Hello ph, I'm glad that you found the info. helpful. It was my first time to post. Kita Umeda are is the main hub of Umeda. But first, from the JR Osakakoen Station, it will be a 20 minute walk to the castle, depends which gate you enter, there is a plum tree garden (which some might be in bloom by the time you are here) that is free to walk in. It's my favorite place to take pictures of the Plum flowers. From there you can find your way to the castle. Close to the castle is another garden called, Nishinomaru Garden, it's not free though. Maybe some of the Sakura might be in bloom, you can ask the staff before you pay to get in. Heading to Kita Umeda, I would suggest to find your way back to the JR Osakakoen Station, so you can catch the loopline train to Osaka Station, which is a 10 minute ride. There are other train lines that run close to the castle, but that's where it gets difficult for visitors, because you have to transfer or you might get lost. It would be faster to head back to the JR station and not transfer and get to JR Osaka Station (Kita Umeda).
Kita Umeda is mostly a shopping, eating & drinking area for me. Depending on what you wanted to do, you can go shopping or find some of the hole in the wall restaurants on the back streets. For example, from Osaka Station, you can go to Daimaru and exit out to Hanshin Department store. A little walk away from Hanshin Dept. is an area called Kitasinchi, for lunch it's a great place to eat for the price, at night it's a little different. Within this radius, you can find your way back to Osaka Station and go to the opposite side and find Isetan and Lucua Dept. Stores and Osaka Grandfront (there is an outside skating rink during the winter)and Yodobashi Camera. You might see a odd looking tall building behind the Grandfront, which is the Umeda Sky Building. The Sky building has an observation deck on the top, you will need to pay, but on a clear day or night, the view is awesome and romantic. Next to Yodobashi Camera, you will see the Hankyu Umeda Station, many shopping areas are around and in that station too, for example, Hep 5, Hankyu Department, New Chayamachi shopping area. There are many things to see and it will keep you busy for hours.
Just a side note, all of the department stores have the food & pastry shops on the basement levels underground and the restaurants on the top level floors. The food & pastry shops are a fun place to find gifts for friends and family.
You might seem overwelmed with all the people and buildings, find a nice place to sit and take a break. Umeda is a fun and great place. Hope this helps. Kita Umeda is like Namba, everything is in walking distance and a lot of backtracking.
Have fun!
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