Kansai’s Most Beautiful New Shopping Mall Opens – Now Featuring Tsutaya Bookstore and Scenic Restaurants!

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Japan’s Kansai region has gained a new attraction: the minimalist white-and-glass design of Hirakata T-SITE, dubbed “Kansai’s most beautiful shopping mall,” recently opened with a total of 40 stores, including one of the world’s most beautiful bookstores, Tsutaya Books. Among them, Starbucks, Tsutaya Bookstore, and some restaurants even stay open until 1 a.m., making it a great late-night destination when you can’t sleep.

▲ Immerse yourself in shelves of books and enjoy the wonderful literary atmosphere. (Photo / Screenshot fromHirakata T-SITE Twitter)

Tsutaya Bookstore is located on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th floors. The 1st floor houses a large collection of books, including around 8,000 volumes related to food – an astonishing number. The 3rd floor features magazine and stationery sections, while the 5th floor is dedicated to children’s picture books.

▲ TSUTAYA offers a spacious 200-tsubo area for a comfortable browsing experience. (Photo / Screenshot fromHirakata T-SITE Twitter)

Movie and music lovers should head to the 2nd-floor TSUTAYA, a vast 200-tsubo space offering a roomy and pleasant environment where you can find DVDs, CDs, manga, and more. The 5th floor is practically a playground for kids, featuring not only children’s books and clothing stores but also an exclusive play area for ages 0–3 with ball pits and other facilities – meeting every child’s needs.

▲ The 5th floor is a paradise for kids, with play equipment that looks surprisingly high-end. (Photo / Screenshot fromHirakata T-SITE Twitter)

For foodies, there’s the beautifully presented fruit popsicle shop PALETAS, Kyoto’s popular matcha café “Kin-ichiha,” and the queue-favorite pancake shop gram. For those wanting to relax with a view, the rooftop offers the scenic restaurant MEAL TOGETHER ROOF TERRACE.

▲ The rooftop also features a scenic restaurant with amazing views. (Photo / Screenshot fromMEAL TOGETHER ROOF TERRACE ミ0?毳去ゥ?悭栋?/strong>official fan page)