Where to stay in Osaka and how to get to Devcon 5

Photo by Ling Tang on Unsplash

As you already know, this year Ethereum Devcon 5 is taking place in the lovely city of Osaka, Japan, between October 8–11. The Devcon venue is at ATC Hall in Osaka. You can either stay close to the conference, or stay a little further away and ride the underground railway network, use the cab services, or drive. Remember there will be OFFDevcon events spread all over town, so also consider staying downtown.

Features of the Asia and Pacific Trade Center (ATC Hall):

• Location: Osaka Bay Area.
• Venue Size: Multi-purpose venue comprised of 5 halls.
• Restaurants: There are more than 30 restaurants in the area.
• Telephone: 06–6615–5006
• Fax: 06–6615–5021

Travel to the ATC Hall

By car:

• Ease of Location: The ATC Hall is very conveniently located. It is roughly 20 minutes from downtown Hommachi.
• GPS coordinate: 34°38'17.2"N 135°24'41.6"E.
• Parking: Large and easy-to-use parking lot.

By underground railway network (Subway / Metro):

• The nearest metro station is Trade Center Mae Station, which is just a 6 mins walk away from ATC Hall.
• The station is on the New Tram Nanko Port Town Line (light blue line).
• Maps, timetables, fares and route planning are available in English on the Osaka Metro website.

By ride-sharing / taxi:

• Didi and JapanTaxi seem to be the only two ridesharing apps. Uber is yet to become operational.

Hotels

The 2 closest hotels to the ATC Hall are:

#1 Hyatt Regency Osaka

• 6 mins walk away from ATC Hall.
• Located in the Osaka Bay Area.
• Has 480 guest rooms and 46 suites.
• It is a 25-minute ride by free shuttle bus to and from JR Osaka station.
• It is a 3-minute walk from Nakafuto Station on the Nanko Port Town Line.
• Services: Morning paper/Laundry service/Copier and fax/Room service/Shuttle bus/Multiple diaper changing stations throughout public areas/Baby bed and bed guard loans available/Muslim-friendly.
• Nearby Popular Attractions: Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan and Universal Studios Japan.
• Telephone: +81 6 6612 1234.

#2 Quintessa Hotel Osaka Bay

• 8 mins walk away from ATC Hall.
• Location: 〒 559–0034 Cosmo Plaza Bldg., 1–13–65 Nankokita, Suminoe-ku, Osaka
• It is a 4-minute walk from Nakafuto Station on the Nanko Port Town Line.
• Services: Luxurious hotel which provides a relaxed and contemporary chic atmosphere. It also includes a playroom which has table tennis, billiard table, and Mahjong table.
• Nearby Popular Attractions: Cosmosquare, Mizuno Sportology Gallery, and INTEX Osaka.
• Telephone: +81 6 6613 7007.

Airbnb

There are some very affordable Airbnbs available around Osaka. With Osaka’s connectivity, it shouldn’t be an issue to travel back and forth from Devcon 5. Try to get an Airbnb in the Suminoe Ward for best connectivity.

Dotonbori — Osaka’s Entertainment Center

Photo by Chapman Chow on Unsplash

Dotonbori is the heart and soul of Osaka’s nightlife. This is the place which has the iconic running Glico Man sign and all the flashy 3D signboards. Dotonbori is between the Daikokubashi and Nippombashi bridges on the Dotonbori Canal with its focal point located at Ebisubashi Bridge. It is located in the Minami or “South” district of Osaka and is easily accessible from Namba Subway Station which is just four minutes away on foot.

Dotonbori is primarily known as a foodie’s paradise. Some famous restaurants include:

• Hariju which serves beef shabu shabu and sukiyaki.
• Zubora-ya which is known for its fugu.
• Kukuru the takoyaki shop.
• Kushikatsu Daruma which has been serving kebabs since 1929.
• Kani Douraku, the iconic crab restaurant

The area also has the famous Tonbori River Cruise. It’s open from 1:00 pm to 9:00 pm on weekdays and 11:00 am to 9:00 pm on weekends. Tickets are ¥900 for adults and ¥400 for children.

Conclusion

This article should give you a good idea of where to stay during your time here in Osaka. Remember there will be OFFDevcon events besides Devcon 5 throughout the city, so consider staying elsewhere. If you do want to checkout Dotonburi or visit the conference, you can always use the metro or the cab services. We hope you’ll have a great time at Ethereum Devcon 5 and OFFDevcon Osaka!

This story was based on a series of articles by

Genny Marcoux

, who was very helpful guiding people through Devcon4 last year.

OFFDevcon Osaka (also sometimes referred to as Osaka Blockchain Week) is a community initiative and includes all events happening outside of Ethereum Devcon 5: events, workshops, hackathons, parties, meetups, and more. This year around 80 community events are expected to be organised between October 1 and October 15. Join the community here.