Osaka Station
@Wikimedia
Though it is older than Shin-Osaka Station, Osaka Station stands as a major commercial and central hub for Kansai's largest city.
Visitors to Japan may notice that there are two major stations with "Osaka" in the name. Shin-Osaka and Osaka Station indeed are major transit hubs for the city, but the "shin" in Shin-Osaka means "new" in the Japanese language, and compared to the original, it is relatively new.
Shin-Osaka Station was created in 1964 as a station for the world's first ever high-speed bullet train, introduced alongside the Tokyo Olympics of that year. In that sense, Shin-Osaka is representative of a modern day Japan and Osaka, and thus, it remains the more commercial station that hosts the Shinkansen bullet trains that go in and out of the city. However, the original Osaka Station stands tall and strong, with a more far-back history that has also been restored and designed for a contemporary city, and simultaneously is still a major commuting hub within the city and out to other prefectures.
Station Overview
Osaka Station is operated by JR West and has a number of connections via the Osaka Metro. There are 11 numbered tracks for JR, and then tracks 21-24 are underground in the Umekita Area. The most famous local train line in Osaka is the Osaka Loop Line, the equiavalent to the Yamanote Line, as it circles around the city's most prominent destinations and stations. At Osaka Station, Platforms 1 and 2 are for accessing this line, one going one way and the other track going in the opposite. Also on Platform 1 are the JR Yumesaki Line for Universal City and Sakurajima, the Yamatoji Line for Tennoji and Nara, the Hanwa Line for Wakayama, and then the Kansai Airport Line that goes out towards Kansai International Airport.
There are a number of limited express trains that go out to different parts of the nearby area. The Kounotori Limited Express Train leaves from Track 3 and goes out to Kinosaki Onsen in Hyogo. The Super Hakuto Express Train goes out to Tottori. The Thunderbird goes out to Tsuruga in Fukui where a transfer out to Kanazawa can be made.
Then, there's the Hida Express Train goes out to Takayama and Gifu. One of the most distinct trains in Japan, the overnight sleeper train, the Sunrise Izumo and Sunrise Seto go out towards Tokyo from Track 11. The JR Kobe Line and JR Kyoto Line are leisurely trains that go out to the bordering prefectures of Hyogo and Kyoto.
From the underground Track 21, the Haruka Express Train goes out to Kansai International Airport (KIX), making the station a great spot to look around for hotels. The Kuroshio Express Train leaves from this track and Track 24 as well, going to Shin-Osaka as well as Kyoto.
In and around Osaka Station
Osaka Station is well-known for its rooftop garden. It rests on top of Osaka Station City, a large mall that is a commercial hotspot for the people of the city.
Implemented in 2011 with the renovation of the station, the goal was to add a substantial amount of greenery to the area and cityscape. Floor 10 is where the rooftop garden starts, and then up to floor 14 (only accessible via stairs), there is a special farm! Dubbed "Tenku no Noen," produce can be purchased along with a square of farmland. Other nearby attractions from Osaka Station include the Lucua shopping mall near the station's north gate. The Hankyu department store is also nearby. There are many hotels nearby, such as the Osaka Hilton and Grand Front Osaka.
@flickr/ Go Imai
