Top Activities in Shinsaibashi, Osaka

Nov 29, 2022

Top Activities in Shinsaibashi, Osaka

One of the most famous neighborhoods in Osaka is Shinsaibashi. Although it’s primarily a shopping neighborhood, it’s also a great place to visit for nightlife, restaurants, and cultural attractions. In particular, there are six things to do in Shinsaibashi.

Shop in the Arcade Shotengai

You can’t visit Shinsaibashi without checking out some of the stores. Shotengai are stretches of stores selling essentials. In some cases, they are covered by a roof, which is called an arcade shotengai. The one in Shinsaibashi runs along the Ebisubashi Bridge and is more than half a kilometer long. It is usually crowded with people visiting clothing stores, buying groceries, and visiting cafés.

Buy Souvenirs at Mandarake Grand Chaos Shop

If you prefer to head straight to a shop where you can pick up souvenirs and other novelty items, go to Mandarake Grand Chaos Shop. One of a chain of stores, it’s renowned for being among the best. If you like collectibles, you’ll be able to spend hours exploring each of the four floors. There’s a range of merchandise for sale, ranging from manga, cosplay costumes, and trading cards to electronic gadgets and books.

Play Video Games at Space Station

Return to another era by visiting Space Station. As well as serving drinks, this retro bar offers the chance to play on consoles and PCs. The games range from the latest releases to classic NES games. Whereas there are other game bars in Osaka, Space Station is unique because it doesn’t have a cover charge. If you’re a gamer looking to meet other people in the city, this is the place to go — you’ll usually find many locals and tourists, even on weekdays.

Pay Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum a Visit

Shinsaibashi also has places where you can experience traditional Japanese culture. In particular, Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum has a collection of artwork depicting kabuki artwork. It’s also the only place with a permanent exhibition of Kamigata woodblock prints. If you like, you can join a workshop to make Ukiyo-e artwork yourself.

Take Some Time Out at Mitsu Hachimangu Shrine

As in virtually every neighborhood, there’s a shrine in Shinsaibashi. Mitsu Hachimangu Shrine is a quiet place to take a break from all the activity and is especially attractive when the cherry blossoms are in bloom. The original shrine was built in this spot in 749, although the current one was constructed to replace a shrine destroyed in an air raid in World War II.

Enter Mitsutera Temple

You can also visit a Buddhist temple while in Shinsaibashi. Mitsutera is an ancient temple — first constructed in 744 but rebuilt most recently in 1808. The gold leaf and lacquer on the exterior are stunning alone, but you should definitely enter to see the statues in the main hall. In addition, the grounds have numerous graves containing the remains of important historical figures.

Shinsaibashi is packed with interesting activities — and it’s only one neighborhood in Osaka. It’s a great example of how you’ll never run out of things to do in Kansai.

32linesky, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons