Museum Walk: Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka
Recommended Tour Course
This section introduces shops located in the vicinity of the museum.
Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka stands in an area surrounded by water and greenery, where you can see cultural facilities and historical buildings here and there. We’re introducing a walking course that starts at Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka. Enjoy a day appreciating art in one of the most popular areas of Osaka.
STEP 1
Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka
The facility aims to be a new kind of art museum that is entrenched in the community while focusing on Osaka’s art scene.
The museum opened in Nakanoshima in the heart of Osaka City in February 2022. Inside the distinctive black building is an open public space created by a three-dimensional “passage” that has welcomed many people. The museum has a cafe and shops in a space that visitors can enter free of charge without viewing the exhibitions. The accessibility and availability make this museum special! Its collection primarily consists of excellent artworks and designs from Japan and the world dating from the latter half of the 19th century up to the present day. The over 6,000 items also include works from artists with ties to Osaka, and a variety of special exhibitions are often on display. The large, three-dimensional artworks by the contemporary artist from Osaka, Kenji Yanobe displayed on the second-floor grassy plaza and fourth-floor common areas are perfect for taking commemorative photos!
| Address | 4-3-1 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka City |
|---|---|
| Telephone | 06-6479-0550 |
| Business Hours | 10:00AM–5:00PM (admission until 4:30PM) *Varies by exhibition |
| Closed | Mondays (or the next weekday if Monday is a holiday) *Varies by exhibition |
| Website | https://nakka-art.jp |
STEP 2
dot to dot today
You’ll never tire of visiting this shop
with its many different sophisticated products.
The museum shop is in the Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka. The shop name, “dot to dot” refers to connecting the dots. It was chosen out of the desire for its products to be an origin point that cultivates connections between visitors and creators. In addition to original goods associated with the museum and exhibitions, the shop carries an assortment of items that include unique interior goods, books, and stationery that spark the imaginations of those who use them. There are also numerous items collaboratively created by artists and designers with local ties. It’s the ideal place to find souvenirs. The space and furnishings are designed by the product designer, Ryohei Yoshiyuki from Osaka, and the shop’s creation is led by the Osaka studios, “iei studio” and “bowlpond.” It’s also fun to see the completely new layouts created to coincide with exhibitions and seasons.
| Address | Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka 2F, 4-3-1 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka City |
|---|---|
| Telephone | 080-4701-5219 |
| Business Hours | 10:00AM–6:00PM |
| Closed | Mondays |
| Website | https://dottodot.today/ |
STEP 3
Musée Karato
The cafe restaurant incorporates the essence of art
to please both the eye and the palate.
This restaurant that serves meals all day is managed by Lumière, which is headed by the master chef of French cuisine, Yasushi Karato. The menu makes the most of the restaurant’s concept of “gourmet dining featuring vegetables” and focuses on artistic presentation. Highly recommended is the “Special One-plate Medley of Delights,” a dish that changes with the exhibition and is only served to 50 diners a day. It always sells out, so be sure to get there early if you want to try it. The restaurant has a variety of offerings to suit a range of occasions, including an afternoon tea set with all-you-can-drink tea from the long-established French shop, Dammann Frères, innovative sweets made with vegetables, and multi-course meals. When the weather is mild, relax and enjoy the refreshing breeze while dining on the spacious terrace.
| Address | Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka 1F, 4-3-1 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka City |
|---|---|
| Telephone | 06-6940-7025 |
| Business Hours | 11:00AM–9:00PM (doors open until 7:30PM; last order at 8:30PM) |
| Closed | Occasional closures |
| Website | https://musee-karato.com/ |
STEP 4
HAY OSAKA
Experience shopping that awakens your senses
in a colorful shop with a playful spirit.
This company-operated shop is the second to open in Japan for Hay, an interior product brand from Denmark. The store is comprised of three areas, a “room” enabling you to easily imagine living scenarios with furniture and lighting arrangements, a “museum” of chairs and other items, and a “market” filled with miscellaneous goods. You can get a feel for the brand’s appeal from various perspectives. The store is also distinctive for the AAC series of noteworthy chairs that lets you partially customize the product by choosing the seat fabric and leg specifications. The interior design was overseen by the product designer, Jin Kuramoto. It fuses high-quality comfort characteristics of the brand with innovative ideas incorporating regionality, such as woven-wire fences created with a manufacturer in Higashiosaka and store furnishings made from repurposed rubber boat material. You can fully enjoy both shopping and the space.
| Address | Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka 1F, 4-3-1 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka City |
|---|---|
| Telephone | 06-6467-8682 |
| Business Hours | 11:00AM–6:00PM |
| Closed | Occasional closures |
| Website | https://www.hay-japan.com/ |
STEP 5
Chignitta
A springboard for culture that enriches the soul
and engages people, community, and art.
Yoshihiro Taniguchi, who has long been a leader in the Kansai art scene, established this Kyomachibori community space out of the desire to support young creators working on their own and be a bridge connecting them with people and companies. Inside the facility overlooking the richly green Utsubo Park, there is an art gallery featuring artwork from Japan and abroad, a shop selling books and records collected by Taniguchi, and a cafe space available for offering coffee and alcohol. There is also a DJ booth available, and every Wednesday Chignitta is open at night as a jazz bar. From time to time, people living in the neighborhood and familiar illustrators make an appearance and enjoy the cozy space while leisurely chatting with a drink in hand. You’re sure to find people, art, and new, thrilling encounters here!
| Address | Back of the 1st Floor, 1-13-21 Kyomachibori, Nishi-ku, Osaka City |
|---|---|
| Telephone | 090-7354-4909 |
| Business Hours | 1:00PM–7:00PM (Wednesdays 1:00PM–11:00PM) |
| Closed | Occasional Closures *Varies by exhibition |
| Website | https://www.chignitta.com/ |
STEP 6
TAKAMURA Wine & Coffee Roasters
Immerse yourself in the depths of wine and coffee
in a stylish space reminiscent of a large storehouse.
This shop specializing in wine and coffee roasted in-house is located in an eye-catching building resembling a storehouse. There is an array of approximately 4,000 different brands of wine from France, as well as Japan and abroad. The products run the gamut from reasonably priced wines that can be consumed daily to luxury wines priced over four million yen. A wine server for tasting wines is also available. There are usually 48 types that can be tasted in 10 ml servings. The coffee is brewed from carefully selected beans, with information on the backgrounds of the growers visible, and state-of-the-art roasters are used to fully elicit refreshing acidity, sweetness, and pleasant flavor. The beans are changed each day, so each time you can happily enjoy a different flavor. The spacious shop measuring around 660 square meters makes the most of the atrium. On the first floor is a sales area filled with wine, coffee, and seasonings, while the second floor is a comfortable cafe space. It’s a great place to take a break and relax when out on a walk.
| Address | 2-2-18 Edobori, Nishi-ku, Osaka City |
|---|---|
| Telephone | 06-6443-3519 |
| Business Hours | 11:00AM–7:30PM (last order at 7:00PM) |
| Closed | Wednesdays |
| Website | https://takamuranet.com/ |
STEP 7
Leach Bar
Reflect back on memories of the walk of art appreciation
at a well-known, timeless establishment where the ideas of folk art live on
Architect Isoya Yoshida designed a bar influenced by the free-thinking ideas of Bernard Leach, a British ceramic artist who was deeply involved in the folk art movement. This long-established, British cottage-style bar has existed since the Rihga Royal Hotel opened in 1965. The interior and furnishings, including the Windsor-style chairs, old-fashioned brick, rattan wall surfaces arranged diagonally, and Persian carpets on the floor, have remained in use since its opening. Here, you can immerse yourself in a refined atmosphere marked by history. Works from Japanese artists who supported the folk art movement are also on casual display. Treat yourself to an experience found only here by indulging in the famous cocktail served since the bar’s opening, the gin and tonic, while harking back to that time when the artists played a role in the art scene. Thoroughly steep yourself in memories of the fun day you had in a comfortably quiet setting that deliberately shuns background music.
| Address | Rihga Royal Hotel 1F, 5-3-68 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka City |
|---|---|
| Telephone | 06-6441-0983 |
| Business Hours | 4:00PM–12:00AM (last order at 11:30PM), Saturdays, Sundays & holidays 2:00PM–12:00AM (last order at 11:30PM) |
| Closed | Tuesdays (open if Tuesday is a holiday) |
| Website | https://www.rihga.co.jp/osaka/restaurant/list/leachbar |