Best Western hotels in Namba

The centre of Osaka’s busiest commercial area, Namba is the city's main south-central railway terminus and occupies a city block. There are actually two Namba stations, one of which serves the Nankai Electric Railway and Osaka underground, and the other the Kintetsu Namba and Hanshin Namba lines. JR Namba Station is also found here, and is the western terminus of the Kansai Main Line.

Namba is filled with things to see, though you won’t need to spend more than a few hours wandering around the city block.

For those that like iconic images, famous images like Glico Man (a billboard with the image of a runner crossing a finishing line) can be found in Namba near the Dōtonbori canal. There are also plenty of other illuminated signboards along the canal that are definitely worth snapping photos of. The six and a half metre Kani Doraku Crab, which was built in 1960, is also near the canal and has become an Osaka icon.

To experience the traditional and cultural character of Namba visit the Hozenji Temple that sits at the end of Hozenji Yokocho Alley. The entire alley retains much of Osaka’s old time atmosphere, with restaurants and izakayas (small pubs) to match. Those that like theatre should watch a puppet show at the National Bunraku Theater or a kabuki performance at the Shochikuza Theater.

The main draw for many in Namba is its fantastic shopping, with the Takashimaya department store sitting on top of Namba station and the Namba City shopping mall located underneath it.

Whether you are looking for traditional Japanese, modern Japanese or international favourites, you will find them in Namba. This is the entertainment district of Osaka, and is where most of the most popular restaurants, bars and nightclubs can be found. Most are located around the Dōtonbori canal, which is the liveliest part of Namba. There are plenty of restaurants and bars right around the train stations as well. There is also Namba Park, with numerous casual restaurants on its 6th floor and fine-dining establishments on the 7th and 8th floors.

This is what Namba is all about, as it is home to the Takashimaya department store, Namba City shopping mall and Namba Park. If you are looking for electronics, head to Den Den Town, which is just to the east of Namba. This is also a paradise for anime and manga lovers.