ABOUT SHINUMEDA

HISTORY

The Shin-Umeda Shokudogai opened in December 15, 1950. Osaka has been known as the "Eat-till-you-drop City" (Kui-daore in Japanese) due to the historical richness and abundance of food in the region. The Shin-Umeda Shokudogai (Shokudogai means "restaurant street") started up in 1950 with the participation and guidance of several veteran shops that already had established businesses in the area. Situated in the heart of Umeda, the entranceway to Osaka, this restaurant street bustles with people every day.

Starting out with 18 shops at the time of its inauguration, now nearly 100 restaurants line the Shin-Umeda Shokudogai. Of the 18 shops open at the start, 8 still vigorously welcome guests.

Japan was still struggling economically in the early days of the Shin-Umeda Shokudogai, and very few could come and drink every day. What helped the restaurants through this hardscrabble start was that most of the customers were flowing in from JNR Osaka Station, meaning that they were tourists or travelers. Blessed with the home-court advantage, it was our fortune to have so many customers come expecting to indulge in Osaka specialties.

In 1969, the year before the Japan World Exposition took place, the Kobe Line and Takarazuka Line at the Hankyu Railway Umeda Station were relocated to their current locations. The north side of the Shokudogai transformed into an entranceway to the new station, which attracted an enormous crowd from all parts of the country who came to see the Exposition.

The Shin-Umeda Shokudogai today is home to various restaurants that serve a diverse range of cuisines, everything from bars and pubs to cafés and French restaurants as well as other shops were you can enjoy Okonomiyaki, an Osaka's favorite.

The Shin-Umeda Shokudogai has another face as an oasis for working people. The restaurant street was recently featured in TV programs and magazines thanks to its deep-seated flavor of downtown Osaka, which attracts not only older working men, but a wide-ranging customer base that includes younger people who wants to satiate themselves in the atmosphere and women drinking alone among a crowd of older men. One of the ways to enjoy the Shin-Umeda Shokudogai is the "tapas" style, where people have a light meal and drink at one place and go visit another. In Japanese, we called this act hashigo, similar to the idea of barhopping in English, to go around bars and eateries like going up a ladder. Japanese customers go hashigo to many places to enjoy various food and drink. The best feature of Osaka's food culture is that food is reasonable and tasty. Shin-Umeda Shokudogai is the home of about 100 bars and restaurants that serve reasonable and delicious food and drinks. Accessibility is also great, being close to the Osaka Station. Customers are sure to enjoy Osaka's uniquely cheerful, engaging hospitality and service at each shop. Indulge in Kui-daore, the "eat till you drop" experience, by seeing the whole variety of restaurants at the Shin-Umeda Shokudogai.