4 ADORABLE RILAKKUMA STORES AND CAFES IN OSAKA
Rilakkuma is a popular fictional character in Japan produced by San-X the stationery and goods company based in Tokyo who also creates fictional characters. Illustrator and character designer Aki Kondo debuted Rilakkuma in a four panel comic, Rilakkuma Seikatsu. Rilakkuma is a bear that has been having relaxing days living in the house of female office worker Kaoru. Kiiroitori, a yellow bird, has been Kaoru's pet since before Rilakkuma visited. There's also Ko-Rilakkuma, a child bear who was named by Kiiroitori. Chaiori-koguma is a brown bear and Ko-Rilakkuma's friend who lives in the Honey bush. Osaka has many fun ways to see these characters and enjoy Rilakkuma!
The first set of merchandise for these characters was released in September 2003. Since then, Rilakkuma has been healing Japanese people's minds with these cute and cuddly characters. Having such cute fictional characters is a part of Japanese culture. They reduce stress caused by long, hard work days. If you love Japanese anime and cute characters, you must get Rilakkuma goods while you are in Japan! Drop in a Rilakkuma store and grab some unique Japanese character goods while visiting tourist spots in Osaka. Alternatively, you can enjoy your favorite drink surrounded by Rilakkuma characters. This is a great way to learn about the Japanese character culture at a Rilakkuma cafe in Osaka! So why not grab some Rilakkuma souvenirs to bring home to your family and friends? If you’re interested in the Rilakkuma experience, take a look at these 4 Rilakkuma stores and cafes located in Osaka.
RILAKKUMA OSAKA STORE #1 RILAKKUMA STORE OSAKA UMEDA
Our first Rilakkuma store in Osaka sits in the Hankyu Sanbangai Shopping Mall. It adjoins Osaka Umeda Station on the Hankyu Railway Lines. Rilakkuma Store Osaka Umeda first opened in 2008 and later went through some renovations. It reopened on April 27th 2017 on the first floor at the North Building of the Hankyu Sanbangai Shopping Mall. This store’s target audience is women since they make up the majority of Rilakkuma fans. Because of this, they created this store so women can drop by during their visit to the mall.
The Rilakkuma Store Osaka Umeda specializes in everything Rilakkuma. Once you arrive, a big Rilakkuma toy and calming white walls and floors greet you at the front. Their slogan "Happy Life with Rilakkuma" will ensure that you feel welcomed. You can get a wide range of Rilakkuma goods here. From sets of character toys to Rilakkuma pen cases, and from mug cups to small plastic bags, there's something for everyone. You’ll certainly be shocked by the array of Rilakkuma goods spread across the store. Also, its in a convenient location with great access! You might just find yourself staying in the Rilakkuma Store for a long time just trying to decide which items to buy. Being in the Rilakkuma Store Osaka Umeda will definitely help you feel more relaxed! Come take a look at some cute Rilakkuma goods and create a happy life in your home by purchasing Rilakkuma items.
SUMIKKO GURASHI
When it was renovated, Rilakkuma Store Osaka Umeda established the Sumikko Gurashi Shop. This was done in order to attract more Rilakkuma and San-X character fans. Sumikko Gurashi is another group of San-X fictional characters based on Japanese people's like of corners (for example on trains, at cafes). Staying true to its theme, the Sumikko Gurashi Shop is in the corner of the Rilakkuma Store Umeda. Various Sumikko Gurashi goods occupy the section. Toys, watches, tea towels, stickers, handkerchiefs and towels are among them. You will need to place these items in corners of your home or room, as Sumikko Gurashi books suggest. Both Rilakkuma books and Sumikko Gurashi books are available at the Rilakkuma Store Osaka Umeda. Enjoy a relaxing reading session to help you feel calm after a long day at work. The uplifting words said by the Rilakkuma characters definitely feel very wholesome.
KANSAI EXCLUSIVES
In addition to the other mentioned items, there are also some Kansai limited Rilakkuma goods. These items include hand towels, postcards, ballpoint pens, key rings and clear file cases. These items are only available in the Kansai region, so you won’t find them anywhere else! We highly suggest you visit the Rilakkuma Store Osaka Umeda to grab some exclusive Rilakkuma goods.
ACCESS
Since Umeda is a hub of railway lines, you can access Rilakkuma Store Osaka Umeda easily with public transport. As we mentioned before, Hankyu Sanbangai adjoins the Osaka Umeda Station on the Hankyu Lines. Taking the Chayaguchi gates (located on the North end) is the most convenient. JR Lines, Hanshin Line and Osaka Metro Mido-suji Line are all accessible from Osaka/Umeda Station. Hankyu Sanbangai has a variety of shops, so you can drop in to Rilakkuma Store Osaka Umeda while you shop. Their business hours are 10:00 am to 9:00 pm. The store does close occasionally, so please check with the Hankyu Sanbangai website (English webpage is available).
RILAKKUMA OSAKA STORE #2 RILAKKUMA STORE ABENO Q'S MALL
The second Rilakkuma Store in the city of Osaka is situated in the Abeno Q's Mall, the big shopping mall in the suburb adjoining several railway lines. Tennoji is the closest station to get to Rilakkuma Store Abeno Q's Mall, and it's the last stop for the Kansai Airport Limited Express service of Haruka. This shop can be your last stop before boarding your airplane! This location is also close to Tsutenkaku Tower, Shinsekai, and Osaka Zoo. Rilakkuma Store Abeno Q's Mall was opened on June 8th 2018. It has the same great slogan as Rilakkuma Store Osaka Umeda, "Happy Life with Rilakkuma".
A big Rilakkuma toy sits at the entrance of Rilakkuma Store Abeno Q's Mall and welcomes customers warmly. Notably, the decorations of the store make you feel as if you are traveling through the sky! Drawings of Rilakkuma on the clouds hang from the ceiling, and pastel shades decorate the walls. These decorations create a calming atmosphere while shopping for your Rilakkuma goods. You can find a wide range of sizes of toys and towels in the front portion of the store. The stationery and kitchenware here will give you a relaxing aesthetic while working and cooking at home. There are also pretty shoulder bags and tumblers here, which are great items for casual outings. Fashionable Rilakkuma shirts are also on sale, and they match perfectly with the Rilakkuma bags.
KUSHIKATSU RILAKKUMA
Rilakkuma Store Abeno Q's Mall's design is a collaboration with Sumikko Gurashi Shop. In addition to Rilakkuma items featured above, Kushikatsu Rilakkuma toys with straps are on sale. Also, they’re only available at Abeno Q's Mall, so you'll only be able to find them here! Kushikatsu is a popular type of deep fried skewer in Osaka. Rilakkuma faces appear in the kushikatsu foods with the famous notice of "Nidozuke Kinshi”, which means "Don't dip kushikatsu in its sauce twice!" The Kushikatsu Rilakkuma is a unique item, so don’t miss it!
ACCESS
Rilakkuma Store Abeno Q's Mall is located on the basement floor of the Shopping Mall. It has good access with Osaka Metro Mido-suji and Tanimachi Lines, JR Osaka Loop, Hanwa and Yamatoji Lines and Kintetsu Minami Osaka Lines. Tennoji Station for Mido-suji and JR Lines, Abeno Station for Tanimachi Line, and Osaka Abenobashi Station for Kintetsu Lines are the closest stations for the shopping mall. Rilakkuma Store Abeno Q's Mall is open between 10:00 am and 9:00 pm.
RILAKKUMA OSAKA STORE #3 RILAKKUMA STORE LALAPORT EXPO CITY
The Osaka Expo was held in 1970 in Suita, which is the northern outskirts of Osaka City. The Expo Park was established in the memory of the Osaka Expo. There are museums, botanical gardens, and baseball and soccer fields to celebrate the historical event. The LaLaport shopping mall was built in the Expo Park and was opened on November 19th 2015. Rilakkuma Store LaLaport Expo City is one of its tenants. Kiddy Land Ltd., who owns and operates Rilakkuma Stores, introduces the suburban store called Rilakkuma Store Plus at the LaLaport City shopping mall.
There are displays of models of Rilakkuma, Ko-Rilakkuma and Kiiroitori at the entrance of Rilakkuma Store LaLaport Expo City. You can see them displayed with a tree, a pudding, a cake, and sky. This set of the models will make you feel at home with a warm welcome back. The interior of the entrance at Rilakkuma Store LaLaport Expo City is a part of Kiddy Land. Drawings of Rilakkuma characters displayed on the store's walls create a pretty atmosphere that attracts many shoppers. Being able to visit other fictional character stores adjoining to Rilakkuma Store is another excuse to shop Rilakkuma goods at LaLaport Expo City.
SPECIALIZED RILAKKUMA TOYS
Like other stores, various Rilakkuma toys with different sizes, clothes, boxes, stationery, and magnets are among items on sale at Rilakkuma Store LaLaport Expo City. You might just think that their available stocks are the same as other stores within Osaka City. So, why would you actually go to the Suita store? You’ll be happy to learn that specialized Rilakkuma toys are on sale only at the Expo City! Rilakkuma has collaborated with the Suita based soccer club Gamba Osaka on toys. At the Expo City store Rilakkuma is wearing the Gamba jersey and some other toys are wearing blue and pink Rilakkuma soccer gear with soccer balls. Soccer fans can watch Gamba's home game at the stadium nearby and visit the Rilakkuma Store LaLaport Expo City after the match! With this we can definitely say it is worth it for you to come over to this suburban store.
ACCESS
Rilakkuma Store LaLaport Expo City is a two-minute walk from Expo Park Station on the Osaka Monorail Line. From Umeda (JR Osaka Station) and Namba, catch a train on the Osaka Metro (subway) Mido-suji Line and get off at Senri-chuo for a transfer to the Monorail. This is the best way to get to Rilakkuma Store LaLaport Expo City. The Suita shop is open from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm.
RILAKKUMA OSAKA #4 RILAKKUMA TOWN CAFES IN OSAKA
Japanese people love creating cafes with popular anime and fictional characters. However, we regret to inform you that there is no permanent Rilakkuma cafe in Osaka at this time. However, you might get lucky and be able to visit a limited-time opened collaborated Rilakkuma Town cafe in Osaka. Or you can dine at a permanent Rilakkuma cafe located in Arashiyama, Kyoto.
OSAKA: RILAKKUMA TOWN CAFE
First we will cover what happened with collaborated cafes in the last two years (2018 and 2019). Rilakkuma Town Cafe celebrated the fifteen-year anniversary of Rilakkuma from August 31st to October 8th 2018. This celebration took place at Delasoul Charbon, located in the Abeno Q's Mall. Meals, desserts, and drinks included omelette rice, rainbow tower pancakes, and pastel colored smoothies with drawings of Rilakkuma characters. In the following year of 2019, the Rilakkuma cafes collaborated with Tower Records at Tower Records Umeda NU Chaya Store. Rice-cooked muffins with drawings of Rilakkuma characters was one of the featured meals. The sweets were also pudding muffins with Rilakkuma and Ko-Rilakkuma faces on. For more information, we strongly recommend you to check the San-X's website (English pages are available).
RILAKKUMA CAFE ARASHIYAMA
If you are happy travelling about an hour to the world famous tourist attraction of Arashiyama, Kyoto, you should check out the Rilakkuma Cafe in Arashiyama. You can enjoy Japanese cuisines and sweets with the relaxing atmosphere Rilakkuma creates at the Rilakkuma Cafe (Tea House). Rilakkuma character-shaped foods come with all foods and drinks here! One of the main meals includes soba with grilled duck and Ko-Rilakkuma-shaped grated radish on top. There's also beef curry and rice with a pretty Rilakkuma on top, and Omelette rice with Ko-Rilakkuma on top. Come enjoy these great meals in the old-world Kyoto atmosphere. Some of the options listed in the Rilakkuma Tea House Arashiyama's dessert menu are cake and strawberry parfait, as well as five-story pancakes. Sodas, macha (green tea), cafe latte, milk tea, coffee and soft drinks will make you feel refreshed with and after your meal.
ACCESS
Rilakkuma Tea House Arashiyama is located on the town's main Nagatsuji Street, close to the popular bamboo forest. If you are traveling by JR trains, catch a special rapid train from Osaka or Shinosaka Station to Kyoto. Afterwards, you'll want to transfer to the Sagano Line. Saga Arashiyama is the closest station and you can walk for nine minutes to the Rilakkuma cafe. Alternatively, you can travel on the Hankyu Line from Umeda Station towards Kyoto Kawaramachi with one transfer at Katsura. Just stay on the train until you get to the end of the Arashiyama Line and walk for 12 minutes.
IN CONCLUSION
Various Rilakkuma goods will heal you after a hard day at work with warm and calm characters. Thanks to the many item options, you will be able to create your own Rilakkuma zone in your home. Because of the popularity and population, Osaka has three different Rilakkuma Stores. This variety ensures that you can get different goods from all shops! Its also a great way to make unique decorations in your house, apartment, or room.
As all Rilakkuma Stores are located in shopping malls, you can drop in casually while shopping. So, you won’t need an extra trip to purchase your favourite Rilakkuma goods! Even at the Rilakkuma LaLaport Expo City Store, you can get other fictional character items to make up your character room. You can also enjoy some limited-time cafes in Osaka, or take a trip to Arashiyama for a tasty Rilakkuma meal. All venues are accessible through public transport, so you don't need to stress about driving or facing traffic congestion.
Enjoy Rilakkuma shopping and decorating your own Rilakkuma paradise in your home!
If you'd like to learn more about the characters of Rilakkuma, check out this link from San-X, the creator of Rilakkuma!
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