Osaka Station (‘åã‰w, Ōsaka-eki) is a major railway station in Osaka's Umeda district (also known as Kita) that is served by a large number of local and interregional trains, but not the shinkansen which stop at Shin-Osaka Station. The formerly dark and cramped station underwent extensive renovation works and was reborn in 2011 as Osaka Station City, one of Japan's most attractive railway stations.
Osaka Station City's landmark is a large glass roof that spans over the railway tracks and gives the station a lot of new open space. Newly constructed and renovated buildings on the north and south sides of the station provide travelers with a wide array of shopping, dining, entertainment and recreation opportunities, and are connected with each other by a wide bridge over the railway tracks.
The bridge that connects the north and south buildings is called Toki no Hiroba (Time and Space Plaza) and provides a pleasant open space above the railway tracks for travelers to move from one side of the station to the other, take a rest or observe trains. From the level just below the plaza, travelers can access the railway tracks.
Newly opened in 2011, the North Gate Building contains a shopping center, multi-screen cinema complex, sports club and multiple attractive green spaces:
Partly new, partly renovated, the South Gate Building contains a department store, the Hotel Granvia Osaka, a clinic and a little bit of recreational space.
The Osaka/Umeda station complex is the busiest in western Japan, shared by four different railway companies. It consists of multiple separate stations:
Above ground:
Underground:
4 minutes, 170 yen by frequently departing JR trains. Alternatively, the Midosuji Subway Line takes 6 minutes and costs 240 yen.
8 minutes, 240 yen by Midosuji or Yotsubashi Subway Line.
How to get to and around Osaka
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