Osaka already has enough shopping options as it is, what with its colorful Namba district being filled with shopping arcades, including Osaka’s largest shopping street, Shinsaibashi. But if the shopaholic in you still isn’t satisfied by what Namba has to offer and/or you’re looking to get bargains on foreign brands, consider stopping by these Osaka outlet malls for a good retail therapy session.
1. Rinku Premium Outlets
Access: 6-minute walk from Rinku-Town Station, or a 20-minute shuttle ride from Kansai Airport
Hours: 10:00 am-8:00 pm (closed on the third Thursday of February)
Designed to resemble the American port city of Charleston, Rinku Premium Outlets is western Japan’s largest outlet mall. No time to visit several outlet malls? Well, if you were to visit only one, this ought to be it.
Whether you’re going there via train (¥370 one-way) or shuttle bus (¥200 one-way; ¥100 for children), you can get there directly from Kansai Airport; that’s how closeby it is. The two-story mall has over 200 shops and a good range of food options to choose from. With a mix of local and foreign brands, it offers not only luxury brands, but also more budget-friendly ones. Foreign visitors are entitled to offers such as a free coupon (which can only be redeemed if you show your passport) or a coupon booklet (for group tour participants). If you’re a hardcore shopper, you could spend an entire day here, considering how huge it is—all the other options listed here just pale in comparison.
Want to make a shopping stopover before heading to downtown Osaka or to have one last shopping spree before heading to the airport? Assuming you plan to buy something, you might want to get the Rinku Premium Outlets Stopover Ticket for ¥1,710, which gets you a one-way train ride from Kansai Airport to Rinku-Town Station, a one-way train ride from Rinku-Town to Namba Station, and a ¥1,000 shopping voucher. (For comparison purposes, taking the train from Kansai Airport to Rinku-Town then to Namba will cost you ¥1,130.) Don’t worry about your baggage, as the mall has large-sized lockers, and you can leave them at the information counter if all lockers are full or your suitcase is still too big. The mall also offers currency exchange services.
2. Mitsui Outlet Park Osaka Tsurumi
Access: 5-minute walk from Kadoma-Minami Station, or a free 20-minute shuttle ride from Moriguchi-shi Station
Hours: Shops: 11:00 am-8:00 pm (weekdays); 10:00 am-8:00 pm (weekends and holidays) | Restaurants: 11:00 am-9:00 pm (weekdays); 10:00 am-9:00 pm (weekends and holidays)
With a unique retractable roof that’s designed to look like a flower, Mitsui Outlet Park Osaka Tsurumi is just less than 30 minutes away from Osaka’s main tourist hubs. Much smaller than Rinku Premium Outlets, it has around 60 shops featuring both Japanese and international brands. You’ll find famous brands here, but not too many luxury options. On weekends, live music and other performances are held at the event hall on third floor to entertain visitors.
3. Kishiwada CanCan Bayside Mall
Access: 10-minute walk from Kishiwada Station
Hours: East side – 9:00 am-8:00 pm (1F); 10:00 am-8:00 pm (2F and 3F)
Located right by the sea, Kishiwada CanCan Bayside Mall has a design inspired by that of British port towns. Filled with great deals and bargains, this vast three-story mall is divided into two areas: west, where the outlet mall is; and east, which is mostly devoted to local brands. Unfortunately, as of this writing, the west side is undergoing major renovation, but the good news is that it’s set to reopen in March 2018.
4. Osaka Nanko ATC Town Outlet Mare
Access: Directly connected to Trade Center-mae Station
Hours: 11:00 am-8:00 pm
Taking up the 4th-6th floors of the Asia and Pacific Trade Center (ATC) Building’s ITM wing is an outlet mall that is quite small compared to the other options here. Note that most of the shops are on the fourth floor, while the fifth floor mostly consists of offices, and the sixth floor is where the food court’s at—that’s how small it is. For families with kids, there’s a large kiddie playland called Asobi-Mare where the little ones can have some fun. In case you want to explore other options, the building’s other wing, O’s, also has a few shops (not outlets, though).
