The Osaka Umeda area is often talked about as “the station name is too complicated” and “the dungeon where you can’t reach your destination in the underground shopping mall”. On August 7th, “JR Umeda Station” was trending on Twitter, and the scenery that Kansai people comment on is spreading.
It all started with Hello! Project’s 12-member idol group BEYOOOOONDS has released a song titled “Machiawase wa JR Umeda Station De” as part of their new album (released on September 28th).
It’s a unit song of “CHICA #TETSU” consisting of four members, Reina Ichioka, Rika Shimakura, Shiori Nishida, and Saya Eguchi, but on SNS, “It’s impossible to meet there…” ” became a hot topic.
To explain the confusing name of Umeda to people outside the Kansai area, JR is “Osaka Station”, Hankyu/Hanshin Electric Railway is “Osaka-Umeda Station”, Osaka Metro Midosuji Line is “Umeda Station”, and Osaka Metro Tanimachi Line is “Higashi-Umeda Station”. “Nishi-Umeda Station” on the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line, “Kita-Shinchi Station” on the JR Tozai Line, and so on. .
Previously (July 2020), in a tweet announcing the 5th anniversary advertisement of the popular smartphone game “Fate/Grand Order (FGO)”, the official account said, “Advertisements are being posted at JR Umeda Station from today!” The issue of Osaka’s station names has become a regular topic of discussion, with tweets and people asking, “Where are you talking about?”
On SNS, people are showing excitement, such as “Is this topic again…”, “I’m from Kansai and I don’t understand it”, “Umeda Freight Station used to be just north of JR Osaka Station…”. Ameko Kodama, who was in charge of writing the lyrics for the song, posted on her Twitter account that she was surprised at the magnitude of the reaction, saying, “Everyone’s tsukkomi to ‘JR Umeda Station’ (crying laughter emoji).”