Tigers Hanshin Umeda Honten

This is a great department store though my review is only really about the downstairs food floor of the building. Food, food, and more food. I think they have just about anything and everything you might be looking for and then some odd things you’d never ever looked for or even considered looking for. It’s a little hard to navigate because it can get very crowded, very time I’m here it’s like holiday shopping everyday. The staff are very friendly and while not many speak English they all are as helpful as possible. And I was lucky enough to run into a few who spoke English pretty well.
I got a kick out of taking pictures. $ 300 for some melon, $ 50 for a watermelon, $ 100 grapes. Don’t be frightened, those are special fruits typically given as gifts, think housewarming, wedding, etc. I’m not sure how I’d feel about a $ 100 bunch of grapes but hey if that’s your thing. I’m curious if they taste like Ralph’s or maybe more like Wholefoods. I will never know. For the record they do have normal fruit as well, for those like myself who have to budget their fruit buying. They have samples of those.
Then there’s the chocolates, cookies, cakes, pies, sugar. It’s like you’ve died and gone to candyland. How they do it, I will never understand. It’s the best of the best, from speciality Japanese sweets to sweets from all over the world. They even have the famous Pastel De Natas, egg custard tarts that I thought I could only get in Lisbon! Warning, the line gets a crazy but worth it!
There’s a deli, fresh foods, ready made meals, seafood. It’s a bit overwhelming, I found myself just walking in circles to take it all in. You could probably come here everyday for a year and try something different everyday.

This is the only place to get official merchandise from the Hanshin Tigers baseball team on the top floor of the store. I came here rushing back on my way from Kyoto to purchase a hat as a souvenir for my father. I arrived about 15 minutes to the store closing and was so happy to make it especially after looking everywhere for a Tigers hat! The staff here was super friendly and helpful. They even prevented me from buying a kids’ hat by mistake. Definitely come here and explore the tigers shop as well as the wonderful food hall in the basement.

It might be difficult to purchase something here in English here, however
if you understand a little Japanese or accompany with Japanese, Japanese department stores are fabulous place for Japanese food lovers.
Hanshin Department store is one of my best.

Just headfor the bottom floor when coming to this store or any other department store in Cool Japan. …That’s where the food action is. Great tasting food. If you can wait til almost closing time they drop the cost of the food items..

Unlike Hankyu department which has luxurious atmosphere, this is a casual department store (I’m sorry if I hurt Hanshin-​fans). As for Hanshin department, it is famous for food corners of the ground floor (Mr. T, representative of Unilocal Japan is a fan of Ikayaki or broiled squid here), but I recommend you to go to the upper floor where a special event is held. Especially food events are very popular and crowded. I’m glad to find spacious eat-​in corners (eating tables are in but chairs are not) on the event floor. After customers buy something in the stalls, they can eat it here. Other department stores in Osaka don’t have such a space. Probably I think so. As soon as I bought some food at the event, I ate it in the eating corner. I was a little surprised to see a couple in jersey suits and sandals having something. I’ve never seen persons in such casual clothes in other departments in Osaka. Hanshin Department has such a familiar atmosphere that customers feel easy and comfortable as if they were at home.