Local Osaka
The part of Osaka nobody photographs
Most people who come to Osaka stay in Namba or Umeda, see the neon, eat the takoyaki, and leave with a fair idea of what Osaka sells and very little idea of what Osaka is.
Himejima is the other thing. It’s a residential district in the west of the city: two-storey houses, bicycles, small shops that keep their own hours, a station where only the slow trains stop. Nothing here has been arranged for visitors, which is exactly why it’s worth a few days of your life.
You are ten minutes from the centre. You can go and do all of it. But this is where you’ll be having breakfast.
The river, one minute away
Walk out of the front door, turn, and in about a minute you’re on the bank of the Yodo River. The grass runs on and on, with the city skyline sitting on the far side of the water. It’s the best thing about the address and it costs nothing.
Go early. Joggers, dog walkers, a few people doing stretches, and a lot of sky — which is not what you expect from Osaka.
In summer, this stretch of bank is also a quiet place to watch the Yodogawa Fireworks Festival. Locals know; almost no tourists do.
The shrine at the end of the street
Himejima Shrine is a short walk from the house, tucked into the neighbourhood rather than set apart from it. It is not a famous shrine and there is no queue. People stop on their way past. That’s the whole experience, and it’s a good one first thing in the morning.
Where everyone shops
The kitchen here is a real kitchen, and the supermarket is close enough that you’ll probably use it.
- Hankyu Oasis Himejima — 3–4 minutes on foot, 9:00–22:00. An ordinary, well-stocked Japanese supermarket. Prepared food, fish, vegetables, an ATM, a seating corner. If you have never shopped in a Japanese supermarket, give yourself half an hour; it’s more interesting than most museums.
- Gyomu Super Nishiyodogawa — about 4 minutes, 9:00–21:00. Frozen food and large packs. Useful for a group or a longer stay.
- FamilyMart Himejima 4-chome — open 24 hours, for whatever you discover you need at midnight.
- Drugstore — about 5 minutes.
- Laundromat — about 5 minutes. (There’s also a washing machine in the house.)
Eating within a few minutes’ walk
These are neighbourhood places, not destinations. Some are tiny. Several take cash only. Small independent places change their hours often, so it’s worth a look on the day.
Morning
- Chuka Soba Usetsu — ramen from 6:00 in the morning on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Six counter seats, so expect to wait. Closed Mondays. Cash only. About 4 minutes.
- Asunaro — a coffee shop that opened in 1965 and still does a morning set from around ¥400, 6:00–17:00, closed Tuesdays. About 3–4 minutes. One thing to know: smoking is allowed throughout, so it won’t suit everyone.
Osaka food, done plainly
- Shitamachi Teppan Himejima — okonomiyaki and teppanyaki. Sixteen seats, so not for a group. Closed Mondays, cash only. About 4 minutes.
- Jumbo Sohonten — takoyaki, 10:00–23:00, takeaway. Carry it back and eat it at the dining table here, which is the correct way to do it. About 4 minutes.
Evening
- Gyoza Sakaba Kobukuro — eight kinds of gyoza, 43 seats, non-smoking, cards and PayPay accepted. The easiest one with a family or a group. 16:00–24:00, closed Mondays. About 3–4 minutes.
- Yakiniku Rokkaku — grilled meat; their own listing says children are welcome. Cards, e-money and QR payments all work. 17:00–23:00, closed Mondays. About 4 minutes.
- Menya Ikki — ramen until 2:30 a.m., every day, cash only. For late arrivals, or the end of a long evening. About 3–4 minutes.
Takeaway and sweet things
- Matsunoya Himejima — tonkatsu and set meals, open 24 hours. You order from a ticket machine, so no Japanese is needed. Under ¥1,000. About 4 minutes.
- Yamatori — karaage bento to take away. 11:00–15:00 and 17:00–21:00, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. About 3–4 minutes.
- Pâtisserie Nature — a small cake shop, 10:00–19:00, closed Wednesdays. About 5 minutes.
Two stops away: a covered shopping street
Noda Shinbashisuji is two stops down the Hanshin line — an arcade of about 100 shops running 370 metres end to end, with specialists in eel, fish cake and other things you won’t find in a department store. It’s covered, so it works on a wet day. Shop hours vary.
One thing about the station
Only local trains stop at Himejima. That’s part of why the neighbourhood feels the way it does — and it also means that when you head out, you may want to change at Amagasaki or Daimotsu for something faster. Umeda, though, is a straight ten minutes with no changes at all.