Hankyu Umeda Main Store

The Hankyu Umeda Department Store has opened its lush rooftop once again to ring in the warm weather with summery food and copious amounts of beer. Seatings run for 120 minutes and include a buffet and an all-you-can-drink deal. You get to choose from a spread of 30 different dishes, including deli items, salads, fritters, curry, pizza and shaved ice desserts. 120 kinds of drinks are available, with a wide selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Travel-themed booths featuring the cuisines of different countries also run for a limited time. The current special, Asian Table, is on until July 7 and serves up a range of Asian dishes alongside beverages like sake and shochu. You’ll get to enjoy eats and drinks from North and South America from July 8 to August 25, while a European wine market takes over from August 26 to October 12. Standard plans cost ¥5,000 per person (¥1,800 for children in elementary school). In addition to the buffet, each diner can choose one item from three options: a barbecued chicken leg, popcorn shrimp or soft-serve ice cream. For an additional ¥1,000, you can upgrade to the premium plan, which includes the buffet and a platter of barbecued chicken, steak and sausages. While walk-ins are possible, we recommend making reservations in advance online.

Trainspotters, this one’s for you. The Railway Model Festival, held in the 9th-floor event hall at Hankyu Umeda Main Store, is a wide-ranging exhibition showcasing the famous train networks of Kansai. It consists of model trains, Plarail (battery-operated toy train) displays and detailed miniature dioramas. There’s even a simulator offering rail fans a chance to experience what it’s like to drive a train in Japan. This year brings a double celebration for Hankyu Hanshin Holdings, and the festival is showing that in a big way. First up is the 90th anniversary of the Kobe City Elevated Extension, which connects Oji Koen Station (formerly Nishinada Station) and Kobe-Sannomiya Station (formerly Kobe Station) on the Hankyu Kobe Line. For this occasion, the exhibition will unveil archival materials and feature dioramas depicting everyday scenes around the extension. Then, to mark 20 years since the establishment of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings, both of the group's iconic railways will share the spotlight and appear together in a special miniature display. That’s not all. At the centre of the exhibition venue, you’ll find a large-scale diorama depicting the lush nature and bustling cityscapes of the Kansai region as trains zip through the landscape. Advance tickets are now on sale until July 28: adult tickets are priced at ¥1,100, while elementary and junior high school student tickets cost ¥500.