The Osaka weather is getting hotter every year and the humidity combined with the high temperatures make creating a “cool-down” plan mandatory. Luckily, Osaka like many other cities in Japan has a thriving “indoor scene.” We’ve covered the shopping arcades on the site which are under a roof (albeit still outdoors.) These are helpful for avoiding direct sun -but we must discuss the more superior underground infrastructure (with air conditioning!) I’m talking about a whole city’s worth beneath the surface (multiple levels to boot!)
Today we’ll be talking about Umeda Underground which seems to be the most extensive in all of Osaka! As you can see from the map above, it’s quite large -a veritable maze of twists and turns that stretches 1.5 km (around a mile) in every direction. No matter how many times I’ve traversed it I still discover something new -and after 7 years living here I still get lost! There’s enough stuff to keep occupied for an entire summer without stepping foot outside!
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Osaka Station City
Specifically, the paths under the stations in Umeda and connecting them are called Osaka Station City. You will most likely traverse these as you run from train to train when visiting different parts of Osaka or Kyoto. These also connect to the mammoth Hanshin and Hankyu Department Stores which are also underground, there’s a special Japanese word for these: “depa-chika” (with “chika” meaning beneath the surface.)
As you wind through long crowded passageways, with luck you”ll find the basement entrances to these two shopping “experiences” -I’ve purposely used that word. You”ll be bombarded with sights, smells, and colors -and if you’re like me you’ll quickly feel overstimulated, unable to choose from the myriad of items and carnival barkers screaming for your attention. But buried within the chaos are some genuine delights that are worth trying a bite or two!
↑ I’ve included the entrances to Hanshin and Hankyu to give you a guidepost. Of course these are so large there may be as many as 5-10 different doors to choose from -but you get the idea! I often ask people here what the difference is between the Hanshin and Hankyu Departments and they say Hankyu is more expensive. Of course they both have different vendors and stalls so I’ll share a few of the highlights.
Both have shopping lanes filled with any type of food you’ve ever dreamed of. Many of these are permanent but some are weekly events – make sure to visit frequently to catch the newest and exciting trend! Unfortunately this excitement breeds long lines for these sensational products -but it’s worth your while!
From fish to traditional vegetables -they have it all. On the right are those only-in-Japan fruit cream sandwiches too! I challenge you to name something that isn’t available between these two shopping centers which they call “department store” for whatever reason.
↑ You’ve heard about conveyor belt sushi but have you heard about self serve nigiri sushi? Each one is individually wrapped in plastic and you can buy one a piece at a time -choose your favorites! This is located in the B2 level of the Hankyu store which in addition to fish has an amazing food market which sells the greatest tomatoes I’ve ever had in my life.
These “Rubins” tomatoes come in red and gold and are tinier than a mini tomato. They also come in these snazzy space age containers! They’re on the expensive size but these little packs are affordable (200-300 yen.)
To give a size comparison they’re not much bigger than a 50 yen coin! And it’s even more shocking that such a tiny thing packs such a flavorful punch! One bite and an explosion of concentrated tomato sweetness bursts onto your taste buds. They’re dry farm types which means there’s very little water used to grow these -In Japan they call these “fruit tomatoes.” Keep an eye out for these tomatoes by “Amela.”
Snack Park
While “Snack Park” is technically an offshoot from the Hanshin store, this very hidden “food court” deserves its own section. It’s a hop skip and a jump from the department store and it located in it’s own (secluded) area. If you do manage to find it there’s a host of Osaka soul food/street food as well as sushi, ramen and much more! And the best thing about it is it’s cheap cheap cheap!
Here are a couple local favorites: okonomiyaki and ikayaki. The ikayaki is particularly famous and there’s always a huge line! I tries a simple one made with flour and another one made with egg and chives -these are a MUST for whenever I’m in the area!
Just to show you how cheap it is, here is some soy sauce base ramen for 350 yen!! You can get a ground chicken on rice set too for JUST 210 yen! Wow! If you were to buy anything in the Hanshin store itself there would be nothing this cheap let alone with a place to eat it! A word to the wise: if you are looking for a place to eat your food from the department store you can visit the 1st floor which has a few tables to enjoy your purchases! It’s actually where I ate my lunch that day which I bought in a separate underground area called:
Dotica: Dojima Underground Shopping Center
Heading out from the Hanshin Department store and travelling along one of the long passageways heading towards JR Kitashinchi Station you hit the Dojima Underground Shopping Center. It’s filled with restaurant after restaurant, convenience store, Daiso -you name it! My advice for eating here is to come during the lunch hour on a weekday where each restaurant offers half-price bentos catering to the workers in the area. They line up in long queues to get them because they’re cheap, delicious, and and can be eaten back at the office. The base-line price seems to be around 600 yen which is mind-boggling cheap. (Around $4 US dollar right now.)
As you can see above, there were tuna sushi rolls, traditional bentos, sandwiches, fried fish, etc -the options were mind boggling. Make sure to arrive a little earlier than 12pm to avoid the lines as you can see in the photo above.
For 600 yen I got this gigantic bento from a Pakistani restaurant. It had tandoori chicken, egg, sweet ground meat on rice, sweet carrot mix, noodles, etc -a steal! I was going to bring it home but it was so heavy I had to find a table back at Hanshin to eat it there.
Dai 1, 2, 3, 4 Building
As you walk along the Dojima Underground pathway and reach the turn for Kitashinchi Station there is the entrance to the Dai 1, 2, 3, 4 Building. This sprawling metropolis is a city in its own right.
You could spend the whole day here visiting the restaurants, izakayas, kissatens and strange shops -many of filled with history and character. Compared to the shiny newness of the Osaka Station City, this building has dirt encrusted in old wall fixtures and store owners that have been here for decades. It’s a genuine cultural experience!
I would recommend going to the bottom floor which is filled with these mom and pop restaurants that seem to cater to the locals. I took a few pictures from behind to get a sense of the atmosphere inside! And the prices were great too! I saw 400 yen udons or 500 with a rice bowl included -Osakan people love a deal!
Whitys Umeda
The “entrance” to the maze of stores called Whity Umeda is somewhere in between Hanshin and Hankyu. It’s just another extension of the underground sprawl and it has the same sort of stuff we’ve seen before -albeit newer than the Dai buildings. So come here if you want more chain stores like Baskin Robbins, Beard Papa etc. It offers a great counterpoint to some of the other offerings we’ve seen thus far.
I noticed it was broken up into the Puchisan Mall and North Mall -there’s a ton of sections! The Whity section of the Underground is also worthy of note because unlike the others it heads cross town. If you are heading in the direction of Tenma it can get you at least halfway there with a stairway that leads up to Doyama-Cho which is right down the street from Mandarake a great Manga shop decorated like a cave. On a 40 degree day (104F) you’ll thank me for that air conditioned pathway to your destination!
Hankyu Sanban Gai
Hankyu Sanban Gai is, believe it or not, located under the Hankyu Station deep in the bowels of the earth. I prefer it to Whity Umeda because it’s little older and has lots of quirky stores (but if it’s a contest the Dai building takes the cake!)
With retro tiled hallways, bentos, and a host of other things, this overlooked underground passageway doesn’t get the same foot traffic I’ve seen at the other places. It can offer a respite from the hectic atmosphere near the station too.
I recommend checking out the VEGEFRU market here which is a little farmer’s market of sorts. These veggie stands are a little harder to find in Umeda so it’s great to find fresh produce grown right in the heart of Osaka in the Maishima area! The company Maishima Ferme uses hydroponics to grow the leaves in pristine conditions with no pesticides and they sell for around 100 yen! Who knew there was a cutting edge farm down the street from Universal Studios!
Lucua Food Hall / Baru Chika
Lucua 1 and 2 are two gigantic buildings that tower above the Osaka Station City but in the basement is where I like to be! It’s a combination food court / food market / souvenir shop, etc. I’ll introduce you to a few of my favorite places here in the Lucua Food hall and Baru Chika areas.
Walking along the passageway I had to grab a pic of this giant shrimp! Near that was Bokoku which has 3 tacos for 750 yen, the cheapest I’ve seen in Umeda! Their tasty fresh roasted chicken sensational.
There are giant chocolate fountains next to imported Italian chocolate, fresh pasta hanging from the ceilings, and a supermarket of selected and rare ingredients -what’s not to love about this place!
Unlike some of the other spots mentioned in this piece, when you buy a meal here there’s a nice table area to sit down and relax. It’s a cozy and subdued atmosphere that offers a respite from the hectic Umeda station area.
One last word
There are many places I didn’t get a chance to mention such as Eki Marche which is located under the JR Station tracks. Like the Hankyu Sanban Gai there are restaurants, markets, vegetable stalls etc.
When I first moved to Japan from Southern California’s beach area I had no idea how to tackle the heat. I hope this article gives you a head start with tips for enjoying yourself during the summer months! Here’s another extra item that helps me when getting to and from the station as I dive towards the air conditioned rooms:
As an “atugari” (one who tends to get hot) I picked up this “neck cooler” last year when I started noticing people around me wearing them. At first I thought it was the latest fashion trend but quickly realized they were functional. Using special cooling material designed by NASA (would they work on Mars?) they retain the temperature of the fridge or freezer for about an hour or so and cool off your body as you traipse through the thick wet air.
Now that it’s heading into September I’ll have to write my surviving the typhoon article for next time! Until then: enjoy the underground!
