If all you’re doing when you visit Japan is shopping, eating, and sightseeing, you’re missing out! For anime fans, there’s another special experience: what Japanese fans cheekily call seichi junrei, or “pilgrimage to holy sites.” Of course, this doesn’t refer to actual religious sites, but important locations that are revered by anime fans, like those that appear as settings in their favorite anime. Japanese video games and anime are beloved worldwide, and many famous titles have scenes set in the Umeda area of Osaka. As a fan, what could be better than visiting the actual location where the story took place, looking out at the same sights that the characters did?

In this article, we’ll take a look at places in Umeda, Osaka that have served as settings in popular anime, plus carefully chosen anime merch stores and themed cafés. From your “anime pilgrimage,” to shopping and dining, you can immerse yourself in the world of anime all day!

Popular Locations from Anime in Umeda

Detective Conan: Umeda Sky Building’s Floating Garden Observatory

“One truth prevails!”
Just hearing this line will instantly make many anime fans think of Detective Conan. Many of the series’ episodes are set in Osaka, and there are many discussions amongst fans about whether this or that location wasn’t a setting in the show. One location that made an appearance in Detective Conan is the Umeda Sky Building’s Floating Garden Observatory, a 40-story tower with a striking, spaceship-like exterior.

The movie Detective Conan: The Lost Ship in the Sky, Conan and Ran investigate an incident on an airship, and the final scene takes place in an incredible location. Fans have often speculated that that final setting looks a lot like the Umeda Sky Building’s Floating Garden Observatory.

The observatory is also one of Osaka’s biggest landmarks, and with a 360 degree panoramic view to enjoy from a height of 173 meters, it’s also very popular with tourists. Why not see if you can find the spot that looks a lot like the one in the Detective Conan movie?

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya: The HEP FIVE Ferris Wheel

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is a popular anime that combines elements of science fiction with school drama. The story begins with a famous line from its protagonist Haruhi Suzumiya - “I have no interest in ordinary people!” - and its unique world and the mysterious developments that unfold have captivated many fans.

In episode 5, there’s a scene in which Kyon steps into a “closed space” for the first time, when a giant destroys a ferris wheel. As fans have noticed, this ferris wheel looks a lot like the red HEP FIVE ferris wheel, an Umeda landmark.

With its bright red rooftop ferris wheel towering above, HEP FIVE is one of the Umeda area’s most popular spots. The ferris wheel is currently closed while it undergoes repairs, but the HEP FIVE mall is still a hot spot for shopping, dining, and as an anime “pilgrimage site.” Why not come enjoy the view of the ferris wheel, an Umeda symbol, and a day of fun at this entertainment hot spot?

Can’t miss anime merch shops & themed cafés in Umeda!

Japan’s largest anime merch shop, Animate

Opened this April in Umeda’s NU chayamachi, Animate Umeda is a flagship store that anime fans won't want to miss. The entire floor beckons you into a world of anime, and fans can find just about anything they’re looking for here, from comics, to limited edition items, to events to join.

In addition to shop space for anime merch and comics, Animate is also home to four other areas. Space A la mode has clothing and various other items, Umeda PACKS is a space for limited time pop up stores, Animate café Latte serves up “graphic lattes” printed with anime characters, and animate ONLY SHOP is a space for event merchandise.

The anime merch section, in particular, stocks an incredible number of titles and items! The ceiling features decorations reminiscent of a blue sky, and there’s a playful touch with signs reading “I love anime!” in multiple languages. From popular anime to games, ＣＤs, and records, the selection is organized by genre, so you’ll know where to go even if it’s your first time. There are discoveries to be made at every corner of Animate, so it’s impossible to get bored, no matter how many times you visit!

*Products depicted show what was available at the time photos were taken. Please understand that product availability will change depending on the time of your visit.

Cuteness overload! Munyugurumi Patio

Munyugurumi Patio, on the sixth floor of HEP FIVE, is like a dream for anime fans. It offers a variety of items from famous titles to new anime, to delight adults and kids alike. The store regularly carries new collab and limited edition merch, too. You can find a variety of different items, but the officially licensed character plushies are some of the most popular here. Carefully designed, they’re cute enough to bring a smile to your face the moment you see them!

Here, you’ll find the playful characters of Sgt. Frog all lined up, and just adorable. Plus, there's a wide selection of merchandise from Kubo Tite's smash hit series BLEACH, including pouches, acrylic blocks, and photo frame-shaped magnets.

You can’t miss items featuring this super cute character from Little Shark’s Outing (Chibisame no Odekake). The little shark with his green knapsack on his back is incredibly charming, and plushies of the character are available in a variety of sizes. It’s hard not to want to hold them all!

Your favorite characters as latte art at Animate Café Gratte

Among the many anime-themed cafés, Animate Café Gratte is a little special. The café is extremely popular for its graphic lattes and cookies, made with a special technology in the design of a variety of anime and manga characters. When you order, you can choose your desired item and character from the title they’re offering at the time, but that’s when you’ll run into trouble… every design is so cute, it’s really hard to decide!

When your drinks and cookies arrive, you’re going to want to snap a photo for social media. But once you do, you’ll find your next conundrum… as soon as you disturb your drink, the character artwork will disappear, and your cookie looks just too perfect to eat. Getting stuck deciding whether to savor, or save for later is just the kind of question that makes the experience fun.

The café also occasionally sells acrylic coasters and other special items. For example, six different designs were offered featuring Hatsune Miku. All of them are so pretty, you might just want to collect them all. At Animate Café Gratte, you’ll have nothing but happy dilemmas like these.

*The Hatsune Miku collaboration at Gratte has ended.
*Starting December 20, 2025, a Kagamine Rin & Kagamine Len collaboration will be held at Animate Café Gratte locations nationwide, including NU Chayamachi. Please stop by!
*Please check the official website for participating stores.
*Animate Café Gratte Official Website: https://www.animate.co.jp/gratte/

Art by Ugonba/Yonemuro/Reita/Tomari/Nanna Fujimi/Habakura Goshi © CFM

BOX cafe&space: A café like a little theme park

BOX cafe&space in HEP FIVE is a limited time, themed café that shows not only the best of the titles it’s showcasing, but the best of themed café culture in general!

From the design of the space to the menu, to the limited edition items for sale, this is a spot that gathers all the fan favorites into one place. The interior is decorated to match each work's unique world, and the dishes and sweets are infused with elements from the source material. It’s a café meant for enjoying your favorites with all five senses: it’s visually delightful, delicious to eat, and offers exclusive items to collect.

Themes at BOX cafe&space change approximately every 1-2 months, so you can discover a new title every time you visit. From popular anime to trendy characters, every fan will find something to satisfy.

HANKYU SANBAN GAI and HEP FIVE offer tax-free shopping counters.

• HANKYU SANBAN GAI: South Building 1F (10:30–21:30)
• HEP FIVE: B1 (11:00–21:00)

Please be advised that some stores handle tax-free procedures individually.
Please check with each store for details.

For more details on how to get to Umeda, see here.

For more information on Umeda, check out some of our Trip Ideas.

*Information in this article is accurate as of the date of posting. There is a possibility that details regarding these products and services have changed, or that some shops have since closed.