoming a fashion accessory these days, people can sometimes be seen trying them on in the mirror.

On the fourth floor, where common household appliances are sold, rice cookers are exceptionally popular. This includes cookers designed with different voltages for use overseas. There's even a place you can compare the taste of rice cooked in different rice cookers, so you can choose the one that suits your taste preferences.

There is also a huge variety of hot water dispensers. Not only Japanese, but French T-fal products are also popular. The air purifiers, cordless vacuums, and futon cleaners are also in demand. Since it's difficult bringing larger appliances like rice cookers and hot water dispensers back home in their original boxes, at Yodobashi Camera, you can have a handle attached to the box for easier carrying.

There are also a full range of massagers available to soothe achy and tired necks, shoulders, backs, legs, and feet. These might just be the first appliances you’ll want to use once you're back home after your trip. The magnetic necklaces in the fitness equipment section are also so popular that some people buy them in bulk.

We've already introduced the ten most popular home appliances, but at Yodobashi Camera, there is an abundant variety of popular products other than appliances as well. One of those are the stationary goods on the second floor.

In the area of the store that carries stationary and writing materials, one product bought by a particularly large number of people are the ballpoint pens. The "FriXion" erasable pens are particularly popular, to the point that they soon sell out when displayed at the front of the store. Pens are a top item to buy in bulk as souvenir gifts. There are also many people who come to buy the Pilot ink cartridge fountain pens made for children.

The luggage sold on the third floor is also popular. Apparently, many people purchase suitcases here to bring back all the other goods they bought at Yodobashi Camera. The masks and water bottles sold throughout the store are also a hit.

At Yodobashi Umeda, there are floors for toys, plastic model kits, video games, fashion, and food, so you can spend an entire day exploring!

Text by:Isokazu Hifumi
Isokazu is a writer who quit the rat race to turn his hobby into a job. He was born in a tiny corner of Kansai. Often seen touring castles with camera in hand, his love of history and festivals led to his career as a travel writer. But, his favorite part of traveling is drinking. Don't tell anyone.