The Tennoji Mio shopping center, which is connected to JR Tennoji Station, will be renovated from February to April 2023. The renovation will include the opening of 30 new stores and the renovation of 18 existing stores. More than half of the stores on the 6th floor of the main building will be renovated.

Tennoji Mio is located near Abeno Harukas, the tallest skyscraper in Osaka. It is easily accessible from Kansai Airport and bullet train stops at JR Shin-Osaka Station. The area is famous for its food and fashion.

During the spring renovation, food and beverage booths will be expanded. A new store called Kirby Cafe PETIT, based on the popular game series "Kirby's Dream Land," will open. It will be the first store in western Japan to sell cute and stylish takeout sweets and original merchandise.

Additionally, several exciting stores are set to open, such as the first permanent Flower Miffy store in the Kansai region. This flower shop will feature the world-famous "Miffy" character.

Donguri Republic will also be there, which sells merchandise from Studio Ghibli's My Neighbor Totoro and Spirited Away. Finally, Workman Women/Workman Shoes will be opening, which is the first Workman store to focus on fashion.

The NAMCO BANDAI Cross Store Osaka Umeda opened on March 10, 2023, in HEP FIVE, a commercial facility in Umeda, which is Osaka's commercial and business district. The store offers a chance to see, touch, and experience the characters, products, and events developed by NAMCO BANDAI Group companies.

The entertainment area is filled with fun activities, such as Gashapon capsule toys containing miniature figures and toys of popular anime and game works. You can also play with crane games to win sweets, stuffed animals, and toys.

Moreover, there are limited-time events throughout the year, held in collaboration with popular anime and games. During these events, you can enjoy food and drinks inspired by characters and play mini-games that recreate the anime world.

Hoshino Resort's first airport hotel, OMO Kansai Airport by Hoshino Resort, opened on March 20, 2023, next to Kansai International Airport, a popular hub among both domestic and international tourists. The hotel is located just a minute's walk away from Rinku-Town Station and boasts 700 guest rooms.

The "OMO Dining" area is designed around the sky and clouds and features an "Express Full Buffet" where you can easily choose dishes according to your flight and itinerary. Additionally, the hotel offers a half-open-air bath with seasonal views, a spacious public bath, and a dry sauna to help relieve the fatigue of a long journey.

This airport hotel offers an additional advantage, which is the "OMO Base" located on the second floor. It is connected directly to the station and displays flight information for each airline, allowing you to enjoy your time without having to worry about the time constraints.

In early April 2023, a new urban sauna facility called Osaka Sauna DESSE will open in Shinsaibashi, which is located in central Osaka and is easily accessible by bullet train to Shin-Osaka Station, without any transfers.

The facility, which spans over 660 square meters, has eight different areas with saunas of varying concepts. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced sauna-goer, you can enjoy an authentic sauna experience at this facility.

The saunas are built with great attention to detail and design, drawing inspiration from Estonia, the sauna capital of the world. They also have unique concepts, such as the "Tea Room Sauna" modeled after Japanese tea ceremony rooms, the "Garden Sauna" where visitors can relax in an open space surrounded by a stove, and the "Forest Sauna" located in a peaceful dimly lit area.

The “Musubi Sauna,” a private sauna situated in a secluded section, is open to the LGBT community and those who require nursing care. Furthermore, there will be a weekly “Tattoo Day” event, allowing individuals with tattoos to relax and unwind in the sauna. After the sauna session, a variety of food options will also be available to enjoy.

Scheduled to open on April 17, 2023, the Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Kadoma is a large-scale shopping complex that is easily accessible from both Osaka and Kyoto, taking only an hour to get to Kadoma City. You can also access it from Itami Airport and Keihan Electric Railway’s Gion-Shijo Station in Kyoto without any transfers.

This facility combines two areas with the Mitsui Outlet Park, featuring 153 stores in the shopping facility, including popular fast fashion brands like UNIQLO and GU, the general merchandise store, MUJI; Namco, where you can play games and enjoy Gashapon; and the LOGOS SHOP where you can find outdoor goods.

The outdoor park area has 98 stores, including high-end fashion brands like COACH and UGG, and sporting goods stores such as PUMA and Adidas, where you can purchase their products at low prices.

In addition, there are open plazas such as "Kusunoki Hiroba" and "Sora no Hiroba" that serve as shared spaces for both facilities. These plazas will have a dining area where visitors can unwind and savor delicious sweets and gourmet dishes.

On May 30, 2023, voco Osaka Central will open in the Higobashi and Kyomachibori area of Osaka. The hotel features remnants of the original Kyomachi Building that was constructed in 1926. While maintaining the retro charm of the Kyomachi Building, the interior design is modern and sophisticated.

This hotel is the first of its kind in Japan for voco, an upscale hotel brand under the umbrella of IHG Hotels & Resorts, which is also known for their InterContinental Hotels.

The hotel boasts a range of facilities including a restaurant, bar, fitness room, meeting room, and 191 guest rooms. It also prioritizes environmental sustainability by utilizing recycled materials for bedding, installing water-saving showerheads, providing biodegradable coffee cups, and using bulk toiletries to create a comfortable and eco-friendly atmosphere for guests to enjoy.

Green initiatives and innovation come together at Grand Green Osaka! This massive urban park is set to open in the summer of 2024 in front of Osaka Station, the Kansai region's largest terminal station.

Grand Green Osaka will offer direct access to Osaka Station and easy accessibility from Kansai Airport and Shin-Osaka Station. It will span an impressive 45,000 square meters and feature commercial facilities, a hotel, offices, and condominiums. The park will be divided into two sections: "South Park" and the "North Park."

The South Park will serve as an urban space and will include a "Reflection Plaza" with fresh grass, as well as a large-roofed event space that can host up to 10,000 people. Meanwhile, the North Park will be a nature-focused area featuring "Umekita Forest," complete with ponds, waterfalls, seasonal flowers, and fresh grass.

In 2024, a new section of Universal Studios Japan in Osaka will be opened, expanding the Super Nintendo World-themed area that was launched on March 18, 2022. This new section will be based on the popular video game "Donkey Kong," which has been loved by fans since its release in 1981 and has sold over 65 million units worldwide (as of March 2021).

It will be located adjacent to the highly popular Mario World-themed area, expanding the Super Nintendo World by 1.7 times its current size. Visitors can enjoy various attractions in the Donkey Kong-themed area, including food, beverages, merchandise, and exciting roller coaster rides.

The city of Osaka is making preparations for the Kansai Expo in 2025, which includes the expansion of the Osaka Metro Chuo Line and the construction of new stations. Along with the shopping and accommodation facilities highlighted in this article, many new attractions are also being planned to accommodate the influx of domestic and international tourists. Consider adding these upcoming destinations to your itinerary when visiting Osaka.

*The information in this article is from March 2023. Please check the official website for the latest information.