Experience the Yodogawa Fireworks Festival in Osaka this Summer! Enjoy Shopping and Summer Delicacies at Hankyu Department Store!

Where is the best place to travel during summer vacation? If you're still undecided, then we highly recommend a trip to Osaka!

There are many activities, foods, and pleasures that can only be experienced in Osaka!

When it comes to Japan's summer traditions, the first things that come to mind are fireworks festivals and summer festivals!

Local Bon Odori dances and summer festivals are excellent opportunities to experience traditional Japanese culture. Wearing a yukata to a crowded fireworks display makes for an unforgettable Osaka trip.

The "Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks Festival," located near Osaka Station and Umeda, is a representative fireworks festival in Osaka. This year marks its 36th edition, taking place on Saturday, August 3rd. Set against the backdrop of the Yodogawa River, which flows through the water city of Osaka, approximately 20,000 fireworks will burst into the night sky "as if dancing to music," offering a spectacular show!

Each explosion brings passionate fireworks blooming in the night sky, creating the most beautiful memories of your summer trip!

To make your summer trip to Osaka more fulfilling and souvenir shopping easier, the Hankyu Department Store Umeda Main Store offers a one-stop shopping experience!

If you want to experience wearing a yukata to a fireworks display during your Osaka trip, be sure to visit the kimono section on the 11th floor of Hankyu Department Store Umeda Main Store!

Here, you can find a wide variety of yukata styles to choose from, letting you enjoy a unique summer.

From classic to trendy styles! There are Japanese-style designs featuring traditional dyeing techniques with bold colors, elegant classic patterns, and charming, unique styles! Accessories like geta (wooden clogs) and bags also add exquisite touches, letting you fully enjoy fashion.

The section also offers children's yukata and jinbei, so you can enjoy Japan's summer with the whole family!

If you're looking for unique seasonal Japanese souvenirs, items like wind chimes (furin), round fans (uchiwa), and tenugui (hand towels) are highly recommended. They bring a sense of coolness in summer while being both beautiful and practical!

On the 7th floor of Hankyu Department Store Umeda Main Store, there is a miscellaneous goods shop in the living goods section. This season, the shop is filled with the crisp, clear sound of wind chimes, as if welcoming every traveler.

Edo furin (wind chimes) have been made since 1915 in Tokyo, with over a hundred years of history, preserving the same hand-blown glass technique and hand-painted production from the Edo period. When a gentle breeze blows, these lovely wind chimes tinkle softly, bringing a touch of coolness to the hot summer just by looking at them. Come find your favorite design to adorn your summer interior.

The linen round fans from Ihei-ori perfectly combine Japanese style with a cooling sensation, made from 100% ramie fabric and bamboo. These linen fans, featuring summer-themed patterns, are hand-applied, not only providing a refreshing breeze but also exuding elegant charm.

Tenugui from Rien-zome use a dyeing method called "chu-sen," which is designated as a traditional craft, ensuring even dyeing on both sides of the cloth. The exquisite colors and fine texture come from the skilled hand-dyeing techniques of master artisans. Besides daily use for wiping sweat, they can also be hung as decorations or framed as art, and you can change them with the seasons for different enjoyment!

If you want to taste Japanese cuisine and pick up some summer specialty souvenirs,

then the food sections on the basement floors 1 and 2 of Hankyu Department Store Umeda Main Store are not to be missed. There are many foods and ingredients waiting for you to taste and purchase!

When people's energy tends to decline, Japan has a unique food culture called "Doyo no Ushi no Hi" (the Day of the Ox in midsummer), where it is customary to eat foods that begin with the syllable "u." In particular, on the hot summer "Day of the Ox," there is a tradition of eating eel (unagi). The cooking method for kabayaki (grilled eel) is also unique, with differences between the Kanto and Kansai regions. The Kanto method involves slicing the eel from the back, skewering it, steaming it, and then grilling, which removes excess fat and results in a lighter texture.

The Kansai method, on the other hand, involves slicing the eel from the belly, skewering it with metal skewers, and grilling it directly without steaming. This method, called "jigake," produces eel that is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a rich aroma.

We recommend trying "Unagi Man" for the Kanto-style and "Uoi" for the Kansai-style to experience different flavors.

The famous shop "Nishiasa" selects high-quality eels according to the season, which are then meticulously grilled one by one by charcoal experts. Comparing the taste of eels from different seasons is also quite interesting.

If you love meat, we recommend trying the "Kobe Beef Marbling Comparison Set" (450g) at "Ashiya Chikuen."

Kobe beef is a rare premium among wagyu. The meat is cut to a moderate thickness, suitable for both sukiyaki and Japanese shabu-shabu, allowing you to enjoy the different textures of the chuck roll and shoulder.

Next, here are some sake recommendations that are perfect as souvenirs!

Hakkaisan Brewery's "Junmai Daiginjo Hakkaisan Kokura Gura," which concentrates the brewer's finest skills and passion, is a light yet rich Junmai Daiginjo. Another sake, "Daiginjo Hakkaisan Kokura Gura," is a Daiginjo with a crisp, clean aroma that pairs well with meals. This sake embodies the rich natural resources and snow country culture of Minamiuonuma, Niigata Prefecture.

Many people know the famous sake "Kubota." "Kubota Manju Junmai Daiginjo" is a very popular Junmai Daiginjo with a rich aroma and smooth flavor.

Next, for those who lose their appetite in summer, we recommend some delicious fruits!

Yamanashi Prefecture's famous peach brand "Daiolei" is now in season. Only peaches that pass a sugar content test of at least 12 degrees using a sugar sensor can be called "Daiolei," making them truly premium! Come and taste these high-quality seasonal peaches.

"Kyorakudo"'s "Ichibu Muscat" (4 pieces) uses Alexandria Muscat grapes, which can only be harvested in Okayama Prefecture, and each is hand-coated with a thin sugar glaze. The large Muscat grapes with their thin sugar coating burst with juicy goodness when you bite into them, bringing pure happiness!

"PATISSERIE MONCHER"'s popular "Dojima Fruit Jelly" (9 pieces) uses carefully selected fruit juices and pulp from various regions. They are colorful and glossy. To highlight the natural flavors of the ingredients, the sweetness is appropriately controlled during production.

Cute pastries also make great souvenirs.

"HIBIKA"'s summer fuki yose "Hoshi" is a collection of summer-refreshing baked sweets themed around stars, including lemon sables, white chocolate-filled vanilla cookies, and lemon soda meringues.

"TULIP ROSE" features charming tulip-shaped cookies with a crispy texture, also a great souvenir option.

The tulip-petal-shaped langue de chat cookies are topped with chocolate cream that blooms like a rose. Available in three flavors: berry, passion fruit mango, and caramel nut.

"Kohakutou Okada"'s "Bijou Collection" (12 pieces) is a set of birthstone-themed amber sugar candies. Each piece has a different flavor, offering a dual enjoyment of visual and taste.

Finally, we recommend an Osaka food spot where you can enjoy Japan's summer tradition: the "Beer Garden"!

On summer nights, enjoying food and drinks in an open rooftop space is a unique Japanese summer experience.

From sunset to nightfall, indulge in delicious food and drinks to your heart's content—absolutely refreshing!

Until October 6th, the "Umeda Hankyu Beer Garden" is being held on the rooftop plaza of the 13th floor of Hankyu Department Store Umeda Main Store. In Japan, a beer garden on a department store rooftop is indeed a rare sight. The event offers a buffet with about 30 dishes and 100 different drinks! There are also food trucks serving freshly made specialty dishes. You'll just can't help wanting to try everything! Would you like to experience drinking at such a beer garden, enjoying local cuisine and the lively, cheerful atmosphere?

Another exciting addition to your Osaka summer travel itinerary!

Enjoy pleasant shopping at Hankyu Department Store Umeda Main Store, taste delicious local cuisine, and fully savor Japan's summer!

Be sure to visit Osaka for your summer trip this year!

Address: 8-7 Kakudacho, Kita-ku, Osaka City

Business Hours: 10:00–20:00 (Closed on January 1)

Access: A short walk from JR Osaka Station, Hankyu, Hanshin, and Osaka Metro Midosuji Line Umeda Station.