Staying around Shin-Imamiya area, Osaka

Hi,
I heard the area around Tsutenkaku and Shin-Imamiya could be quite "dangerous" and seedy, and the hotels being pestered with cockroaches and bed bugs.

Is there any truth to this or does it vary among the hotels themselves? Compared to nearby Tennoji or other parts of Osaka the hotels seem very cheap. Maybe the location is not so convenient?

Any place in the world can be 'dangerous.'

I used to have Shin-Imamiya as the base when I was in Osaka. My former colleague said that it is in the red district but by far I am only seeing red neon lights courtesy of Super Tamade.

Don't expect the location as glitzy as the Kita or Chuo Ward and you will be fine.

In terms of convenience, Shin-Imamiya Station by Nankai is one of the (major) stations, Namba being the pivot station, for KIX and Koyasan. The same station in which is also shared with JR is part of Osaka Loop Line.

Walk to Dobutsuen-Mae Station and you are connected to Osaka municipal trains. There is also a tram by Hankai going to the southern part of Osaka.

I talked to a friend of mine who went to Japan in 2006, staying in the Raizan South I think it is called. Had quite a small cozy room with a view he said. The shower was shared though but they had free videos to rent. He told me there was some kind of bug in the shower but perhaps that's because the window was open and it was summertime, I dunno.

Since I have not so much interest in Osaka (seen most of it) I will be visiting some of Kyoto, Nara and possibly Kanazawa or Takayama as a 1-night trip. Leaving from Kansai Airport in the end.

As far as I understand there is no "better" location in Osaka like in the smaller cities, like staying near the central station etc.

There are trains from Shin-Osaka all the way through Tennoji to Kansai airport and from Nankai-Namba as well.

Are the hotels trusty enough to send takuhaibin to as well? I have had no problems with sending to Toyoko Inn so it is a bit of a new ground for me..

I'm from Osaka. Shin-Imamiya area was called Kamagasaki when I was a kid and it was the baddest slum in Osaka. Thee are still some very shady accommodations in the area, so proceed with caution:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamagasaki

Alright. Well I have it as an alternative, but shady? How do you mean shady? Like unsecure?

Maybe hard to answer but there are no specific hotels I should avoid?

I remember when coming by Nankai railway once from Kansai airport right before Shin-Imamiya station there were some that looked like abandoned buildings to the right of the track.

My friend did not recall the area as being seedy, maybe he was too young and uncautious by then, not sure. But then again that is more than 10 years ago. Things might be different, I don't know...

I never had bad experience there. I even went back home in one piece, the very reason I am able to reply here. It is far from war.

If you are also reading thru TA, blogs and comments section of any hotel near Shin-Imamiya thru hotel booking websites, some dorm-type hostel/hostel has specifically posted in their lobby to be beware of pickpockets.

I've stayed at Hotel Mikado near Shin-Imamiya station once. It's not my favorite area in Osaka, but I never felt unsafe.

I sent my luggage from a smaller hotel in Kyushu, where the staff didn't know how much to charge me for the service. The luggage was sent to Mikado as pay-on-delivery. I left cash at the front desk, they paid for the delivery, and I got my suitcase as well as the change.

the answers will be varied depending on your common sense.
if you live more unsafe place than Shin-Imamiya area, you will feel better there.
but, since most of Japanese live safe and comfortable places more than Shin-Imamiya, they will not want to live there.
that area is so famous as it is the (only) place to get illegal drugs in Osaka area. but, there are almost no murders, because it is in Japan.
No one is surprised when minor offences happen there.