about 5 bucks US.

All you got to do is simple google search for Yen to Dollar conversion :rolleyes:

I agree that the Nakatsu station is the better choice. It's smaller (less confusing) and closer to the Y Cafe. I used Exit 4, which drops you on the sidewalk pointed in the correct direction (south). There's a Starbucks adjacent to the entrance, but I can't imagine why anybody would want to stop there.

If it's Honjyo Naka Street that heads east, I'll believe it, but there was no way I saw to confirm that in English. It's the street that intersects under the Hankyu Line Train rails -- the blue staircases mentioned by RogAir. From there you'll pass by the PIAS building, cross under a highway overpass (Shin-Mido-suji Ave./ Hwy 423), and then cross under a rail overpass (JR Kyoto Line). If you weren't hungry before you began the trek, you should be by the time you get there.

Texas toast? nah, more like Alaska toast -- 3 inches thick. Japanese/Australian honey and strawberry preserves. Eggs cooked to order -- about 5 of them to start. Very tasty bacon. Excellent coffee. Even considering the 230 yen each way subway ride, it's well, well worth the time, effort, and money.

The Swissotel Nankai Osaka concierge can give you a map of the city (not the little local area map) that has a good "Kita Area" inset detail. The Umeda area has lots of things to do and see -- the Ferris Wheel being one. If you haven't been to The Floating Garden Observatory atop the Umeda Sky Building, you should give it a try. (See also the Wiki article and Floating Garden).


http://www.japan-guide.com/g4/4002_01.jpg

Four Stars ;)






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Cafe Y - KIX - 34.709625,135.502853 (Japan, Ōsaka Prefecture Ōsaka City Kita Ward豊崎１丁目３−１) - Google Maps

map
 

have a pdf file if I could attach it

I agree with everything that Tony C said, except to add that after you leave exit 4, and see the blue staircases, bear to the left, you know your on the right street if you have the Hotel Hankyu International on your right, and the PIAS building on your left. It took 28 minutes from my hotel room at the Swisshotel to the Y Cafe, and at a total round trip cost of 1060y(subway and breakfast, $11.70 as of 3/17/10), its still a heck of a deal, and a nice way to get out and see the city. My only complaint, I literally couldn't bite into the toast, it was so thick, had to squish it down to get a bite, but other than that, great breakfast.

All the above from "vschip" is good guidance....for clarification, the blue staircases will be on the opposite side of the intersection that you approach after coming straight out of exit 4. Do not cross the intersection, keep to the left on the near side of the intersection and about 100-200 yards or so, you will clearly see the PIAS building on the left, and the Hankyu Hotel on the right. Under the auto bridge, under the rail bridge, and you will pick up the "Y" awning straight ahead. Great breakfast, great outing, still 600 yen, 230 yen each on the subway. Some of our group walked back, about 45 mins walk to the Suisshotel. Highly recommended!

Still cooking a BIG breakfast
 

It'll cost you 1000 yen now to have more food than you can ever eat.

I just found the Toast Lady for the first time this weekend and would like to add my thumbs-up. From the Osaka station, the 15 minute walk was rewarded with the largest portions I've ever seen from a Japanese restaurant - almost comically large. The 1000Y breakfast included 5-ish scrambled eggs, 8 slices of ham, what seemed to be 2 loaves of bread, a banana, an orange, and a bottomless cup of surprisingly good coffee.

Still only 1000 Yen for the Western Breakfast as of last week. Exit 4 of the Nakatsu Station is currently under construction/renovation/remodeling. Use Exit 3 instead, and stay to the left when you hit the sidewalk/street level.

I also still recommend the Umeda Sky Building, and maybe even more strongly than before. You can get up to the "almost the top" level for free now. That includes a cool ride in a glass elevator and an escalator "ride" through a glass tube that spans between the "twin" buildings which support the Sky Garden on the top floor. If you are so motivated, you can then buy a ticket to visit the top outdoor level.

From there, you can see Osaka Castle, if you know which way to look. (If you don't, ask one of the guards, and they'll point it out for you.) If you want to visit Osaka Castle, begin your day by purchasing a Metro Day Pass. It allows you to skip the ticket line for Osaka Castle, and gets you a 60 Yen discount. Stay to the right to skip the elevator line. Watch all the movies on the ground floor before you do anything else. The audio is in Japanese, but there are five separate screens with captions in as many different languages. (English is on top right.) What you'll learn will make better sense of why you're there, and what you'll see during the rest of the tour. After watching the movies, climb the stairs to the top and start working your way down. Give yourself at least a couple of hours to take everything in. It's a must-see for any self-respecting world citizen.






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