Shinsekai safety?

I am going to Osaka soon and am staying two nights at the Spa World (figured might as well stay there as for sure I would like to go there - and will save time staying there, plus the location isn't bad either (on the map), and as I arrive on the last day of a month it makes sense to stay there and be able to experience both the areas over two days, as they switch on the 1st of the month).

However, I just noticed now on this site that the Shinsekai area of Osaka where Spa World is located, is described as, "Shinsekai has a reputation as one of Japan's poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods." I didn't know that before.

Should I be concerned? Any precautions to take (e.g. when arrive in the evening instead of walk from Tennoji Stn. to Spa World just take a taxi, don't go out at night/in the dark to eat outside..?)? Any more specific areas there to avoid (e.g. anything to south of Spa World that is right by the JR tracks)?

I originally suggested you get a taxi to Spa World in answer to another of your posts. The reason I did this was because (I believe) this is your first visit to Japan and this will be your arriving evening. I suggested this because it is a fair old walk from any of the stations you could arrive at and you'll be having to drag your luggage for several blocks after a long haul flight. Better to arrive in comfort and then get your bearings fresh the next morning.

As for the area, yes, it is true that it has a reputation, but I have been visiting the area for years and never had a problem, I also love the neighborhood, so much so that I will be staying just south of Spa world on my next visit in April. The area around and north of Spa World reminds me a little of Coney Island and also has a 1950s feel to it. Having said that, it is a lot safer than Coney Island and I used to stay in the Luna Park projects back in the 1970s.

Go south of Spa World and you might well encounter some of the shanty towns constructed by the homeless, but again I feel safer there than some places in NYC. If you have any other questions about the area, just ask.

Adangerous district in Japan is what people in New York, London, Paris etc.call a very safe downtown district. Shinsekai is not a pretty area but is definitely safe, unless you have lived in a protected bubble so far.

Thank you. That's what I thought, just wanted to check and make sure that it's just a "not so pretty, but generally safe" (compared to most American cities) neighbourhood.

(And Rob, I didn't mean to imply I took your earlier suggestion for a taxi Tennjoi to Spa World to mean it that the area is not safe. Was just thinking in general, should be walking around it in much or not (after arrival). Now I see that it's as I thought, should be fine -- both day and night (as we'll arrive later in the evening, so just wanted to know should we venture out to find something to eat then or no).)

I was born and raised in Osaka.
And I worked at Shinsekai/Nishinari area until last year.
My English skill is poor,so I'm sorry if there is a part hard to understand.

It is surely the area where a lot of poor people live in.
Many poor workers gathered in the area in 1960's.
The reason is because there were a lot of building-related work in the period of the high growth of economy.
The cheap restaurant,bars and nightspot,inns were made a lot.
But it became in bad times, and most of them lost work.
Nishinari area became dangerouse.But they are getting old.very old.The area became for poor, old man's area.

The station of JR which is the nearest to Shinsekai is Shinimamiya.
The station outskirts are stinking and dirty.
There are the old drunkard and pickpocket a lot.
But I think not dangerous for foreigners
(If you are weak woman,I do not recommend walking at night)

And many inns for poor workers of this area are remodeled as an apartment for ex-workers or as a guest house.
Recently many backpackers from foreign counties come to stay at these inns.

Shinsekai's people are tring to make this area a sightseeng spot.

The neighborhood of the spa world has many restaurants such as pork fried on a skewer shops, and there is the convenience store.
I think that you are not troubled to eat.
In addition, it is very close to Nipponbashi(like Akihabara in Tokyo).
You can walk to there. It is all right at night.