Shin-Osaka Station

If you're taking the Shinkansen (Bullet train), you have to get off at the Shin-Osaka station. From there, you could transfer to the JR Kobe and Jr Kyoto lines, and the Subway, Midosuji line.

You might be wondering what surrounds the station. I'm sorry to disappointment you but there's basically nothing. Every view is obstructed by buildings. However, I do enjoy going into the small boutiques at the station. You could find Uniqlo - a clothes shop, a pharmacy that constantly has some toiletries on sale, Mamaiko with its cute house wares and stationeries, another small boutique with pretty clothes, Mc Donald's, Beard Poppins, sweets stores, cafes and restaurants, souvenir shops, and convenient stores!

An Osaka Visitor Center is located there so if you're planning to avail that 2,000 yen ticket to explore Osaka, buy it from the visitor center from the Shin-Osaka station. It is located near the East Exit, in front of the ticket machines. The other visitor centers are just very hard to find.

While you're at it, don't forget to say hi to this pretty doll princess near the Shinkansen gates: