There are a total of 6 stations that have the name Osaka Station and Umeda Station, JR Osaka Station, Hankyu Railway Osaka-Umeda Station Hanshin Electric Railway Osaka-Umeda Station and Osaka Metro Umeda Station, Nishi-Umeda Station, and Higashi-Umeda Station.

Please keep in mind that even though JR Shin-Osaka Station has “Osaka” in its name, it is a completely different area from Osaka Station and Umeda-Station.

Each line that accesses Osaka Station and Umeda Station is different, so it is good to know each line.

Here are the unique feature of the 6 lines and 6 stations.

JR Osaka Station is a terminal station boasting one of the highest boarding rates among JR stations in Japan. It has the highest boarding rate in JR West, and many people utilize this station.

Also, it has great access to Kyoto and Nara, and taking the shinkansen you can reach Tokyo and Kyushu. To travel around Japan, it is a station you can’t miss.

Hankyu Railway Osaka-Umeda Station is one of Kansai’s private railways terminal station. Hankyu Railway’s unique feature is that it spreads towards the north area of Osaka Station and Umeda Station. Hankyu Railway is convenient for reaching places like Expo’70 Commemorative Park in Osaka Suita City and Mihoh City filled with nature.

Since the railway covers the Kyoto area, it has great access to main sightseeing spots such as Gion Shijo and Arashiyama. Also you can reach Rokko and Kobe Sannomiya in the Kobe area. If you want to enjoy Northern Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe area the Hankyu Railway Osaka-Umeda Station is convenient.

Hanshin Electric Railway Osaka-Umeda Station is one of Kansai’s private railways terminal station. It covers the Kobe area in detail, and you can enjoy Japanese local sceneries such as Amagasaki.

Also, if you get on the Hanshin Namba Line from Amagasaki Station and head to Osaka Namba Station, you can take the Kintetsu Nara Line and reach Nara.

Osaka Metro has three stations: Midosuji Line Umeda Station, Tanimachi Line Higashi-Umeda Station, and Yotsubashi Line Nishi-Umeda Station, and each location is slightly different.

Midosuji Line Umeda Station is the closest to JR Osaka Station and probably the most convenient station. It can reach major sightseeing spots like Namba and Shinsaibashi without transfers.

Meanwhile, Tanimachi Line and Yotsubashi Line are local lines that head towards the business and housing district. Many hotels which foreign travels stay at are along the Tanimachi Line and Yotsubashi Line, so you may frequently use these lines.

There are information boards written in English that can help you navigate through Osaka Station, other stations, and underground shopping areas. If you ever get lost, make sure to look at the information boards and get your bearing.

Osaka City is mainly divided into the Kita (north) and Minami (south) area, both receive many foreign visitors as they are major sightseeing spots. Osaka Station and Umeda Station is the center of Kita area. There are many spots that we recommend visiting. First up is food!

The first dining area we want to introduce is Eki Marché Osaka inside JR Osaka Station. The unique feature of this complex is you can find many popular shops from the Kansai region. You can find dishes such as omurice from Hokkyoukusei, which is said to be the originator of the dish in Japan, and matcha sweets from the 150-year-old long-established shop Tsujiri.

If you feel like eating lots of meat, we recommend the beef steak rice box at Bifuteki-Ju, Nikumeshi, Roman-tei.The store uses many natural ingredients that create a bright and calm atmosphere and makes you want to try out different dishes.

Going down the stairs at Hankyu Railway Osaka-Umeda Station is the recommended dining spot Hankyu Sanbangai. Especially the South Area B2F has over 100 shops such as sushi, ramen, gill, soba, tempura, tonkatsu, teishoku, yakiniku, Italian, and Chinese. Also for about 1,000 yen, you can get a hearty meal!

The North Area B2F is a food hall that combines 5 spaces and also provides various dishes. There are many international shops such as Korean, Italian, and Hong Kong dim sum.

Right after you get out of Osaka Metro Higashi-Umeda Station you will find the dining area of Whity Umeda.

The unique feature of Whity Umeda is that they have many small shops with strong local vibes. They have a wide variety of food such as Osaka cuisine takoyaki [octopus balls], okonomiyaki and kushikatsu, and Japanese food such as soba, udon, sushi, and tonkatsu. They even have cafes that are perfect for taking a break.

It’s always nice having the option of choosing from so many different shops. Especially the tendon specialty shop Don Don Tei offers freshly fried tendon for about 530 to 800 yen. Due to their reasonable price there is a line during lunch hours.

Another Charm of Osaka Station and Umeda Station is the various shopping areas nearby. We have introduced Eki Marché Osaka, Hankyu Sanbangai and Whity Umeda in the food section, but they are also great places for shopping. Eki Marché Osaka is great for lifestyle goods, Hankyu Sanbangai for fashion and Whity Umeda for souvenirs. Here we will cover other shopping spots. Let’s take a look at Hankyu Department Store, Hanshin Department Store, and Daimaru Umeda, the three department stores in the Osaka Station and Umeda Station area.

As you exit Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station and go through Hankyu Sanbangai, the department store to the front is Hankyu Umeda Main Store. Out of the three major department stores of Umeda, it is the most upscale one and offers a luxurious shopping experience. It is also very gregarious with their large show windows and seasonal display. Especially during the Christmas season, their show window is superb every year.

Hanshin Department Store Umeda Main Store is located right outside the Hanshin Osaka-Umeda Station exit. It has a friendly atmosphere and cherished by locals.

Especially the underground food court (known as Depachika in Japanese) is a popular area where it is crowded regardless of the day. In the food court, you can enjoy cheap and delicious stand-up-eating style food from famous ramen, ikayaki, udon shops in the Snack Park.

Since Daimaru Umeda is adjoined with JR Osaka Station, it is easily accessible. It is a department store that answers the needs of all age groups, and you can find luxurious brand to kids and baby goods

LUCUA, LUCUA 1100, and Grand Front Osaka are three shopping facilities other than department stores that we want to recommend.

After exiting JR Osaka Station central exit and heading left, you will find LUCUA and LUCUA 1100, one of Japan’s largest shopping facilities. They have numerous popular brands shops and Muji, which has a great product line up of daily goods. It is a great place to find Japanese fashion such as city-style edgy items.

You can also find the large shopping facility Grand Front Osaka to the left after you take the central exit out of JR Osaka Station. This shopping has a more mature atmosphere compared to LUCUA, and LUCUA 1100. Here you can find goods for people who want a sophisticated lifestyle. The facility is very large, so you will want to make sure you have enough time.

The Osaka Station and Umeda Station Kita area have many shopping and dining facilities, but they also have many attractive sightseeing spots. Spotlight on Umeda Sky Building with a powerful view and Osaka Station City adjoined to JR Osaka Station.

After exiting JR Osaka Station through the central exit head towards Grand Front Osaka, go through the underground path for about 15 minutes, and you will reach Umeda Sky Building. The popular Kuchu Teien Observatory, where you can get a full view of Osaka, is located in the 40 stories tall Umeda Sky Building. You can enjoy a beautiful view of buildings that create a city atmosphere that blends with the light. As the sun sets it becomes more otherworldly.

You also can’t forget about the complex facility that includes JR Osaka Station. The facility has many sophisticated areas such as the Toki-no-Hiroba Plaza with the large clock, the Atrium-Hiroba Plaza where many people come and go through, and the green oasis Tenku-no-Noen that can be reached by stairs from the 11th floor. We recommend stopping by to catch a break in-between sightseeing.

There are other charming places to visit, such as Shin Umeda Shokudogai for local diners, E-MA with mature select shops for shopping, and HELP FIVE with the red Ferris wheel for sightseeing.

Osaka Station and Umeda Station area have many hotels such as Hilton Osaka and Westin Hotel Osaka. You can enjoy the surrounding area and use the various transportation methods to reach Shinsaibashi and Dotombori in the Minami area or venture out to Kyoto, Kobe, and Nara to further expand your Osaka sightseeing experience.

Text by:WESTPLAN

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