Osaka Districts & Areas
Osaka reads like a set of very different small cities stitched together by the Midosuji Line. Start here to find your part of town.
Dotonbori & Namba
A guide to Dotonbori and Namba, Osaka's canal-side entertainment district — the Glico sign, street food, shopping arcades and what to expect after dark.
D-02Umeda & Kita
A guide to Umeda and the wider Kita ward — Osaka's northern business and shopping hub, the Umeda Sky Building, and the area's department stores.
D-03Shinsekai & Tennoji
A guide to Shinsekai and Tennoji — Osaka's retro entertainment district around Tsutenkaku Tower, Abeno Harukas, and Shitennoji Temple.
D-04Shin-Osaka
A guide to Shin-Osaka — Osaka's bullet-train hub one stop north of Umeda, what's actually there, and who should base themselves in the area.
D-05Osaka Bay & Tempozan
A guide to Osaka's bay area — Tempozan Harbor Village, Kaiyukan Aquarium, the Tempozan Ferris Wheel, and nearby Universal Studios Japan.
D-06Nakanoshima
A guide to Nakanoshima, the narrow island in central Osaka between two rivers, home to the city's major art museums and Taisho-era architecture.
D-07Den Den Town
A guide to Den Den Town in Nipponbashi — Osaka's answer to Akihabara, for electronics, anime, manga and retro games.
D-08Kyobashi & Tenma
A guide to Kyobashi and Tenma — a less touristy Osaka nightlife district of izakaya alleys, near Osaka Tenmangu Shrine and the Tenjin Matsuri.
D-09Honmachi & Semba
A guide to Honmachi and Semba, Osaka's historic merchant quarter and modern business district, and Doshomachi's pharmaceutical trading history.
D-10Tenjinbashisuji
A guide to Tenjinbashisuji Shotengai, one of Japan's longest covered shopping arcades, near Osaka Tenmangu Shrine and the Museum of Housing and Living.
D-11Juso
A guide to Juso, a working-class izakaya district just north of Umeda across the Yodo River, popular with locals rather than tourists.
D-12Fukushima
A guide to Fukushima, the wine bar and bistro district just north of Umeda that's become one of Osaka's most talked-about food neighbourhoods.
D-13Abeno
A guide to Abeno, home to Abeno Harukas and the Abenobashi shopping arcade, plus Osaka's last old-style tram line.
D-14Tsuruhashi
A guide to Tsuruhashi, home to one of Japan's largest Korean communities and a dense covered market known for yakiniku and Korean food.
D-15Shinsaibashi & Shinsaibashisuji
A guide to Shinsaibashi and Shinsaibashisuji shopping arcade in Osaka — the covered arcade, luxury brands, streetwear, and how it connects to Dotonbori.
New districts guides are added every week. See the update log →