Osaka is considered to be economic center and populous city in the Western part of Japan. It is recommended to visit this trade capital in the first instance. We are going to visit Osaka district, it is close to Osaka Station. This place is a popular business-center, where the most of famous corporations are placed. Look around! There are many skyscrapers and vast network of underground foot-walks. What is more, you can meet a nice historical place, keeping a lot of traditions of the local culture.
Osaka Station
The first interesting place for tourists is Osaka Station – amazing place that includes lots of shops, restaurants, shopping malls. You can buy lots of clothes, local souvenirs. The street is hundreds of meters long, probably, the longest in Japan.
Toki no Hiroba Station
This station offers to be the great resting place, waiting for your train. There is a huge platform, full of shops. You can spend time, going from shop to shop, meeting hurrying tourists and passengers. You can also be interested of underground floors, where food shops usually situated. Do you like Japanese fast-food restaurants: sushi, sashimi, fresh seafood, meat, fish, and fruits. You can try famous okonomiyaki (the recipes are different in different regions of Japan).
Each of Osaka trade streets has its own specific and character. The most of them are absolutely modern, surrounded by fashion boutiques and chic cafes. The other part of shops are reviewed and approved. They are old-fashioned, having their own local clients, style and traditions. It is really strange to get there.
Hankyu Higashidori Shopping Street
You can go to Hankyu Higashidori Shopping Street, which follows next. The long street is about 200 meters long. It is full of restaurants, cafes, neon lights and shop windows, giving the feeling of real feast. The atmosphere is warm and friendly. The street is popular of numerous massage salons and Izakaya (Japanese pubs). They are masterfully hidden in broad daylight to start new and interesting life in the evening.
Tenjinbashi-Suji Shopping Street
Going further to the east, you can meet the next trade street Tenjinbashi-Suji. It is full of shops, cafes, little restaurants and household goods. Of course, you cannot buy something stylish and high-fashioned there. Traditionally, all Asian cities have their own trade street. The amount of little shops is impressive, as the amount of interesting cafes. You can finish your trip, going straight to Nakanoshima Island. This is the place of Scientific Museum, Osaka national Museum of Arts – there is an elegant English cafe at the entrance. Come and see!
Never Miss Osaka Popular Shops
Tower Knives Osaka
Do you like your kitchen? Never miss your chance to buy something interesting for your kitchen. What about knives? This is the best shop of knives in the country. If you could visit the popular knives shops in the city, they are not as good as this shop is. The shop assistant knows everything about knives.
Namba Parks
There was a big baseball stadium in this place in 2003. This is a huge 8-stored trade complex and park now. The shops are usual. There is a cinema on the top floor, terraces with cozy benches. Sometimes, it can be really pleasant to have a rest for a couple of minutes in this natural atmosphere. This is a megamall, where you can live.
Pokemon Center Osaka
What do you know about pocket monsters? This is a shop-museum. You are welcomed to buy interesting and original souvenirs for your kids or friends. The shop is always full of people. Actually, the center is really worth visiting, especially with kids. You can not only buy souvenirs, but play interactive games. As it is said, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Kuromon Market
Great place! Do you like fish and fresh products? The choice of fish and seafood delicacies is wide! There are many fresh-food markets in Japan. The place is colorful, fresh and, clean. You can buy fish that was fished out an hour ago. It tastes good.
Grand Front Osaka
It is time to speak about the huge mall, where you can find absolutely everything: brand clothes, mass market goods, big and small cafes, restaurants. The building is also impressive. Everyone knows that аGrand front building is an important historical construction. It is not very big, but impressive. It is considered to be elite trade center, modern and well-designed. There is a little cozy garden in the back yard of the trade center.
Hankyu Umeda Main Store
Look! What a big mall is over here! It occupies a few stores of one of the tallest office buildings in Osaka. Traditionally, the mall is full of shops, crowds of visitors, interesting brand clothes. You can spend many hours to walk here, searching for something special. What a shopping paradise it is! There is a big and comfortable food court in the mall. You can stop and have some rest to continue your shopping race later.
Lucua1100
This huge shopping mall is mostly oriented to attract young buyers. What is strange, the shop works till 9.30 p.m. it is not typical for Japan. You can meet lots of democratic brands here. The mall is situated not far from Osaka Railway Station. This is a nice chance to learn more about modern Japanese life and fashion style. If you are not shopaholic, but you want to lite original things – this is right place for you.
This is a big pleasure to walk around the long shopping street, underground and on the street. The trade galleries are different. They are full of fashion clothes and stylish cloth samples. The bigger part of them is full of fashion boutiques and chic cafes. The others welcome you with interesting shops in cottage style, predicted to serve to special, respectable clients. You can hire a car in Osaka to get any of shopping streets you liked. There are no standard shopping rules in Osaka. Nevertheless, the most of shops starts working from 10 a.m. till 9 p.m.