Where to Stay in Osaka: Namba vs. Umeda
Namba and Umeda are two of Osaka’s most popular areas for visitors, each having its own vibe and atmosphere. Both areas have their pros and cons, and having stayed in both during our recent trip, here’s our quick comparison to help you decide where to stay.
If you need a quick overview, think of Umeda vs. Namba like Ginza vs. Shibuya or Shinjuku in Tokyo. You can’t really go wrong with either in terms of getting around to explore Osaka, but from our impression, Umeda feels nicer, cleaner, more modern, and offers a more local and less hectic atmosphere than Namba.
Namba
Connectivity and convenience: Namba is a major transportation hub with excellent connectivity and I think it is very convenient for exploring Osaka. The area is serviced by multiple train and subway lines, including the Nankai, JR, Kintetsu, and Osaka Metro lines.
The Nankai Rapit train provides a direct and super quick route to Kansai International Airport. Other Nankai lines will take you to Sumiyoshi Taisha and Wakayama. A direct train on the Kintetsu line will get you to Nara in just over 30 minutes. If you want to take a day trip to other cities such as Kyoto or Himeji, you will need to make a connection, which is less convenient than from Osaka Station in Umeda.
Key attractions: Namba is within walking distance of a lot of popular tourist attractions such as Dotonbori, Ebisu Bashi-Suji Shopping Street, Shinsaibashi Shopping Arcade, Kuromon Ichiba Market and Namba Yasaka Jinja.
There are plenty of places to shop and numerous street food stalls. However, for nicer dining options, we saw way more places we were interested in trying in Umeda/Kita area. With efficient metro connections, it isn’t really a big issue I guess.
Vibe and atmosphere: Namba is known for its lively nightlife, busy shopping streets, and an energetic atmosphere. Some areas can be extremely crowded and touristy, such as Dotonbori. This is also where we came across the dirtiest and smelliest streets in Japan so far. However, we found that the area improves significantly when you step away from Dotonbori and Ebisu Bashi-Suji. The immediate surrounding of Osaka Takashimaya is quite nice, and we enjoyed the walk from there along Midosuji to Shinsaibashi for dinner reservations.
Accommodation Recommendations
- Swissotel Nankai Osaka (Booking.com | Agoda.com): if you read my review, you’ll see I have a mixed feeling about this hotel. However, its location in Namba is very hard to beat, right above Namba Station and Osaka Takashimaya.
- Fraser Residence Nankai Osaka (Booking.com | Agoda.com): this property features apartment-style rooms equipped with a kitchen and washer/dryer. It also has two-bedroom apartments for families or bigger groups.
If you don’t need to be within walking distance from Namba Station or the Nankai Rapi:t, you can consider Shinsaibashi area which is a major shopping area with a mix of high-end stores and local boutiques. You can easily walk to Namba and Dotonbori from Shinsaibashi.
Umeda/Kita
Connectivity and convenience: Umeda is one of Osaka’s primary transportation hubs, with multiple train lines converging at Osaka Station, including JR lines, Hankyu, Hanshin, and the Osaka Metro. The JR Haruka train will take you straight to Kansai International Airport.
Overall, the extensive transportation network makes Umeda an ideal base for exploring Osaka and taking day trips to neighboring cities like Kyoto, Kobe and Himeji. There is also a direct train from Osaka Station to Nara – there’s some conflicting/outdated information online about this. You can take the local Yamatoji Rapid Train from Osaka Station straight to Nara Station, which is what we did.
So for exploring nearby cities, Osaka Station is more convenient than Namba Station. However, Osaka Station is such a huge station with so many gates, entrances, and transfers that I can’t remember how much time we spent inside figuring out where we were and which exit/direction to follow. Namba Station is easier to navigate in our opinion.
Key attractions: the main attractions include HEP Five with its giant red ferris wheel and Umeda Sky Building – both are included in Osaka Amazing Pass. This area is home to several upscale shopping complexes and department stores, such as Grand Front Osaka and Daimaru. We enjoyed shopping in Umeda more than in Namba as we found the malls to be less crowded. And as mentioned previously, we found more restaurants that interested us here than in Namba.
Umeda area is also not too far from Nakanoshima Island (about 15-20 minute walking), a nice neighborhood in Osaka. It is home to Nakanoshima Park that has large rose gardens and a number of museums, such as The Museum of Oriental Ceramics.
Vibe and atmosphere: Umeda has a pretty nice skyline, with numerous high-rise buildings and sleek office towers. This modern architecture gives the area a polished, upscale and contemporary feel. The streets and public spaces are generally clean and well-maintained, better than those in Namba. We also saw more locals getting to/off work and hanging out in Umeda.
One of my most favorite moments in Osaka was standing on the walking bridge from Osaka Station every night. I would pause there for a few minutes, watching the traffic rush by below, with the vehicle lights blending with the glow from the surrounding high-rises. The wind would gently blow across my face and my mind just felt so free in that moment, simply enjoying the cityscape.
Accommodation Recommendations
- Hilton Osaka (Booking.com | Agoda.com): this is where we stayed and we also have a mixed feeling about it. The room is quite spacious and the location is excellent, just minutes from Osaka Station. However, we were disappointed with the mattress and pillows, which were very thin. We expected better bedding from the Hilton brand.
- Hotel Granvia Osaka (Booking.com | Agoda.com): this hotel will give you direct access to Osaka Station as it is integrated within the Osaka Station complex.
- Hotel Hankyu RESPIRE Osaka (Booking.com | Agoda.com): this hotel is also within walking distance from Osaka Station. The airport limousine bus also makes a stop at this hotel.
Summary
In short, you can’t really go wrong with either Namba or Umeda in terms of convenience for exploring Osaka. Choose Umeda if you prefer a more modern and sophisticated environment with excellent shopping and dining options. It’s also a better choice if you are planning multiple day trips to neighboring cities. Choose Namba if you enjoy an energetic atmosphere with plenty of street food and entertainment.
For us, we flew in and out of Osaka so we split our time between two areas. I kinda like it that way since we got to see and wander around both neighborhoods during the day and in the evening.