Osaka Metro’s Midosuji Line is an important rapid transit service running north-south through Osaka city. It runs for much of its course under Midosuji Avenue, central Osaka’s primary main street between Umeda and Namba. The first section of the Midosuji Line opened between Umeda and Shinsaibashi in 1933, and Midosuji Avenue was completed as a widened boulevard in 1937 during an intense period of modernization.
Today many of central Osaka’s popular tourist locations are served by the Midosuji Line, and many of its stations are also important transportation hubs. It is one of Japan’s busiest subway lines, with especially heavy weekday crowds during the morning rush hour, which is busiest around 7:00 to 8:00 and generally lasts until about 9:00. Evening rush hour begins around 17:00 and peaks around 18:00.
Boarding Midosuji Line train at Umeda Station
Key Destinations
The Midosuji Line has 20 stations between Esaka Station in the north and Nakamozu Station in the south. Here, listed from north to south, are the locations you are most likely to visit with transfer points included.
On Osaka Metro signage and maps the Midosuji Line is color coded red
Esaka Station
This is the first station on the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line. It is also served by the Kita-Osaka Kyuko Railway, which operates as a northern through-service extension of the Midosuji Line. North of Esaka, trains continue to Ryokuchi-koen, Momoyama-dai, Senri-Chuo, Minoh-semba handai-mae and Minoh-kayano, after the Kita-Osaka Kyuko extension opened on 23-Mar-2024.
Shin-Osaka Station
Shin-Osaka Station is an important transportation hub in the Osaka metropolitan area. Here you can transfer to the JR Kyoto Line, the part of the JR Tokaido Main Line that runs between Kyoto and Osaka. It is also the terminus of two high-speed Shinkansen lines, the Tokaido Shinkansen line from Tokyo, and the Sanyo Shinkansen line from Fukuoka in Kyushu.
Nishinakajima-Minamigata Station
Transfer here to nearby Minamikata Station for the Hankyu Kyoto Line.
Umeda Station
Umeda Station serves the Umeda area, one of Osaka’s busiest shopping districts. Here you can find major department stores and shopping complexes such as Hankyu, Daimaru, Hanshin, LUCUA and LUCUA 1100. Other popular attractions and shopping areas in Umeda are the Umeda Sky Building, HEP Five and Grand Front Osaka. You can find maps for the Umeda area at the Umeda Connect website and at the Osaka Info website.
Umeda Station is also an integral part of a major transportation hub in Osaka city. Several other stations are close by: Osaka Station, Higashi-Umeda Station, Nishi-Umeda Station, Kitashinchi Station, Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station and Hanshin Osaka-Umeda Station. Together these stations form one large Umeda station complex.
At Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station transfer to Hankyu lines for Kobe, Kyoto and Takarazuka. At Hanshin Osaka-Umeda Station transfer to the Hanshin Main Line, which also serves Kobe.
At Osaka Station transfer to the westbound JR Kobe Line for Kobe and Himeji, the JR Kyoto Line for Kyoto, and the JR Takarazuka Line for Takarazuka, Sasayama-guchi and Fukuchiyama. There are also limited express services toward Hokuriku via Thunderbird and the Hokuriku Shinkansen, and Hida services for Takayama.
At Higashi-Umeda Station transfer to the Osaka Metro Tanimachi Line which connects the cities of Moriguchi, Osaka and Yao.
At Nishi-Umeda Station transfer to the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line which runs between Umeda and Suminoekoen Station.
At Kitashinchi Station transfer to the JR Tozai Line which runs from Kyobashi Station, east-west through central Osaka and onward to Amagasaki Station in Hyogo Prefecture.
Yodoyabashi Station
Yodoyabashi is the closest station to Osaka City Hall. Here you can transfer to the Keihan Main Line which connects Yodoyabashi with Sanjo Station in Kyoto. Aqua-Liner Osaka river cruise services also use Yodoyabashi Pier near the station, though service dates and times vary by season.
Hommachi Station
Transfer here to Osaka Metro’s Chuo Line and Yotsubashi Line.
Shinsaibashi Station
Shinsaibashi is a popular shopping area in Osaka. It is famous for the Shinsaibashi-Suji, a covered shopping arcade which has many tailors, brand shops and boutiques selling clothing and jewelry of all kinds. Nearby is Amerika-Mura, also called Ame-mura, a local center of youth culture with stores selling second-hand clothes, records and imported goods. Use the official Shinsaibashi and America-mura websites to find out more about this area.
Transfer here to Osaka Metro’s Yotsubashi Line and Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line.
Namba Station
The Namba area is a major shopping and entertainment district in the Minami, or South, area of Osaka. Famous sites here include the Glico running man image and the Kani Doraku crab image by the Dotonbori canal. Attractions include the leafy Namba Parks shopping mall and Hozen-ji Temple. Close by Hozen-ji Temple is Hozen-ji Yokocho, a celebrated stone-flagged alleyway full of bars, cafes and eateries.
Namba is served by four separate stations all within a very close radius: Osaka Metro Namba Station, JR Namba Station, Osaka Namba Station and Nankai Namba Station. Transfers are as follows:
At Osaka Metro’s Namba Station transfer to the Sennichimae Line and the Yotsubashi Line.
At JR Namba Station transfer to the JR Yamatoji Line which links Namba to Nara and Kyoto prefectures.
At Osaka Namba Station transfer to the Kintetsu Namba Line and the Hanshin Namba Line.
At Nankai Namba Station transfer to the Nankai Main Line and the Koya Line. The Nankai Main Line runs between Namba Station in Osaka and Wakayamashi Station in Wakayama City. The Koya Line links Osaka with the mountain temple retreat of Koya-san in Wakayama Prefecture.
Daikokucho Station
Transfer here to Osaka Metro’s Yotsubashi Line.
Dobutsuen-mae Station
Dobutsuen-mae literally means “facing the zoo” and appropriately this is a convenient stop for Tennoji Zoo. Also nearby are the Tsutenkaku Tower and Spa World.
Transfer here to Osaka Metro’s Sakaisuji Line.
There are two more stations close to Dobutsuen-mae Station: Shin-Imamiya Station and Shin-Imamiya-Ekimae Station. At Shin-Imamiya Station transfer to the Osaka Loop Line, the JR Yamatoji Line, and to Nankai Electric Railway’s Nankai Main Line and Koya Line. At Shin-Imamiya-Ekimae Station transfer to the tramway Hankai Line which links the cities of Osaka and Sakai.
Signs and notices are bilingual
Tennoji Station
The main attraction in the Tennoji area is Shitennoji Temple, which dates from 593 and is Japan’s first official Buddhist temple. Tennoji Park, Tennoji Zoo and Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts are also nearby.
Transfer here to the Osaka Loop Line, the JR Yamatoji Line, the JR Hanwa Line and Osaka Metro’s Tanimachi Line. The JR Hanwa Line links Osaka with Wakayama Prefecture. The Limited Express Haruka for Kansai International Airport also stops at Tennoji Station.
Transfer also to nearby Tennoji-Ekimae Station for the tramway Hankai Uemachi Line. Osaka Abenobashi Station is also nearby, and here you can transfer to the Kintetsu Minami-Osaka Line which connects to Kashihara city in Nara Prefecture.
Nagai Station
Exit here for Nagai Botanical Garden. Transfer here to the JR Hanwa Line.
Nakamozu Station
This is the southernmost stop on the Midosuji Line. Transfer here to Nankai Railway’s Koya Line and Semboku Line.
Buying tickets
Timetables & Tickets
The first train for Nakamozu departs from Esaka Station at 5:03 am, and the first train from Nakamozu toward Esaka departs at 5:04 am. The last full-length train from Esaka for Nakamozu departs at 23:56, and the last full-length train from Nakamozu for Esaka departs at 23:22. Later short-working trains from Nakamozu run only as far as Shin-Osaka or Tennoji. For all train times in between, consult English-language online route finders like Jorudan and Navitime.
Ticket machines have helpful English buttons
For more detailed information about using the subway system in Osaka, check the Osaka Metro website. This website has a downloadable route map, as well as information on special discount tickets and how to use ICOCA prepaid IC cards.
Some recommended multi-use discount passes that can be used on Osaka’s subway system are the KANSAI RAILWAY PASS LITE, the Enjoy Eco Card, the Yokoso! Osaka Ticket and the Osaka Amazing Pass.
The Midosuji Line Umeda Station platform
Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved. Last updated 26-Jul-2026.
