Dotombori

For colours, crowds, and consumerism, you can’t beat Dotombori, Osaka’s most popular shopping, entertainment, nightlife, and culinary destination. If you’re visiting the city, you shouldn’t miss this place.

[Dotombori - image © Florentyna Leow]

Named for the Dotombori Canal that runs through the middle of it, Dotombori is the colorful and crowded entertainment district located mostly on the east side of Midosuji.

[Dotombori - image © Florentyna Leow]

The Dotombori Arcade runs parallel to the canal on the south side and it’s lined with some of Osaka’s most famous and largest restaurants, which compete for business with huge signs and giant mechanical crabs.

This is a popular area for Japanese and non-Japanese tourists alike to do a food crawl. If you’re interested in joining them, see GetYourGuide’s big list of Dotomburi sightseeing and local food tours, which you can compare to Klook’s list of Dotomburi activities.

[Dotombori - image © Florentyna Leow]

A great place to check out the action is the Ebisu-bashi Bridge, which crosses the canal a bit east of Midosuji. Nearby, you’ll see many tourists posing in front of the iconic Glico Running Man sign.

[Dotombori - image © Florentyna Leow]

These days, you’ll hear far less Japanese than English, Korean, or Chinese when walking around Dotombori Arcade. This is testament to the influx of tourists from the Asian mainland and beyond to Osaka - it’s always bustling with people looking to eat or shop. Even if it’s not your cup of tea, it’s worth a short visit to get a feel for the area before moving on elsewhere.

[Dotombori - image © Florentyna Leow]

Donki Hote has a giant outpost here that’s perfect for souvenir shopping; and there are permanent queues in front of Ichiran (for ramen) and the takoyaki stalls scattered around the area. Many of the restaurants and bars north of the river cater mostly to Japanese businessmen, but there are plenty of foreigner-friendly places scattered about.

English name:
Dotonbori

Japanese name:
道頓堀

English address:
Dotonbori, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, 542-0071

Japanese address:
〒542-0071 大阪市中央区道頓堀

Opening hours:
Varies by shop

Admission:
free

Nearest Transport:
Subway and Train: 2-minute walk from exit 14 of Namba Station.

Nearest Hotels:
Check availability and pricing for hotels near Dotombori on Booking.com or Agoda.com.

Telephone:
+81-6-6211-4542

Website:Official Website (English)

Near To Here:
Dotombori is located in Osaka’s Minami district. See our complete list of things to do in the Minami district, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.

Where Are These Places Located?

• Open the Osaka map
• You will see the list of places on the left hand side. (Click the 3-line icon in the top left corner if not). Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want.
• Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
• Map pins are color coded - BLUE: Hotels / Ryokan / Guesthouses | VIOLET: Ryokan | PINK: Places to Eat | GREEN: Shops | YELLOW: Things to See and Do
• If you’re using the map on your phone, open the map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location.

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