Hankyu Umeda Mainstore in Osaka: Flagship of Japanese Popular Department Store

Osaka has long been known for its diverse food culture and is a popular tourist destination both domestically and internationally. The area around JR Osaka Station (Umeda) is particularly convenient, being just one train stop from Shin-Osaka Station on the Shinkansen line, and offering easy access to other popular destinations like Kyoto and Kobe. It's an ideal base for exploring the Kansai region.

Moreover, the area is densely packed with various commercial and entertainment facilities, from dining and fashion to movie theaters, playhouses, and even a Ferris wheel on a building rooftop. Simply walking around the Umeda area can be a highly enjoyable experience.

In this article, we'll focus on the must-visit "Hankyu Department Store Umeda Main Store" (Hankyu Umeda Mainstore), one of Osaka's premier shopping centers in Umeda! Affectionately known as "Ume-han," it's the region's top information hub, particularly renowned for its keen sense of fashion trends. With this guide, let's explore and make the most of your visit to Hankyu Umeda Mainstore!

Hankyu Umeda Mainstore: The Flagship Store of the Famous Nationwide Department Store Chain

Hankyu Department Store is a popular department store chain centered in Osaka with locations across Japan. It developed after World War II and is considered relatively new among Japanese department stores.

However, it has now gained attention for its unique product lineup, trend-catching ability, and attractiveness, to the point where it's often referred to as the Isetan of East Japan and the Hankyu of West Japan.

The flagship Umeda Main Store is particularly noteworthy among Hankyu Department Stores. Constantly disseminating the latest information in all lifestyle categories, it offers fresh discoveries with every visit.

Not only does it boast an impressive lineup of tenants, but it also excels in limited-time events and pop-up shops. Its location right next to JR Osaka Station, the heart of Osaka, with excellent access from various transportation systems including the subway, Hankyu, and Hanshin lines, is another key advantage.

Hankyu Umeda Mainstore: A "Fashion-Leading Store" with Nearly 100 Years of History

While many Japanese department stores and commercial facilities tend to feature similar lineups of popular fashion brands with good sales, Hankyu Umeda Mainstore takes a different approach.

Instead of conforming to such parallel offerings, it focuses on "how to differentiate from others." The store is renowned for its discerning eye that emphasizes uniqueness and foresight.

One of its biggest attractions is the opportunity to always enjoy unique and new encounters, such as hosting limited-time shops for online-only brands.

Three Floors to Enjoy Cutting-Edge Fashion at Hankyu Umeda Mainstore

2F: Luxury Brands and Cosmetic Brands

Source: MIU MIU

This floor, primarily dedicated to cosmetics, also features bags from renowned luxury brands such as Hermès, GUCCI, and LOUIS VUITTON. The cosmetics section is rich in domestic brands, including Shiseido, a representative of Japanese beauty, and IPSA and SK-II, known for their excellent skincare products.

Hermès In Color, the first independent shop for Hermès cosmetics line in the Kansai region, is also located here. The "Kirei Kirei Studio" in the center of the floor offers advance sales of new products from notable cosmetic brands, making it a source of the latest beauty information.

Website: https://www.hankyu-dept.co.jp/honten/floor/floor2f.html

3F: Cutting-Edge Designer Brands

Source: Osaka Bunka Fukusou Gakuin

This floor brings together domestic and international fashion-forward brands that are also notable in world collections from Paris, Milan, and New York.

Led by COMME des GARÇONS, it features an array of brands driving the Japanese fashion world, such as UNDERCOVER and sacai.

The "Kotokoto Stage" event space regularly introduces up-and-coming designers. It serves as a source of cutting-edge trends, hosting events like exhibitions of works by fashion school students who will lead the next generation of the apparel industry, and collaborative shows with VOGUE magazine.

Website: https://www.hankyu-dept.co.jp/honten/floor/floor3f.html

5F: Global Brands and Jewelry Stores

Source: Official website

This tranquil floor brings together luxury fashion brands, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in each brand's unique world.

Starting with Louis Vuitton, the floor's salon-like spatial design elevates the luxurious mood. It was renovated in 2020, expanding its product range and services targeting affluent customers with a focus on "rarity," "limited editions," and "craftsmanship."

The Jewelry Gallery spans the 5th and 6th floors, offering an enhanced selection of items priced over 10 million yen. Cartier has also been expanded to two floors, strengthening its product lineup.

The floor is also home to "BVLGARI IL CAFE," which exists only here and in Ginza in Japan, perfect for enjoying an elegant lunch or tea time after shopping.

Website: https://www.hankyu-dept.co.jp/honten/floor/floor5f.html

Don't Miss the 8th Floor "GREEN AGE" with its Concept of "Coexistence of Humans and Nature"!

b8ta

Source: PR TIMES

"b8ta," which opened in 2023, is a store based on the concept of "coexistence of humans and nature." It's an experience-based shop where you can try out various products, from new items by famous companies to those just born in startups.

From its opening, it has been selecting unique brands, including "Kara Pure," a water server that creates water from air, making its first entry into Japan.

The store is designed to allow visitors to fully appreciate the thoughts behind each product, whether it's cosmetics, miscellaneous goods, or interior items.

The store design also uses environmentally friendly building materials, resonating with its sustainable worldview that considers the global environment.

Website: https://b8ta.jp/

ADA LAB UMEDA

Source: Official website

ADA LAB UMEDA is a concept shop for "paludarium," which combines glass cases and LED lights to enjoy plant cultivation.

Paludarium is a new way of enjoying indoor greenery by viewing mosses and plants native to tropical regions in glass or acrylic cases. It's a niche yet modern interior style that has been gaining popularity in recent years, recreating a tropical rainforest environment in a small case.

At ADA LAB UMEDA, you can enjoy unique experiences such as talk shows featuring plant explorers who are enthusiasts of tropical plants, and workshops where you can create your original paludarium by combining your favorite plants, stones, and driftwood.

Some creations are small enough to take back to your home country, so it's worth consulting with the staff.

Website: https://ada-laboratory.com/ada-lab-umeda/

LOEWE ReCraft

Source: ELLE

LOEWE, the long-established Spanish leather brand, has opened "LOEWE ReCraft," the world's first repair shop, at Hankyu Umeda Mainstore. LOEWE's leather craftsmen are on-site to perform repairs, cleaning, and maintenance of products.

Maintenance is particularly recommended, as careful brushing and moisturizing with special creams enhance the depth of the leather's character. This world-first initiative to cherish leather for a long time is attracting attention as a service.

If you own LOEWE items, definitely bring them in. The shop also offers limited-edition items, including one-of-a-kind pieces created by weaving surplus leather into antique baskets from around the world, which are available for purchase.

Phone: 06-6361-0237
Website: https://www.loewe.com/jap/ja/stories-projects/loewe-recraft.html

Restaurants Are Also Plentiful! 6 Recommended Restaurants to Enjoy Exquisite Osaka Gourmet and Japanese Cuisine

Exquisite Local Gourmet Specialties of Osaka

Kushinobo

Source: Official website

"Kushinobo" is a famous restaurant for kushikatsu, an Osaka specialty popular mainly in the Kansai region. Kushikatsu is a popular dish where meat, seafood, and vegetables are skewered and deep-fried.

Kushinobo makes the most of seasonal ingredients and varies the sauce to match each ingredient. They take pride in their creative kushikatsu, elevating this casual food to a more refined level.

It's a perfect choice for dining with parents or a partner. This is a recommended spot for those wanting to enjoy a high-quality meal.

Phone: 06-6313-1503
Website: http://www.kushinobo.co.jp/

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Okonomiyaki / Teppanyaki Seijuro

Source: Official website

When it comes to Osaka soul food, it's okonomiyaki. "Seijuro" is known for its okonomiyaki with a soft batter made from a blend of flour and secret dashi stock.

While they have over a dozen branches mainly in the Kansai region, the Umeda Hankyu store is their latest, opened in August 2024 with a new concept. Their selling point is offering luxurious, carefully selected ingredients cooked on a teppan grill.

The recommendation here is the limited "Seijuro Set." This lavish menu, which has become popular even among locals, allows you to choose your favorite main dish (okonomiyaki, negiyaki, or yakisoba) and a 50g mini Yamagata beef steak of your preferred cut (Fillet, Sirloin, or Top blade/Oyster blade).

Phone: 06-6313-1486
Website: https://www.seijuro.jp/

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Dotonbori Imai

Source: Official website

At the udon restaurant "Dotonbori Imai," you can fully enjoy the "dashi culture" that is the essence of Osaka food. Their dashi, made from natural ma-konbu from Hokkaido and saba-bushi and urume-bushi from Kyushu, is delicately flavored yet concentrated with richness and umami. It's so delicious you'll want to drink every last drop.

Their most famous dish is "Kitsune Udon," where abura-age (thin slices of deep-fried tofu) simmered to a perfect sweetness adds an elegant accent to the dish.

Phone: 06-6313-1512
Website: https://www.d-imai.com/

Local Selected Exquisite Japanese Cuisine

Edomae Kaiten-zushi Kishu Yoichi

Source: Official website

Wakayama Prefecture, facing the Pacific Ocean, is blessed with abundant seafood throughout the year. "Edomae Kaiten-zushi Kishu Yoichi" offers super fresh seafood caught in Wakayama Prefecture. As Wakayama is one of Japan's leading landing sites for fresh tuna, tuna is a must-try menu item at this restaurant. Whenever I visit Yoichi, I always order tuna sushi.

In addition to about 100 types of nigiri sushi, they also offer a rich variety of assortments and à la carte menus. While most conveyor belt sushi restaurants serve two pieces per plate with prices varying by plate color, here you can enjoy "Aimori" - mixing different toppings on the same plate at the same price, which is an attractive point.

Phone: 06-6313-1488
Website: https://sushi81.jp/

Kyo-tempura Gion Yasaka Endo

Source: Official website

"Kyo-tempura Gion Yasaka Endo" is a tempura specialty restaurant that has been operating in Kyoto's Gion district for over 140 years. You can enjoy the seasons and freshness of Kyoto through seasonal vegetables, mountain vegetables, local seafood, and river fish caught in the clear streams flowing into Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture. Savor the elegant taste of lightly battered tempura and the harmony with salt or tentsuyu that enhances the tempura. Endo is also unique for its original tempura creations, including their famous "corn tempura" and arrangements using beef, sea urchin, and caviar.

Phone: 06-6313-1401
Website: https://www.gion-endo.com/

Shabu-shabu / Japanese Cuisine Tachibana

source: Official website

"Shabu-shabu & Japanese Cuisine Tachibana" is a popular restaurant known for serving shabu-shabu made from Japan’s finest branded beef and pork. When the meat, sliced to its thinnest, is lightly swirled in a kombu (kelp) broth, the smooth and tender texture of the meat will astound you.

And as the rich yet delicate flavor of the meat unfolds, it’s hard not to let out a sigh of delight. For those seeking a healthier option, I highly recommend trying the delicate Japanese dishes made with handmade tofu.

- Phone Number: 06-6313-1524
- Website:https://tachibana-hankyu.gorp.jp/

Basic Information for Hankyu Umeda Main Store

- Address: 8-7 Kakuda-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture
- Business Hours: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM  
 (12th and 13th floor restaurants: 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM)
- Closed: Irregular holidays
- Phone: 06-6361-1381

Access

A quick guide on directions and travel time from each line’s exit:

- Hankyu "Osaka Umeda" Station, Central Exit on the 2nd Floor or Exit on the 3rd Floor: about a 3-minute walk south
- Hanshin "Osaka Umeda" Station, East Exit: about a 3-minute walk east
- JR "Osaka" Station, Midosuji or South Exit: about a 3-minute walk east
- Osaka Metro Midosuji Line, "Umeda" Station, Central or South Exit: about a 2-minute walk east
- Osaka Metro Tanimachi Line, "Higashi Umeda" Station: about a 5-minute walk northwest
- Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line, "Nishi Umeda" Station, North Exit: about a 7-minute walk east
- JR Tozai Line, "Kita-shinchi" Station: about a 9-minute walk north from any exit

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