Discover Umeda, Osaka

First-time visitors to Osaka will often focus on the city’s southern area, heading straight to Dotonbori, the famous Glico sign, or shopping in Namba and Shinsaibashi. Experienced travelers will tell you, though, that it’s not the only interesting part of Osaka! Many locals tend to prefer the northern heart of the city: Umeda. This bustling neighborhood encompasses the enormous connected transportation hub of Osaka Station and Umeda Station, and it’s packed with pedestrian zones, restaurants, and shopping malls, making it one of the largest shopping and entertainment districts in the Kansai region.

But Umeda isn’t just for shopping! It’s also filled with sights to see and all kinds of stylish spots for taking photos with aesthetic backdrops. Join the Japankuru team as we explore some of the best places to snap a pic in Osaka – made even cooler with a trendy pair of glasses from JINS!

First Stop: Get Glasses in Osaka!
JINS Grand Front Osaka

JINS is one of the most popular Japanese eyewear brands in the country, known for offering high-quality glasses at affordable prices, with a wide variety of frames. For travelers trying to make the most of every minute in Japan, one of the best things about shopping at JINS is their speedy service – you can get your new glasses in as little as 30 minutes after payment!

During our recent trip to Osaka, the Japankuru team headed over to the JINS store located in Grand Front Osaka shopping mall. This location stands out for its spacious layout and minimalist style, with natural unfinished wood shelving and exposed concrete floors, and bookshelves with volumes on art, design, and nature. The shop feels modern and unique, while still providing a comfortable atmopshere for you to try on all kinds of different glasses.

JINS makes a wide variety of eyewear in a number of different collections, like the popular JINS CLASSIC series of timeless designs, JINS HOME®︎ frames created for relaxing in comfort at home, and the JINS TODAY collection which is frequently updated to follow the latest fashion trends. Some of the most practical-minded options include their JINS SCREEN glasses, which are equipped with blue light-cutting lenses, and the wide selection of Combination Titanium frames, which are made with high-quality titanium. Of course, this is just a small selection of the many designs and materials available, making it easy to find the perfect pair of glasses to match your style – and your lifestyle.

JINS Grand Front Osaka (JINS グランフロント大阪店)
Grand Front Osaka 4F, 4-20 Ofukacho, Kita Ward, Osaka
Hours: 11:00 – 21:00 (hours depend on Grant Front Osaka hours)
Directions: 4 min from Osaka Station (JR Tokaido Line), 7 min from Umeda Station (Osaka Metro Midosuji Line)
Official Website (jp)

3 Easy Steps to Get Your New Japanese Glasses

① Eye Exam

Head to the counter first thing when you arrive at the store, and reserve a slot for your eye exam. Instead of waiting around, you can use your time to look around, and when it’s your turn a staff member will take you to have your eyes checked. If you already wear glasses, you can also choose to have the store check your current prescription, and simply use the same power for your new lenses.

② Choose Your Frames

Now comes one of the most exciting (and crucial!) steps for glasses wearers: choosing the perfect frames to match your look! Sometimes it’s hard to tell if a pair of glasses really suits your face just by trying them on for a minute, but that’s why JINS offers JINS BRAIN! When you could use a little help finding the perfect pair, this AI-based system analyzes your facial features and helps you find the frames that fit your face the best.

③ Payment

And that’s it! Just pay and then… sit back… read a book… and wait for your new glasses to be made.

But wait, you’re on vacation! JINS might be quick, but even a short 30-minute wait can be precious time lost for a traveler with a packed itinerary. With international visitors in mind, JINS now offers a special promotional campaign – the 30min Night Walk.

Explore Umeda While You Wait With a JINS 30min Night Walk

Even though it only takes around 30 minutes to get your glasses, JINS has made it their mission to help you make the most of every minute of your time in Japan. With the JINS 30min Night Walk, international visitors get exclusive discount vouchers for nearby shops and restaurants* to use while waiting for their glasses. Not only can you shop tax-free for a pretty unbelievable deal on Japanese glasses, but you’ll also enjoy extra discounts at local eateries while you wait. There’s no downside!

During our visit, Japankuru team also went exploring in Umeda to discover our own night walk… and some cool spots worth checking out during the day!

*Find further details and a list of participating stores on the official website.

Sonezaki Ohatsu Tenjin-dori Shopping Street

Just a few minutes on foot from the JINS store, you’ll find Sonezaki Ohatsu Tenjin-dori Shopping Street, a lively pedestrian shopping arcade in the Umeda area. With over 100 shops and restaurants lining the street, including quite a few izakaya and a handful of cafes, it’s a perfect spot to explore while waiting for your glasses.

Sonezaki Ohatsu Tenjin-dori Shopping Street (曽根崎お初天神通り商店街)
2 Sonezaki, Kita Ward, Osaka
Directions: 5~10 min from Osaka Station/Umeda Station
Official Website (jp)

Doyama Shokudo

For a classic Japanese-style izakaya even closer to JINS, Doyama Shokudo is open 24/7 all year round, offering tasty food and drinks at wallet-friendly prices. The restaurant has a cozy, traditional vibe and is known for its creative take on “ham katsu” (thick-cut slices of ham, breaded and fried), served in inventive new combinations that you’ll want to try yourself! Don’t forget to try the flavorful mapo tofu and pickled cucumber, too!

Get a Special Deal with JINS!
Show your JINS Night Walk voucher when you order over 1,000 yen worth of food, and you’ll get an extra ham katsu on the house!

Doyama Shokudo Main Shop (堂山食堂 本店)
Ogikaikan 102, 5-9 Doyamacho, Kita Ward, Osaka
Hours: 24/7
Official Website (jp)

Naruto Taiyaki Honpo

Still have room for dessert? Don’t miss Naruto Taiyaki Honpo (no relation), a popular Japanese taiyaki shop with a branch right nearby. Taiyaki are sweet fish-shaped cakes (not fish cakes!) stuffed with red bean jam or other fillings, and they’re definitely worth trying while you’re in Japan. Naruto Taiyaki Honpo offers some other tempting sweets too – try their ice cream sandwiches, which come inside crispy wafer shells! We went for the custard-filled taiyaki and a matcha ice cream sandwich, which were the perfect cherry on top of our little evening stroll!

Naruto Taiyaki Honpo Sonezaki Branch (鳴門鯛焼本舗 曽根崎店)
2-7-2 Sonezaki, Kita Ward, Osaka
Hours: 10:00 – 23:00
Official Website (jp)

After a delicious meal and a refreshing night walk, you can head back to Grand Front Osaka to pick up your new JINS glasses, packed up and ready to go.

5 Must-See Photo Spots in Umeda, Osaka

Now that you’ve picked up your new glasses, it’s time to snap some cool photos to show off your new look! A stylish pair from JINS adds that special something to every shot, helping your look stand out and making a new fashion statement in each unique location across Umeda. Once you’ve changed up your style with new specs, we recommend checking out five of our favorite spots around the JINS shop, each one perfect for your new profile picture!

Umeda Spot ① Grand Front Osaka & Umekita Plaza

Once you step out of JR Osaka Station, the first thing that catches your eye is likely to be Grand Front Osaka, a shopping complex packed with over 260 stores ranging from fashion and lifestyle brands to cosmetics and souvenirs. We spent most of our time at the JINS shop inside the mall, but there’s even an art gallery and a broad selection of eateries, making this a one-stop destination for shopping, dining, and culture.

Between the mall and the station is Umekita Plaza (うめきた広場), an open outdoor area often used for events, or just as a popular chill-out spot in the heart of Osaka. The giant green bear statue named Ted Hyber (the pun works better in Japanese) is a local landmark, and you can join him sunbathing under the open sky. Don’t forget to snap a picture with this Umeda icon!

Style Tip: In this chic, urban setting, glasses with modern frames will elevate your whole look. We went with the sleek, minimalist round design of JINS’ Modern Rim Metal frames in gold for that perfect balance of fashion and sophistication. The engraved detail on the temples adds just a touch of extra flair to your outfit, making these frames a natural fit for the city’s stylish vibe.

Glasses Details: Modern Rim Metal UMF-22A-210 in Gold

Grand Front Osaka (グランフロント大阪店)
Grand Front Osaka 4F, 4-20 Ofukacho, Kita Ward, Osaka
Hours: shops 11:00 – 21:00 | restaurants 11:00 – 23:00
Directions: 4 min from Osaka Station (JR Tokaido Line), 7 min from Umeda Station (Osaka Metro Midosuji Line)
Official Website (jp)

Umeda Spot ② Umeda Sky Building

No visit to Osaka is complete without a visit to the Umeda Sky Building. This striking skyscraper features two massive towers connected at the very top, and for travelers sightseeing in Umeda, the main attraction is the Kuchu Teien Observatory (空中庭園) on the 40th floor. After admiring the 360-degree panoramic view through the windows, you can then climb the stairs up to the open-air rooftop, which offers even more spectacular views of entire Osaka cityscape – including a vertigo-inducing view down into the open air between the two towers! For an especially romantic visit, aim for sunset, and then enjoy the view as the city begins to sparkle after dark! This spot is a favorite for couples and photographers alike.

Style Tip: With a dreamy city view as your backdrop, a refined pair of round glasses adds depth and unique charm to your look. We chose the Combination Titanium frames in the “Yellow Demi” tortoise shell color, adding just a touch of vintage fun to an otherwise simple style. These frames are made with contrasting materials, combining light yet super-strong Ultem resin for the front and flexible β-Titanium for the temples, to create glasses that are not only stylish but also durable and comfortable for all-day wear. The round shape brings attention to your face without getting lost in wide-angle shots, making it perfect for “elevated” urban photography.

Glasses Details: Combination Titanium MUF-19S-231 in Yellow Demi

Umeda Sky Building (梅田スカイビル)
1-1-88 Oyodonaka, Kita Ward, Osaka
Hours: 9:30 – 22:00
Admission: adults 2,000 yen | children (4~12) 500 yen
Directions: 7 min from Osaka Station (JR Tokaido Line), 9 min from Umeda Station (Osaka Metro Midosuji Line)
Official Website (en)

Umeda Spot ③ Tsuyuno Tenjinsha (Ohatsu Tenjin)

Officially named Tsuyuno Tenjinsha but often known by its nickname “Ohatsu Tenjin,” this ancient Shinto shrine (over a thousand years old!) is famous as a place of love and devotion, where couples come to pray for long and happy relationships. The shrine’s fame, and its nickname, actually comes from a rather tragic love story, though! Early in the 1700s the lovers Ohatsu and Tokubei were forbidden from being together, and unable to bear the grief of being torn apart, the two of them took their own lives together at Tsuyuno Tenjinsha. Today the shrine grounds are a little oasis in the city, where sightseers often come to take pictures, and see the plaques and decorations referencing the star-crossed lovers.

Style Tip: To match the retro atmosphere of the shrine, we picked the Combination Titanium frames in a wide Boston style, for a look that’s on-trend yet classic, and went for the soft vintage touch of the warm “Brown Gradation” color. Thanks to the perfect mix of Ultem resin and β-Titanium, these frames offer both sturdiness and flexibility, and they’ll stay comfortable all throughout a long day of sightseeing!

Glasses Details: Combination Titanium MUF-19S-229 in Brown Gradation

Tsuyuno Tenjinsha (Ohatsu Tenjin) (露天神社 お初天神)
2-5-4 Sonezaki, Kita Ward, Osaka
Hours: 6:00 – 23:00
Directions: 5 min from Higashi-Umeda Station (Osaka Metro Tanimachi Line), 5 min from Osaka-Umeda Station (Hankyu Line)
Official Website (jp)

Umeda Spot ④ HEP FIVE Ferris Wheel

Perched atop the HEP FIVE shopping mall, this bold red Ferris wheel is an Osaka icon. Standing 106 meters high, it offers a sweeping view of the city that extends all the way to Osaka Bay. Day or night, it’s a fun way to experience the city, a good way to relax for a few minutes in the middle of Osaka, and an even better place to take some pictures. If you want a new profile pic that will really stand out, you can’t beat the vibrant red steel of this bright, in-your-face Ferris wheel!

Style Tip: That vivid red wheel calls for glasses frames that really stand out, so we went for a pair of glasses designed to keep your eyes looking big and bright. This new JINS series is called the Me ga Chiisaku Naranai Glasses (目が小さくならないメガネ), literally “Glasses That Won’t Make Your Eyes Look Small,” and the shape is specially contoured with that goal in mind! The trendy Brown Demi color complements the bold backdrop, while the design cleverly reduces lens thickness and maintains visual balance. No more worrying about your eyes looking small in glasses, or disappearing against this bold backdrop!

Glasses Details: Me ga Chiisaku Naranai Glasses LRF-24S-017 in Demi Brown

HEP FIVE Ferris Wheel (HEP FIVE観覧車)
HEP FIVE 7F, 5-15 Kakudacho, Kita Ward, Osaka
Hours: 11:00 – 22:45
Admission: 800 yen | free for children under 5
Directions: 5 min from Umeda Station (Midosuji or Tanimachi Lines), 4 min from JR Osaka Station, 5 min from Osaka-Umeda Station (Hankyu Line)
Official Website (jp)

Umeda Spot ⑤ FRUiT

After all that walking, it’s time for a break and a sweet treat to replenish your energy! FRUiT isn’t just any cafe, it’s a paradise for fruit lovers, especially strawberry fanatics. We ordered the Strawberry Parfait and Strawberry & Tea Unbaked Cheesecake, paired with fragrant milk tea. Perfectly sweet, decadently smothered in strawberry, and totally satisfying!

Style Tip: To match the cafe’s modern aesthetic, we chose JINS TODAY frames in a bold black. The thick frames add a confident edge to your look, while still being relaxed enough for a cozy cafe shoot. It’s the ideal balance of stylish and laid-back for your chill day out, so you and the strawberries can both stand out in each shot!

Glasses Details: JINS TODAY 2025SS URF-25S-127 in Black

FRUiT Hanshin Umeda Branch (FRUiT 阪神梅田店)
Hanshin Umeda 4F, 1-13-13 Umeda, Kita Ward, Osaka
Hours: 10:00 – 20:00 (last order: food 19:00/drinks 19:30)
Directions: 3 min from Osaka-Umeda Station (Hanshin Line), 5 min from JR Osaka Station
Official Website (jp)

Complete Your Look with JINS Glasses

Umeda is packed with stunning photo spots, from modern skyscrapers to traditional shrines and vibrant city landmarks. While finding the right backdrop is key, choosing the right accessories – like your glasses – is just as important. With JINS, finding the right frames to match your personal style is easy, so you can elevate every photo you take while exploring Umeda. Find the perfect pair for each spot and capture your best moments in Osaka!

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