Japanese baby products are known for their quality, safety, ease-of-use, stylish design, and practicality. If you’re shopping for baby supplies in Osaka, you won’t want to miss the easily accessible Umeda area, where you’ll find a variety of different baby-centered brands. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at three popular brands beloved by Japanese families, so you can use this as a guide when you look for baby products in Umeda, Osaka.

Iori: High quality Imabari towels to gently protect your baby’s skin

When it comes to towels in Japan, Imabari towels, from Imabari City in Ehime Prefecture, are synonymous with quality. The Iori brand, founded in Imabari, ensures that all of its products meet the strict Imabari Certification standards, clearing the highest bar for absorbency, durability, softness, and minimal lint shedding. If you’re looking for something gentle enough to wrap around your baby’s delicate skin, why not start with a high quality bath towel? Let’s take a look at the popular solid color IORINO towel series from Iori.

The IORINO series features a lineup of 8 types, including categories like “Everyday,” “Extra Absorbent,” and “Long-Lasting.” The “Everyday” is their standard towel type, a longstanding bestseller that could easily be called a “national towel.” The “Extra Absorbent” type features, as its name suggests, a greater water absorbency.

Of the towels on offer, the “Fluffy” (fuwafuwa) is the best choice for a hygienic, extra soft towel that can stand up to many rounds of washing. It features a soft, cloud-like texture, made with a special yarn that performs even better than conventional non-twisted yarns, achieving a lightness and softness that feels like pure cotton. It’s safe for delicate baby skin, with an astonishingly low lint shedding rate of less than 0.09%, and with each wash, the pile becomes fluffier and softer, maintaining its softness long-term. Its excellent absorbency makes it perfect for families with babies who wash daily. It's the perfect towel with which to gently wrap your baby after bath time.

Iori towels are great for use at home, of course, but quality and practicality makes them great gifts for someone who’s expecting, or just as a thoughtful present that friends are sure to appreciate.

ASICS Kids: Shoes that support your kids as they grow

From their first unsteady steps to running all over, kids need different shoes at different stages of development. Choosing shoes that fit well and provide comfortable, safe support is extremely important for healthy foot development. ASICS, a Japanese sports equipment brand, divides children's foot development into four stages and offers shoes suitable for each stage. These stages are "FIRST" for when they first start walking, "BABY" for toddlers up to around 3 years old, "PRE-SCHOOL" for preschoolers, and "JUNIOR" for children aged 7-14.

Here, we’ll take a look at the FIRST line, for parents raising babies and toddlers. Use this as a reference when selecting those first shoes for when your baby starts standing and taking their very first steps.

As stated in ASICS’ “Barefoot Declaration,” these shoes are designed so that babies feel as comfortable as if they were barefoot, even while wearing shoes. These FIRST shoes combine stable support with comfortable wear. The design securely wraps around the ankle, providing stable support for the heel. The slightly raised toe shape helps prevent tripping while walking and allows for free movement of the toes.

Plus, the sole has just the right thickness and flexibility, bending softly with movement. The interior features a soft, breathable insole that stays comfortable even with sweat. They feature easy-to-use hook-and-loop fasteners, making it simple for parents to get the shoes on and off, and they’re also designed to look stylish, with sporty functionality - the hallmark balance you’d expect from ASICS.

Nuna: The popular Dutch Baby Brand

If you’re a new parent on the lookout for a stroller, Nuna is a brand you can’t miss!
Nuna is a popular baby product brand from the Netherlands, highly praised by parents around the world for its simple but elegant designs, safety-conscious construction, and practicality. In recent years, their strollers and child seats have even been promoted by celebrity families in the US and Europe, sending the brand to the top of the list of baby product brands. Nuna has a flagship store in Osaka’s central Umeda area that’s stocked full with a variety of products and offers top notch service.

When selecting a stroller, you’ll want to compare safety, driving stability, size, weight, ease of operation, and storage capacity. Let’s take a look at the characteristics of two of Nuna’s most popular stroller series.

First up in our recommendations is the TRIV next. Its standout features include:
1. Large rubber tires on all four wheels with dual suspension for stable riding.
2. A leather-look arched handle that’s easy to grip and adjustable in height.
3. Includes a car seat adapter and rain cover, plus a sunshade function.
4. A large-capacity basket that easily fits a diaper bag.
5. One-touch folding in just two seconds that you can operate with one hand!

It's no surprise this stroller won the 2022 Red Dot Product Design Award, as it perfectly addresses the most important needs of new parents.

Next, for parents with greater flexibility in their budget, we recommend a look at the MIXX next. Its main feature is its 5-level reclining function, allowing the seat to be laid completely flat, and provide greater comfort for your baby. Other attractive features include:
1. A 3-in-1 design: Switch between forward-facing and rear-facing modes, plus attach a carrycot.
2. Four-wheel suspension for an even smoother, more comfortable ride.
3. Stands on its own when folded and becomes compact.
4. A five-point magnetic buckle that can be adjusted to a three-point harness as the child grows.
5. The large canopy features UV protection, ventilation, and repels water.

The MIXX next comes in three refined color variations, all in elegant tones.

GRAND FRONT OSAKA SHOPS & RESTAURANTS offers a tax-free shopping counter.

• GRAND FRONT OSAKA SHOPS & RESTAURANTS: South Building 3F (11:00 - 21:00)

Some stores handle tax-free procedures individually.

For details, please contact each store directly.

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.