Minami

Lit by neon signs, including the Glico running man, Dotonbori is the liveliest part of the Minami area, especially at night. It runs parallel to the canal, and some restaurants stay open until the wee hours. The small enclave of America-mura houses funky, youth-oriented fashion stores, while Den Den Town is where to go for electronics and a peek into otaku (geek) culture. Minami is also home to museums, theaters, temples, and shrines.

Join a walking tour that covers this part of the city, or take an evening food and drink stroll in Shinsaibashi and Namba for an inside view of the nightlife scene and help with the Japanese-language signage and menus.

• Minami is a great place to get a taste of Osaka’s entertainment culture.
• The many vintage and secondhand stores of America-mura in Minami make it good for budget travelers.
• Some larger stores offer tax-free shopping; bring your passport.
• Dotonbori Street is a great place to try takoyaki (battered octopus), the local Osaka specialty, from a street vendor.

The Minami area is centered around Namba Station, which is served by multiple train, subway, and bus routes. Namba Station is a system of multiple station buildings and platforms, including Nankai Namba Station, JR Namba Station, and Kintetsu's Osaka Namba Station. The Midosuji, Yotsubashi, and Sennichimae subway lines all stop at Namba Station.

Mimami is a colorful place to visit at any time and on any day of the week, but it is at its most lively at night, when the bars, clubs, and live music venues open up and shimmering neon signs are illuminated—they are especially striking when reflected in the canal in the Dotonbori area. 

A 5-minute walk from the Osaka-Namba Station, the small Kamigata Ukiyoe Museum is the world’s only museum to have a permanent exhibition of Kamigata Ukiyoe, woodblock prints from the Kyoto and Osaka region that typically feature portraits of kabuki actors. The museum has around 50 works in its permanent exhibition. There is a small admission fee and, for an additional fee, visitors can learn how to make their own Ukiyoe prints to take home.