Shinsaibashi-suji Northern Shopping Street

Shinsaibashi-suji North Shopping Street runs along the street one block east of Midosuji, from Junkyōmachi-dōri in the north to Nagahori-dōri in the south (in Osaka, north–south streets are often called “suji,” while east–west streets are called “dōri”). South of Nagahori-dōri (up to just before the Dōtonbori Canal), Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street continues. Shinsaibashi-suji developed in the Edo period as a road connecting the Shinmachi pleasure quarter and the theaters of Dōtonbori; by 1679, shops were already operating along the street. Originally, the northern part was more prosperous than the southern part. Today, both shopping streets are covered arcades, making them comfortable for shopping even on rainy days. Notable shops along Shinsaibashi-suji North include Shinsaibashi Hozenji Arare (a rice cracker and senbei specialty shop founded in 1920), Senba Gofuku (a high-end kimono shop founded in 2010), MY HONEY (a raw honey specialty shop), and the live music venue Osaka RUIDO. Because nationwide restaurant chains, drugstores, and apparel stores are also plentiful, you won’t have trouble choosing where to eat or shop. On Nagahori-dōri, you’ll also find the underground mall Crysta Nagahori with about 100 shops—worth visiting together.