Umeda is one of the districts in Osaka city’s Kita Ward, and mainly refers to the area around JR Osaka Station, Osaka Metro Umeda Station, Higashi-Umeda Station, and Nishi-Umeda Station, and Hankyu-Hanshin Osaka-Umeda Station.

It’s the most extensive and busiest street in the west of Japan, with department stores, shopping malls, hotels, and other complexes all lined up side-by-side. As there are many offices in the area, everyone from business people, to the young and old, regardless of gender, come shopping and playing here day in and day out.

Besides the towering skyscrapers, there are underground streets and other places where you can enjoy some retail therapy or delicious cuisine.

In the sophisticated skyscrapers and convenient underground malls of Umeda, there are all kinds of shops around. You can make a beeline for the shop carrying what you need, or you can find everything from luxury brand goods to trinkets and other small souvenirs. Regardless, you will be spoilt for choice with the staggering variety available.

In Umeda, there are three department stores, namely Hankyu Umeda Main Store, Hanshin Department Store Umeda, and Daimaru Umeda. They’re all close to the JR line, subway, and private railways, making it a very accessible and convenient location. Next, we’ll introduce the perks of each one.

Hankyu Umeda Main Store opened in 1929 as the world’s first station terminal department store. It carries many leading fashion brands, providing a selection of the latest and newest in shopping, making it a hot favorite amongst both Japanese and foreign visitors. In particular, the International Boutique lines up only the best and most famous brands shops, with the largest cosmetics department in west Japan.

On top of that, the food hall in the basement brings together trendy gourmet foods of Japan, selling Japanese, western, and Chinese cuisine, along with various desserts and snacks. For people looking for the best shopping and food in Japan, we definitely recommend this department store.

Hanshin Department Store Umeda is a department store with deep roots, well-loved by the locals. The store offers luxury brands and select shops, daily necessities, and other goods as well, but its real specialty is in its food products.

The first floor of the department store is the food floor, and with everything from souvenir specialties of Osaka to snacks and other foods lined up, it’s hard to control yourself from snapping up everything you see.

The store also has special events for holidays such as Christmas and Valentine’s Day, and it can get crowded with long snaking queues. The fukuburo, or lucky bags, that go on sale during the first sale of the new year are also extremely popular and are usually completely sold out. If you’re celebrating the new year in Osaka, why not try lining up for a lucky bag at Hanshin Department Store Umeda?

Connected directly to JR Osaka Station is the South Gate Building, and occupying the second basement floor to the fifteenth floor, is the shopping complex Daimaru Umeda. Besides a direct link bridge from JR Osaka Station, and from the Toki-no-Hiroba Plaza, the seventh floor has 37 entrances, making access very convenient indeed.

Next, we’ll be introducing the shopping complexes Grand Front Osaka, LUCUA Osaka, and LINKS UMEDA, which can also be considered landmarks in Umeda. With bright and shiny interiors, there are specialty brands all lined-up inside.

Located south of JR Osaka Station, it’s a shopping complex with a north and south building. Besides a shopping mall, there are restaurants and cafés, a hotel, a theatre, and a high-rise mansion as part of it, and it sees plenty of human traffic day by day.

From select fashion brands such as Beams House and Ron Herman, jewelers like 4℃ BRIDAL, and lifestyle stores like Muji, there are many fashionable shopping opportunities, so be sure to check them out.

Composed of a west building, LUCUA 1100, and an east building, LUCUA, this is the largest station shopping mall in Japan. It’s easily accessible from the first-floor fare gate of the central concourse of JR Osaka Station.

LUCUA 1100 was designed with the keywords “Gap, Contrast, Marriage” in mind. The second floor has many unique and personality-driven trinket shops arranged in a marche style, while the seventh floor has lifestyle goods stores to improve your living spaces, as well as fashion items, with each floor having a different concept. On the other hand, LUCUA is targeted at trendy and fashion-conscious working ladies.

With prices comfortably in the range for everyday use, there are many items that are currently in fashion. For those quick to pick up on new trends, and who enjoy Japanese fashion items, why not take a look here?

Opened in November 2019, LINKS UMEDA is part of the Yodobashi Umeda Tower complex that houses Yodobashi Camera, and occupies the basement first floor to the eighth floor. From drug stores to supermarkets, it’s an all-in-one place where you can shop for everyday goods and necessities.

In the heart of Umeda, there aren’t many other supermarkets that you can casually enter nearby, so for those staying in hotels around the Umeda area, this is an important find indeed. There are three Starbucks Coffee outlets too, allowing you to take a rest whenever and wherever.

On top of that, there’s a Uniqlo and Global Work, along with other reasonably priced and high-quality fashion brands, making it a place that the whole family can enjoy.

Besides department stores and large-scale shopping malls and complexes, there are other attractive fashion malls and underground streets in Umeda too. We’ll be rounding up a few of these malls and streets that you should check out.

This is a fashion mall known for its giant Ferris wheel on the roof. A familiar place with trendy young people, people in their teens to twenties gather here regardless of gender. With many reasonably priced and tasteful Japanese brand shops, this is a spot that foreign visitors with a love for Japanese fashion won’t be able to resist.

If you’re looking for some classier brand-name products, look no further than Herbis Plaza. Besides top European brands, a selection of stylish and tasteful shops is lined up, allowing you to enjoy a refined a refined atmosphere while shopping.

Connected directly to the Hankyu Railway’s Osaka-Umeda Station, this is a shopping mall with a north and south building. From trendy items to hobby goods, there are many shops selling fashion and daily necessities too, providing fun for the whole family.

The basement also features a selection of shops selling gourmet foods from Osaka, and make for perfect souvenirs. From tea to snacks, you can choose your favorite souvenirs from the wide variety available.

Connected directly to Hankyu Sanbangai, this is one of the main underground malls of Umeda. Over 400 thousand people pass through it every day, and it’s bustling with activity every day of the week.

One unique aspect of Whity Umeda is the large number of everyday shops available, such as drug stores and other shops selling daily necessities. With easy access from the JR line, Osaka Metro, and Hankyu Hanshin lines, if you need to buy something you’ve forgotten, this is a convenient place to drop by.

From luxury goods displayed in top-class brand shops to everyday necessities, there is a wide variety of shopping available at the Umeda area. The underground streets are a great option too, to fit various changes in scene and mood.

With so many different malls and facilities clustered around the station, it’s a great place to hop between stores and malls while shopping. Come to Osaka Umeda for a fulfilling shopping experience!

*The above article is based on information from May 2020

Written by West Plan