・Umeda
Umeda is the biggest economy in western Japan, and also the second biggest in Japan.
It is the commercial area with home to many companies and department stores. Transportation networks are in good conditions, and you can go to any places from Umeda in a convenient and comfortable manner. It takes only two and a half hours to get to Tokyo by bullet train or an hour and a half by plane. Rent in Umeda is comparatively expensive to other places in Osaka, but recently it is getting lower because of a depression in business and massive re-developments in the area to build up many commercial buildings. It is said that now is the best time to rent office space in this extremely convenient area of western Japan.
・Honmachi
Honmachi is located in the heart of Osaka. Its convenient location allows for easy access to the city’s subways system for travel in any direction. Along with the adjoining Yodoyabashi area, Honmachi is Osaka’s largest business district. Together these two area’s office buildings have reached almost brand-like status here. Many large corporations and financial institutions that represent Japan are concentrated here. Also, with its close proximity to city and government offices for the prefecture, Honmachi is the ideal location for collecting information and networking with others.
Honmachi is also home to Utsubo Park, a very large and green park lined with Ginko trees along the main road of Midosuji. This is just one of the beautiful and alluring points of this area.
・Kobe
Kobe is the largest city in Hyogo Prefecture, which is on the west side adjourning Osaka and Kyoto. Kobe is famous as a harbor city thanks to its large port facilities. At its center are highly developed trade, steel, shipbuilding, pearl processing, and tourist industries. In recent years the fashion, medical, and food industries have also flourished. With direct transportation access to all other parts of Japan by land, air, and sea, Kobe is called home to many large corporations in Japan. The area called Sannomiya is at the heart of the city and its terminal station, the biggest in Kobe, connects to all other transportation agencies. It is the closest station to Kobe’s main city hall buildings, and the area is a vibrant mix of office buildings and commercial facilities. Kobe maintains on the man-made island Port Island located to the south a base of cutting-edge medial technology research and development facilities, and the buildup of medical industry-related companies is increasing thanks to the collaboration between industry, academic, and government.
The scenic beauty of its street-scape is a hallmark of Kobe with its famous tourist destinations.
・Namba
Namba is a lively area located in the southern part of Osaka. The Namba area includes Shinsaibashi, a neighborhood lined with many shops with a long history, Dotonbori, a neighborhood with lots of places to eat and drink, and Nipponbashi, a neighborhood with a high concentration of electronics stores. Namba has complete access to transportation lines including the subway, Japan Railways, and private railways by which combined about one million people ride every day. Namba, along with Umeda, are premier locations for gathering customers. While Namba has many famous hotels, large companies, and brand-named shops along its main street, it also has many small companies that do business in this area. Recently the area’s attractiveness as a place to live has increased thanks to the construction of many high-rise apartment buildings.
・Nankou
Nankou, literally “south harbor” in Japanese, is the number one port in Osaka and is designated as the center of port operations. It has become the largest base of international distribution in the Kansai area. The Asia and Pacific Trade Center (ATC) in Nankou is the result of Osaka’s government and the Immigration Bureau’s plan to further entice foreign businesses to the area. The area is full of a variety of warehouses, showrooms, and office spaces of all sizes and are available for lease. The WTC Cosmo Tower, which has become a famous landmark of Nankou, is next to many Osaka government departments which moved to the area in 2010. Nankou is expected to become an active and lively area in the future.
