Shinsaibashi Shopping Street

Osaka Shinsaibashi Shopping

Shinsaibashi Shopping street in Osaka is my picture of the week. I just returned from an amazing trip to Osaka in early December 2011 and found Japan's second-largest city fascinating.

Shinsaibashi (心斎橋) is the place to visit if you love shopping. Apart from the amazing shopping, there are cultural sites, world-class entertainment places, and excellent street food throughout Nanba.

Shinsaibashi Shopping Street

Shopping in Shinsaibashi
Shoppers at Shinsaibashi shopping street.

Walking along the main Shinsaibashi Street was a memorable experience as the covered walkways stretch over four kilometres long.

And the crowds here are always at their peak, with thousands of people at once.

If you were to come here on a public holiday or a weekend, you would most likely get lost in the crowd. Just take a look at the photo below to see what I mean. If you hate crowds, come here in the mornings and on a weekday.

This place is totally surreal and truly a woman's paradise. Then again, men would be pleased to know that male items are also available here, but you need to watch for them.

Photo of Shinsaibashi
Just take a look at that sea of people in Shinsaibashi.

Generally, you can find quite a wide selection of shops on Shinsaibashi Street, where the main stores sell Japanese snacks, souvenirs and clothing.

In between, you will find traditional Japanese restaurants and bakeries, which make a good stop if you need to fill your stomach.

Ladies' shoes are abundant and follow the seasons too. If you visit in the winter, expect to see many winter shoes or boots on sale. The same goes for men's shoes.

Sometimes, you will chance upon a cosplay shop selling cute Japanese Kawaii uniforms, wigs and other quirky items.

Who Should Not Go To Shinsaibashi?

I will be honest as guys are not too interested in shopping; therefore, boyfriends or husbands who hate shopping should not visit here as they will get frustrated.

Some people fear crowded places called Enochlophobia; if you belong to this group, please do not attempt to come here.

Ebisu Bashi Suji
Ebisubashi Suji, one of the entrances into Shinsaibashi.

How to Go To Shinsaibashi Shopping District?

The easiest and best way is by taking the Osaka subway here. Language is not a problem as the ticket machines have a dual language where English is one. Some of the subway and ticket staff speak a little English too.

The beauty of Osaka is that many of the younger generation Japanese know how to converse in basic English, making it easy to ask questions.

Signage around Shinsaibashi is relatively easy as all of them have English; hence getting lost will be accessible here.

Conclusion

If you travel to Osaka with family or kids, please stick together when you are here on the weekend, as it is easy to get separated in crowds.

I flew to Osaka with AirAsiaX on their inaugural flight. If you plan to visit this place anytime soon, put on a perfect pair of walking shoes and head over to Shinsaibashi Shopping District in Osaka.

Malaysia Asia

Blogging since 2007, but writing online since 1997. I belong to the 1st generation of worldwide bloggers, which is of course old-school. Since 2008, I created Malaysia Asia and this travel, flood, gadget and lifestyle blog has won numerous physical awards from tourism boards around Malaysia. (Not those online awards). After 12 years of blogging, I have semi-retired and now blog about things I like, do product reviews and enjoy life. My work has been featured in Lonely Planet, CNN Travel, Yahoo Travel, Wall Street Journal, and many other international publications. Find out more about me and thank you.

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