Insider Route — North to South Osaka: Umeda, Shinsaibashi, Namba


Osaka is known for its lively residents, great local cuisine, and a vibrancy that’s hard to beat. Unlike their reserved counterparts in nearby Kyoto, Osakans are known for their love of jokes and their big, welcoming smiles, especially when serving up fried treats like takoyaki, okonomiyaki and kushikatsu. But as the largest city in western Japan, Osaka is also home to a myriad of high-end dining, shopping and sightseeing experiences.

Three neighboring areas of Osaka are particularly notable for these experiences. From North to South, they are upscale Umeda, located right by Osaka station; Shinsaibashi, home to Osaka’s ultra-hip youth culture; and, just south of Osaka’s iconic Dotonbori canal, Namba, known for its charming compact eateries and bars. These three areas are walkable end-to-end within an hour or easily traversed in minutes via Osaka’s north-south Midosuji, Yotsubashi and Sakaisuji subway lines, making for a compact day of uniquely Osakan fun.