Redevelopment project to make Osaka gateway to western Japan

An urban redevelopment project near Osaka's main transportation hub has reached its final stage, with expectations high that it will become a gateway to western Japan.

Known as Umekita, the development around JR Osaka Station, led by the Osaka prefectural and city governments, is transforming the "last prime zone in Osaka" -- the site of a former rail freight yard -- into a lush park, commercial facilities and luxury hotels.

With a view of improving access to Kansai International Airport, located on an artificial island in Osaka Bay to the southwest of the bustling western Japan city, the parties involved aim to link the project to the overall growth of the Kansai region in conjunction with the 2025 World Exposition to be hosted by the city.

Umekita is an area of approximately 240,000 square meters centered on the former site of JR Umeda Freight Station, where the first phase of the project, a large-scale complex called Grand Front Osaka, opened in 2013. The second phase of development began in 2020, with full opening scheduled for fiscal 2027.

"It used to be a bare ground of freight yards," Osaka Gov Hirofumi Yoshimura, said, referring to Umekita Park -- the showpiece of the second phase of Umekita, occupying half of the area of the spaced called Grand Green Osaka.

According to the developer, at approximately 45,000 square meters, the new urban park is one of the largest in the world that directly connects to a large station, "fusing greenery with innovation."

With the partial advance opening of the site on Sept 6, luxury hotel Canopy by Hilton Osaka Umeda and cultural facilities designed and supervised by architect Tadao Ando were unveiled.

In the spring of 2025, Honda Motor Co plans to open a new software development center, and Kubota Corp will relocate its head office to the site's new Park Tower, northwest of JR Osaka Station.

In July, Japan Post Co and West Japan Railway Co (JR West) simultaneously opened large complexes in the neighborhood.

Yuichi Kanbayashi, manager of real estate company Mitsubishi Estate Co, which is leading the project to build Grand Green Osaka, suggested there has already been a synergy to the redevelopment of the area, saying, "The flow of people there has already changed."

Grand Green Osaka will feature a green space and an event venue, as well as other facilities that can accommodate many people.

JR West and Nankai Electric Railway Co are planning to open the new Naniwasuji Line, an underground heavy rail line that will run north-south through central Osaka, in the spring of 2031. Hankyu Corp is planning to run a direct train service between JR Shin-Osaka Station and Kansai International Airport.

The Kita north area, centered on Osaka Station, has functioned primarily as an access hub for Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures. With the new line shortening travel time to Kansai International Airport, the area's profile as a nexus between the Kansai region and other parts of Japan will likely grow.

Osaka is scheduled to open the World Expo in April next year, with a casino-centered integrated resort on Yumeshima island in Osaka Bay to follow around the fall of 2030. With this, expectations from the public and private sectors are high for the second phase of the Umekita project, with hopes it will spark a surge in inbound tourism to Japan.

When Osaka Gov. Yoshimura won last year's gubernatorial election, he positioned the prefecture- and city-wide growth strategy on the Umekita project as a key pledge, along with the success of the World Expo and free tuition for high schools.

It remains to be seen whether the stated aim of the project "becoming the hub of Osaka and western Japan" will come to fruition.

An urban redevelopment project near Osaka's main transportation hub has reached its final stage, with expectations high that it will become a gateway to western Japan.

Known as Umekita, the development around JR Osaka Station, led by the Osaka prefectural and city governments, is transforming the "last prime zone in Osaka" -- the site of a former rail freight yard -- into a lush park, commercial facilities and luxury hotels.

With a view of improving access to Kansai International Airport, located on an artificial island in Osaka Bay to the southwest of the bustling western Japan city, the parties involved aim to link the project to the overall growth of the Kansai region in conjunction with the 2025 World Exposition to be hosted by the city.

Umekita is an area of approximately 240,000 square meters centered on the former site of JR Umeda Freight Station, where the first phase of the project, a large-scale complex called Grand Front Osaka, opened in 2013. The second phase of development began in 2020, with full opening scheduled for fiscal 2027.

"It used to be a bare ground of freight yards," Osaka Gov Hirofumi Yoshimura, said, referring to Umekita Park -- the showpiece of the second phase of Umekita, occupying half of the area of the spaced called Grand Green Osaka.

According to the developer, at approximately 45,000 square meters, the new urban park is one of the largest in the world that directly connects to a large station, "fusing greenery with innovation."

With the partial advance opening of the site on Sept 6, luxury hotel Canopy by Hilton Osaka Umeda and cultural facilities designed and supervised by architect Tadao Ando were unveiled.

In the spring of 2025, Honda Motor Co plans to open a new software development center, and Kubota Corp will relocate its head office to the site's new Park Tower, northwest of JR Osaka Station.

In July, Japan Post Co and West Japan Railway Co (JR West) simultaneously opened large complexes in the neighborhood.

Yuichi Kanbayashi, manager of real estate company Mitsubishi Estate Co, which is leading the project to build Grand Green Osaka, suggested there has already been a synergy to the redevelopment of the area, saying, "The flow of people there has already changed."

Grand Green Osaka will feature a green space and an event venue, as well as other facilities that can accommodate many people.

JR West and Nankai Electric Railway Co are planning to open the new Naniwasuji Line, an underground heavy rail line that will run north-south through central Osaka, in the spring of 2031. Hankyu Corp is planning to run a direct train service between JR Shin-Osaka Station and Kansai International Airport.

The Kita north area, centered on Osaka Station, has functioned primarily as an access hub for Kyoto and Hyogo prefectures. With the new line shortening travel time to Kansai International Airport, the area's profile as a nexus between the Kansai region and other parts of Japan will likely grow.

Osaka is scheduled to open the World Expo in April next year, with a casino-centered integrated resort on Yumeshima island in Osaka Bay to follow around the fall of 2030. With this, expectations from the public and private sectors are high for the second phase of the Umekita project, with hopes it will spark a surge in inbound tourism to Japan.

When Osaka Gov. Yoshimura won last year's gubernatorial election, he positioned the prefecture- and city-wide growth strategy on the Umekita project as a key pledge, along with the success of the World Expo and free tuition for high schools.

It remains to be seen whether the stated aim of the project "becoming the hub of Osaka and western Japan" will come to fruition.