Apr. 21, 2025
Nippon Steel Kowa Real Estate Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; led by President and CEO Masahiro Miwa) hereby announces that it will open “&Here OSAKA NAMBA (And Here Osaka Namba),” (89 guest rooms) on Thursday, April 24, 2025, the second hotel to open under the “&Here (And Here)” brand of residential hotels.
The hotel will be operated by NSKRE Hospitality Co., Ltd. (headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo; led by President and Executive Officer Munenori Otani), a 100% owned subsidiary of Nippon Steel Kowa Real Estate. This marks the second hotel to be operated by NSKRE Hospitality, following “&Here TOKYO UENO (And Here Tokyo Ueno),” which opened on Friday, March 15, 2024.
“&Here OSAKA NAMBA” reception building
In 2024, Osaka Prefecture welcomed a record 14,639,000 inbound visitors (according to figures released by the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau on January 28, 2025), and with the start of the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan this year, further growth in inbound demand is anticipated.
With a concept inspired by the back-street atmosphere associated with Osaka’s Ura-Namba district, “&Here OSAKA NAMBA” features interior designs that reflect the character of the neighborhood. By designing spaces that embrace the local character and culture, the hotel allows guests to experience the unique charm of Osaka in its entirety during their stay.
The interior showcases works by comedian-artist Taizo (affiliated with Yoshimoto Kogyo), bringing Osaka’s characteristic energy and warmth to the entire space. Inside the hotel, you can hear background music created by Osaka-based rock band Under Graph, delivering a space where guests can experience the local charm through all five senses.
“&Here OSAKA NAMBA” offers all visitors an accommodation experience that can only be found in Osaka.
“&Here OSAKA NAMBA” is located in the heart of Osaka’s Minami area, in a district nicknamed Ura-Namba, which lies between Sennichimae-dori and Sakaisuji. This district is home to a concentration of small eateries and entertainment venues. Long known as a hub of commerce and culture, the area is home to many iconic Osaka destinations, including Kuromon Market, Namba Grand Kagetsu, and Den-Den Town, forming an entertainment district where visitors can enjoy sightseeing, shopping, and dining.
Located within a three-minute walk of Nankai Namba Station on the Nankai Line and a six-minute walk of Namba Station on the Osaka Metro Midosuji, Sennichimae, and Yotsubashi Lines, the hotel offers convenient access to up to seven lines across six stations.
Conceived as a “Naniwa backstreet utopia,” the hotel features an exterior designed to look like a back alley hideout, and an interior filled with diverse Osaka-inspired spaces, allowing guests to savor a complete Osaka experience during their stay.
The overall design features a two-building layout consisting of a reception building and a guest building, efficiently utilizing the site configuration and floor area ratio. Characterized by a unique exterior reminiscent of a hideout, the reception building serves as the gateway to the hotel, equipped with a front desk counter.
A garden pathway linking the reception and guest buildings incorporates a water feature inspired by the “Aqua Metropolis Osaka” concept, which highlights the flow of water and creates an atmosphere that reflects the city’s history and culture.
Designed based on “Osaka rowhouse” and “hideout” concepts, the guest rooms comprise a total of nine distinct types. With an atmosphere reminiscent of Ura-Namba’s backstreets, the rooms feature two theme colors, en (dark red) and rira (light purple), with each room offering a distinct design concept for guests to enjoy.
The lineup of guest rooms is ideal not only for families but also for friends and group stays, accommodating a wide range of travel styles and purposes, from single-night stays to longer-term accommodations.
In addition, the hotel’s two signature suite rooms are located on the top floor, the 14th floor. Each suite accommodates up to six guests, making them ideal for families and groups.
The north-facing suite room includes a horigotatsu-style living and dining area, a traditional Japanese sunken-floor seating design, providing a relaxed space for larger groups with a modern Japanese aesthetic. Meanwhile, the south-facing suite room features a liberating space with sweeping views of Osaka’s nightscape, including Tsutenkaku Tower, offering guests an escape from the everyday.
The first floor of the guest building features a bar area named “NAMbar.” Inspired by Ura-Namba’s casual bar culture, this space allows guests to enjoy drinks and snacks that are unique to Osaka, adding a distinctive touch to their stay.
The rooftop terrace also offers a liberating space with sweeping views of Osaka’s cityscape, including Tsutenkaku Tower. Guests can relax while taking in the night view. The space also includes a public viewing facility for sports and other events, fostering interactions between guests and special moments.
The interior of the hotel is decorated with unique and heartwarming works of art created by Taizo, a comedian-artist associated with Yoshimoto Kogyo. In addition, original background music by the Osaka-based rock band Under Graph is featured throughout the hotel. Through music and art, guests can experience Osaka’s unique culture and atmosphere with all five senses.
Profile
Taizo is a comedian-artist who graduated from the 11th class of Osaka’s New Star Creation (NSC) school. He is a former member of the Yoshimoto Shinkigeki troupe. He gained widespread recognition after his work was auctioned at a high price as part of a school construction project in Cambodia featured on a television program. He creates paintings with the aim of bringing smiles to people. He was appointed “Kan-onji City Hometown Support Ambassador” in 2013, and “Osaka Prefecture’s Ambassador for Arts and Culture for People with Disabilities” in 2017. An active artist, Taizo has openly disclosed that he has a developmental disability (autism spectrum disorder: ASD).
Remarks
These works capture my impression of Osaka as I experienced it when I moved from Kagawa Prefecture to Osaka at a young age. It’s a lively, cheerful, and forward-looking city. On the Shinkigeki stage, even if you mess up, it becomes part of the joke, drawing laughter and cheers of encouragement. Osaka is a city full of warmth. When I create, I express my thoughts and feelings very directly. It’s like the work and I are one and the same. People from Osaka tend to think that their city is the best (LOL). I incorporated a lot of that pride into the works I created for “&Here OSAKA NAMBA.” When guests visiting the hotel happen to notice the work, I hope that it will spark their curiosity, prompting them to take a moment to engage with it through their own sensibilities. It delights me that my work can exist as part of the hotel, providing a subtle touch that enhances the larger hotel experience.
Profile
Under Graph was formed in 2000 in the members’ home prefecture of Osaka (Hirakata and Neyagawa). Their musical works include the 2004 debut song “Tsubasa,” which is loved by listeners across generations; “Kaze wo Yobe,” selected as the ending theme for Yowamushi Pedal; “THEME OF OSAKA BLUTEON,” the theme song for Osaka Bluteon, the volleyball team of their hometown of Hirakata; and “Kokoro,” featured on NHK's Minna no Uta. In addition to their music, the band also participates in social contribution initiatives, including overseas programs with the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers.
Remarks
From early morning to late night, we divided the day into six time periods and created one song for each, along with two additional songs that can be played at any time of day. Under Graph is truly honored to be able to take part in such a large-scale instrumental project. It was a valuable learning experience for us to focus on how time is experienced within the hotel space, rather than in everyday life, including the slower pace of time during the day. Rather than creating J-pop songs, we prioritized making music that blends into the space without feeling intrusive, while quietly connecting with hotel guests. If our music can add even a small touch of something special to each guest’s travels, we would be delighted.
| Address | 7-9 Sennichimae, Namba, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, Osaka |
|---|---|
| Access | 3-minute walk from Nankai Namba Station on the Nankai Line 6-minute walk from Namba Station on the Osaka Metro Midosuji, Sennichimae, and Yotsubashi Lines |
| Number of Guest Rooms | 89 |
| Design | Tokyu Architects & Engineers Inc. |
| Construction | Matsumotogumi Inc. |
| Start of Operations | April 24 (Thu), 2025 |
The new “&Here” brand of residential hotels was born from the desire to bring together two key elements of travel — enjoyment (“enjoy”) and relaxation (“relax”) — and to create a place that “attracts and connects” (“&”) what guests value most, including meaningful moments with family, friends, and other important people in their lives.
By offering travelers moments for both enjoyment and relaxation beyond the hotel, we aspire to leave them with special memories of their journey. The ampersand (&) featured in the logo embodies the concept of a hotel that connects travelers to the local community, to a wide range of experiences, and to the hotel staff. The design is inspired by mizuhiki, which are traditional Japanese decorative cords used to tie and adorn gifts. It also resembles a path, reflecting the hotel’s aspiration to guide guests to spectacular destinations.
“enjoy + relax = only here” A hotel that ties enjoyment and relaxation together to deliver special stays
Enjoying the town, enjoying the hotel, enjoying trips together
Relaxing in spacious settings, relaxing together with peace of mind
Experiences only offered at the hotel, experiences only found in the town
https://andherehotels-osakanamba.com/
Note: Stays can be booked through the official website.
