Osaka Castle and Tanimachi大阪城・谷町

Where’s what, as a list:

• Namba and Dōtonbori (Minami) (難波・道頓堀): One Nankai train from KIX; canal-side neon, takoyaki and late food. Loud until after midnight; pick a hotel a block off the canal. Suits: Late KIX arrivals, food-first trips, first-timers. Price band $$.
• Shinsaibashi and Amerikamura (心斎橋・アメリカ村): The covered Shinsaibashi-suji arcade runs north from Dōtonbori; Amerikamura's side streets are clubs, vintage and street food. Suits: Shopping, young nightlife.
• Umeda and Osaka Station (Kita) (梅田・大阪駅): JR, Hankyu and Hanshin all start here: Kyoto, Kobe and Nara on direct trains. The underground mall is a maze; follow the station letter signs. Suits: Rail day trips, department stores, business travel. Price band $$.
• Shin-Osaka (新大阪): Business hotels by the Shinkansen gates; little to see and few good restaurants outside the station. Suits: Early Shinkansen, one-night stopovers.
• Osaka Castle and Tanimachi (大阪城・谷町): Big green park with moats; hotels on its west side are quiet and well connected. Suits: The castle park, the history museum, a morning run.
• Nakanoshima and Kitahama (中之島・北浜): An island between two rivers with the art museums and the brick Central Public Hall; calm in the evening. Suits: Museums, river cafés, 1910s–30s buildings.
• Shinsekai and Tennōji (新世界・天王寺): Shinsekai is best at lunch and early evening; Tennōji station has the tower and department stores. Suits: Kushikatsu, retro streets, Shitennō-ji, Abeno Harukas.
• Nippombashi and Den Den Town (日本橋・でんでんタウン): One stop east of Namba; the market mornings, the shops afternoons. Suits: Kuromon market, anime and electronics.
• Tenma and Tenjinbashisuji (天満・天神橋筋): Locals' drinking district by JR Tenma station; the arcade runs north from Osaka Tenmangū shrine. Suits: Cheap izakaya and a 2.6 km covered shopping street.
• Tsuruhashi (鶴橋): Smoke-filled grill restaurants by the JR and Kintetsu station; lanes of kimchi and hanbok shops. Suits: Yakiniku and Korean markets.
• Bay area: Tempozan and Universal City (天保山・ユニバーサルシティ): Park hotels suit a USJ-first trip; everything else is 20–30 min away. Do not base a food trip here. Suits: Kaiyūkan aquarium, Universal Studios Japan.
• Nishinari (Shin-Imamiya, Dōbutsuen-mae south) (西成): Cheapest hostels in the city beside a day-labourer district; basic, some with curfews. Fine by day; many travellers prefer to pay more elsewhere. Suits: Rock-bottom beds only.
• Sleep area Namba / Shinsaibashi: suits Late KIX arrivals, food-first trips, first-timers, price band $$.
• Sleep area Umeda / Osaka Station: suits Rail day trips, department stores, business travel, price band $$.
• Kansai International Airport (KIX), about 37 km23 mi from the centre, 40–48 min by the usual route.