Osaka Korea Town

In short

The collective name for three shopping streets in Momodani, Ikuno Ward: Miyukidori Shopping Street, Miyukidori Chuo Shopping Street, and Miyukidori Higashi Shopping Street. Along a street of about 500 meters, Korean grocery stores, eateries, and traditional clothing shops stand side by side, and many are run by Zainichi Korean residents. Originally called the "Korean Market," a market closely tied to daily life, it has now become a major tourist destination visited by 2 million people a year.

• ​Food Tour of Korean Flavors​​: More than 100 establishments line the street, including food stalls with Korean casual street food and sweets, Korean wave merchandise shops, and Korean cosmetics stores. You can enjoy street food such as yangnyeom chicken and makgeolli at reasonable prices
• ​Chuomon Gate and Kudaramon Gate​​: These serve as designs symbolizing Korea Town. An NGO formed by local residents offers kimchi-making experiences, Hangul classes, and town tours to junior high and high school students visiting on school trips and other excursions
• ​Osaka Korea Town History Museum​​: Established here in 2023 as a place to learn about the history of how the present-day Korea Town came to be

History and Highlights

​Osaka Korea Town​ is the collective name for three shopping streets located in Momodani, Ikuno Ward: Miyukidori Shopping Street, Miyukidori Chuo Shopping Street, and Miyukidori Higashi Shopping Street. Along a street of about 500 meters between Tsuruhashi Station and Momodani Station on the JR Osaka Loop Line, Korean grocery stores, eateries, and traditional clothing shops stand side by side. Many are run by Zainichi Korean residents, and the town is filled with Hangul lettering. This area is regarded as having the highest concentration of Zainichi Korean residents in Japan.

Korea Town is located in the center of an area once called Ikaino. The name Ikaino is derived from "Ikai-no-Tsu," indicating it was a port, where people who crossed over from Baekje and other regions made their homes. In the 1920s, when Osaka was transforming into a major industrial city to the extent that it was called the "Manchester of the Orient," people who were forced into difficult living conditions under Japanese colonial rule came across from the Korean Peninsula and Jeju Island seeking a livelihood. It is said that at that time, mail from the Korean Peninsula, especially Jeju Island, would arrive just by writing "Ikaino, Japan."

This shopping street was originally called the "Korean Market" and was a market closely tied to daily life for purchasing food ingredients and everyday goods. The street was renovated in the 1990s, and along with the momentum of the 2002 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by Japan and South Korea as well as the Korean Wave boom in the 2000s, it has now become a major tourist destination visited by 2 million people a year.

Viewing and Experience Points

• ​Food Tour of Korean Flavors​​: More than 100 establishments line the street, including food stalls with Korean casual street food and sweets, Korean wave merchandise shops, and Korean cosmetics stores. You can enjoy street food with tastes unique to Korea, such as yangnyeom chicken and makgeolli, at reasonable prices.
• ​Chuomon Gate and Kudaramon Gate​​: Chuomon Gate and Kudaramon Gate serve as designs symbolizing Korea Town. In recent years, local residents have formed an NGO that offers kimchi-making experiences, Hangul classes, and town tours to junior high and high school students visiting on school trips and other excursions.
• ​Osaka Korea Town History Museum​​: Established here in 2023, it serves as a place to learn about the history of how the present-day Korea Town came to be. It is located about 50 meters north along Ichijo-dori, which intersects with Korea Town's main street.

Tips for Exploring

It is about a 10- to 15-minute walk from either Tsuruhashi Station or Momodani Station on the JR Osaka Loop Line. The shopping street extends eastward from Miyukimori Tenjingu Shrine. You can explore the area on foot in combination with Miyukimori Tenjingu Shrine, located about 240 meters to the west, and Tsuruhashi Shopping Street in front of Tsuruhashi Station, located about 790 meters to the northwest.