Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [307]
SHOPPING
Osaka has almost as many shops as it has restaurants. The major department stores are clustered around JR Osaka and Umeda Stations in Kita. High-end fashion shops and international luxury brands have their outlets along Midō-suji, the main street of Minami, between Shinsaibashi and Namba subway stations.
Osaka’s speciality is electronics, and Den Den Town (Map) is Osaka’s version of Tokyo’s Akihabara. Taking its name from the Japanese word for electricity, denki, Den Den Town is an area of shops almost exclusively devoted to electronic goods. To avoid sales tax, check if the store has a ‘Tax Free’ sign outside and bring your passport. Most stores are closed on Wednesday. Take the Sakai-suji subway line to Ebisu-chō Station and take exit 1 or exit 2. Alternatively, it’s a 15-minute walk south of Nankai Namba Station.
For anything related to cooking and eating, head to the Dōguya-suji Arcade in Minami.
Kōjitsu Sansō (Map; 6442-5267; Osaka Ekimae Daisan Bldg, 1-3 Umeda, Kita-ku; 10.30am-8pm; JR line to Osaka) If you need a new backpack or any other kind of outdoor gear, head to this excellent shop on the ground floor at the northwest corner of the Ekimae Daisan building.
Bic Camera (Map; 6634-1111; 2-10-1 Sennichimae, Chūō-ku; 10am-9pm; JR line, Kintetsu line, Midō-suji, Sennichi-mae, Nankai Honsen, Kūkō, Kōya subway lines to Namba) Bic Camera is a one-stop shop for everything related to cameras, electronics and computers (but note that many computer-related items are designed for operation with a Japanese system). You’ll find some of the best prices in the city at this vast shop.
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GETTING THERE & AWAY
Air
Osaka is served by two airports: Osaka Itami Airport (ITM), which handles only domestic traffic, and the newer Kansai International Airport (KIX), which handles all international and some domestic flights. Itami is conveniently located right in Osaka itself; KIX is on an artificial island in Wakayama-ken (Click here for transport details).
Boat
The Japan China International Ferry Company (in Japan 6536-6541, in China 021-6325-7642; www.shinganjin.com, in Japanese) connects Shanghai and Osaka/Kōbe (one way 2nd class ¥20,000/CNY1300, around 48 hours). A similar service at similar prices is provided by the Shanghai Ferry Company (in Japan 6243-6345, in China 021-6537-5111; www.shanghai-ferry.co.jp, in Japanese). These ferries operate from the Osaka Nankō international ferry terminal, which can be reached by taking the New Tram service from Suminoe-kōen Station to Nankoguchi Station.
Domestic ferries operate from Nankō ferry terminal and Kanome-futō and Benten-futō piers for various destinations around Honshū, Kyūshū and Shikoku. Destinations (2nd-class fares) include Beppu (from ¥10,000, 11½ hours), Miyazaki (from ¥10,800, 12¾ hours), Shibushi (from ¥11,500, 14¾ hours) and Shinmoji (from ¥6420, 12 hours) in Kyūshū; and Shōdo-shima (from ¥3800, 4½ hours), Matsuyama (from ¥7500, 9¼ hours) and Niihama (from ¥5700, 9¼ hours) in Shikoku.
For detailed information about sailing schedules and bookings contact the tourist information offices Click here.
Bus
There is a long-distance highway bus service between Osaka and cities all across Honshū, Shikoku and some cities in Kyūshū. Destinations include Tokyo (from ¥4300, eight hours), Nagasaki (¥11,000, 10 hours) and Kagoshima (¥12,000, 11 hours 54 minutes). Most buses depart from JR Osaka Station (Map); check with the tourist information offices Click here for more details.
Train
SHINKANSEN
Osaka is on the Tōkaidō-San-yō shinkansen line that runs between Tokyo and Hakata (Kyūshū): Hikari shinkansen run to/from Tokyo (¥13,550, three hours) and to/from Hakata (¥14,390, three hours). Other cities on this line include Hiroshima, Kyoto, Kōbe and Okayama.
KYOTO
The shinkansen is the fastest way to travel between Kyoto and Osaka (¥2730, 15 minutes). The second-fastest way is a JR shinkaisoku train between JR Kyoto Station and JR Osaka Station (Map; ¥540, 28 minutes).
Another choice is the cheaper but more comfortable private Hanky