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Beneath Umeda Sky Building, one of Osaka’s most iconic landmarks known for its rooftop observatory and just a short walk from JR Osaka Station, lies Takimi Koji, a retro dining street that recreates the atmosphere of Showa-era Osaka.
Lantern-lit cobblestone alleys, vintage enamel signs, a three-wheeled delivery vehicle, an Inari shrine for business prosperity, and a forest with waterfalls and streams. It feels like a world away from the modern city of Umeda above.
This article introduces the highlights and ways to enjoy Takimi Koji.
Takimi Koji is a dining street located on floors B1 to 1F of Umeda Sky Building in Kita-ku, Osaka. Since its opening in 1993, it has attracted visitors from Japan and around the world with its Showa retro streetscape and around 20 restaurants serving Osaka cuisine.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Takimi Koji |
| Hours | Varies by restaurant (generally 11:00 am–10:00 pm) |
| Closed | Varies by restaurant (all closed during New Year holidays) |
| Address | 1 - 1-88 Oyodonaka, Kita - ku, Osaka (Umeda Sky Building B1–1F) |
| Access | About 7 min walk from JR Osaka Station / About 9 min walk from Hankyu Osaka - Umeda Station or Osaka Metro Umeda Station |
| Admission | Free |
| Official Site | https://hitosara.com/areaguide/umedaskybldg/ |
The defining feature of Takimi Koji is its faithful recreation of a Showa-era Osaka downtown neighborhood.
Dark wooden walls, bamboo lattice doors, cobblestone alleys lit by paper lanterns. Descend into the basement of Umeda Sky Building, and a nostalgic back-alley scene of Showa-era Osaka unfolds before you. What makes Takimi Koji special is that the retro atmosphere extends beyond the restaurant facades to every corner of the alleys.
The walls display vintage enamel signs from brands like Kincho and National, while lattice doors feature retro Kirin Beer advertising posters. Everywhere you look, Showa-era Japan comes to life.
The street also features a replica police box called Takimi Koban with a red light on top, “Nipper” the iconic dog known worldwide as the HMV/RCA Victor mascot, and an actual Daihatsu Midget, a three-wheeled delivery vehicle widely used in Japan during the rapid economic growth of the 1950s-60s. Rather than viewing these relics behind glass as in a museum, they blend naturally into a space where you can sit down and enjoy a meal.
As you walk through the alleys of Takimi Koji, a vermilion torii gate catches your eye. This is Takimi Inari Shrine, dedicated to the deity of business prosperity.
Beyond the torii gate stands a small but authentic shrine building, complete with guardian fox statues, an offering box (saisen-bako), and stone lanterns. The fact that such a carefully crafted shrine exists underground in a dining street speaks to the attention to detail that defines Takimi Koji. You can also draw an omikuji (fortune slip) to try your luck.
Goshuin (decorative shrine stamps, often collected as a spiritual souvenir) are also available for purchase at the gallery shop on the 39th floor of Umeda Sky Building, inside the Floating Garden Observatory (500 yen each).
Takimi Koji houses around 20 restaurants spanning a wide range of cuisines, from Japanese favorites like okonomiyaki, kushikatsu (deep-fried skewers), teppanyaki, udon, and sushi, to ramen, Indian cuisine, and Italian. It is a dining street where you can experience Osaka’s famed kuidaore (eat till you drop) culture all in one place.
| Restaurant | Cuisine | Hours | Closed | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okonomiyaki Kiji | Okonomiyaki | 11:30 am–9:00 pm | Thu | One of Osaka's most famous okonomiyaki restaurants. Expect a line |
| Kushi no Bo Sky Building | Kushikatsu | Lunch 11:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner 5:00 pm–10:00 pm | None | Long - established kushikatsu specialist with main branch in Hozenji |
| Shinmiura Osaka | Japanese | Lunch 11:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner 5:30 pm–9:30 pm | Sun | Known for chicken dishes and Hakata - style mizutaki hot pot |
| Yaki-shabu Niitaka | Yaki - shabu / Sukiyaki | Lunch 11:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner 5:30 pm–9:00 pm | Sun (Sat lunch only) | Kobe beef and Japanese black wagyu yaki - shabu, available by the slice |
| Shin-Washoku Miyake | Japanese | Lunch 11:30 am–2:00 pm Dinner 5:30 pm–9:00 pm | Irregular | Seasonal Japanese cuisine with garden views |
| Inase Sushi | Sushi | Lunch 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner 5:00 pm–10:00 pm | Irregular | Fresh fish and a friendly sushi chef |
| Katsudon | Katsudon | Lunch 11:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner 5:00 pm–9:00 pm | Tue (Mon lunch only) | Separate - style katsudon served with fresh rice and a sizzling copper pot |
| Bashoan | Cafe / Wagashi | 11:00 am–8:00 pm | None | Famous for warabi mochi with stone - ground Tamba black soybean kinako |
| Dashiya Namian | Udon | 11:00 am–10:00 pm | None | Thin udon noodles made fresh daily with dashi from Makurazaki katsuobushi |
| Teppanyaki En | Teppanyaki | Lunch 11:30 am–2:30 pm Dinner 5:30 pm–9:00 pm | Sun (Sat lunch only) | Choose your cut and weight of Japanese black wagyu. Kobe beef at reasonable prices |
| CoCo Ichibanya Umeda Sky Building | Curry | 11:00 am–9:00 pm | None | Customizable curry with a wide range of toppings |
| CAFFÈ PIAZZA DEL POPOLO | Italian Cafe | 10:30 am–9:00 pm | Sun (Sat until 4:00 pm) | Pasta and sandwiches with full takeout menu |
| Namaste Taj Mahal | Indian / Nepalese | 11:00 am–10:00 pm | None | Over 30 curry varieties and freshly baked naan |
| Tanya Bero | Beef Tongue | Lunch 11:40 am–1:30 pm Dinner 5:00 pm–9:00 pm | Mon | Charcoal - grilled beef tongue. Also serves tongue sashimi and tataki |
| Doutor Coffee | Cafe | Weekdays 7:30 am–7:00 pm Weekends/Holidays 9:00 am–7:00 pm | None | Self - service coffee shop known for direct - fire roasting |
| Ramen Kiraku | Ramen | 11:00 am–9:00 pm | None | Old - school light ramen and set meals in a Showa - era Chinese eatery |
| Tempura Naniwa Hyoten | Tempura | Lunch 11:00 am–2:00 pm Dinner 5:00 pm–9:00 pm | None (Mon/Wed lunch only) | Full - course tempura with garden views through the window |
| OKASHI POWER! | Cake / Cafe | 9:00 am–7:30 pm | None | Popular sweets shop featuring Basque cheesecake and baked goods (1F) |
| Yasai to Gohan Kamano | Set Meals | 11:00 am–4:00 pm | Sun | Healthy lunch with farm - fresh vegetables from Nara Prefecture and fried chicken set |
| KINOCAFE | Cafe | 10:00 am–9:30 pm | None | Signature mitarashi pancakes topped with mitarashi maple syrup (1F) |
During weekday lunch hours, many restaurants also sell bento boxes at their storefronts, catering to the business workers of Umeda Sky Building.
Step out into the courtyard from Takimi Koji, and you will find Chushizen no Mori (Forest of Medium Nature).
With approximately 2,100 trees, streams flowing between rocks, and waterfalls, this is a fully realized forest. The name Takimi Koji itself comes from the fact that you can view the waterfall (taki) from this dining street.
Walking paths wind through the forest, with wooden bridges crossing the streams. Water flows between moss-covered rocks, while maple and evergreen trees spread their branches overhead.
While taking in the natural surroundings in the heart of Umeda, looking up reveals the glass facade of Umeda Sky Building towering above the treetops, creating a striking contrast between skyscraper and forest that adds to the sense of escape from everyday life.
One more highlight: the view from near the entrance of Takimi Koji on the B1 level. The garden unfolds like a large folding screen painting, offering an artistic and beautiful Japanese garden landscape. Be sure to take it in.
Atop Umeda Sky Building, where Takimi Koji is located, sits one of Osaka’s premier observation spots: the Floating Garden Observatory. This open-air observation deck offers 360-degree views of Osaka’s cityscape from about 173 m (568 ft) above ground, and is especially renowned for its night views.
The gallery shop on the 39th floor also carries the goshuin (shrine stamps) from Takimi Inari Shrine mentioned earlier (500 yen each). Be sure to check them out when you visit the observatory.
Read more about Floating Garden Observatory
Coin lockers are available at Takimi Koji.
Lockers come in three sizes: large (700 yen), medium (400 yen), and small (300 yen), available from 7:30 am to 11:00 pm. (Cash only. A bill-to-coin change machine is located next to the lockers.)
Umeda Sky Building offers plenty to see and do, from Takimi Koji and the Floating Garden Observatory to art museums and seasonal events. Store your heavy bags or suitcases and enjoy your visit hands-free.
A smoking room is located beside the entrance of Takimi Koji. Both heat-not-burn tobacco and traditional cigarettes are permitted.
A Showa retro townscape recreated beneath Umeda Sky Building. Top Osaka restaurants all in one place. A forest with waterfalls and streams right next door. This is a space you can only find in Umeda.
After enjoying the Floating Garden Observatory, art museums, and seasonal events, head underground to Takimi Koji. Experience Showa-era Osaka while savoring the best of Osaka cuisine, then take a leisurely stroll through Chushizen no Mori.
Come visit Takimi Koji, where Osaka food culture and Showa retro charm await.
