Shin-Osaka Hotel
The lobby at the time (Shin-Osaka Hotel)
Brochure from the Opening of the Shin-Osaka Hotel
1935 - The Birth of the Shin-Osaka Hotel
“Let there be a venue in this city to entertain distinguished guests from around the world.”
Mayor Seki’s vision came to fruition as a white castle on the banks of Nakanoshima, where the Shin-Osaka Hotel, the predecessor of the RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka, opened its doors on January 16, 1935.
With 211 guestrooms, grand banquet facilities, and elegant public spaces, the Shin-Osaka Hotel was praised for “a level of luxury never before seen in Osaka.”
Twenty-five guestrooms were equipped with air conditioning—the first hotel guestrooms in Japan to offer this innovation.
The Shin-Osaka Hotel embodied the aspirations of “Greater Osaka” as it looked to the world.
Ribbon-cutting ceremony by Princess Takamatsu at the opening of the Osaka Royal Hotel.
Osaka Royal Hotel
The lobby at that time (Osaka Royal Hotel)
The “LEACH BAR” from when it first opened
1965 - A New Era: The Osaka Royal Hotel
Thirty years after the opening of the Shin-Osaka Hotel, a new hotel was built in Nakanoshima, on the site of today’s RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka. Named the Osaka Royal Hotel, its name was selected from nearly 90,000 public submissions, reflecting the hopes of the people of Osaka for their new hotel.
Inheriting the spirit of the Shin-Osaka Hotel and channeling it into an even grander setting, this establishment quickly established itself as the “Guest House of Osaka.”
The lobby at that time (circa 1973)
1973: Completion of the Royal Hotel New Wing
Main Lounge (circa 1973)
1973 - A New Landmark Rises
In 1973, the 30-story Tower Wing (now the East Wing) rose above Nakanoshima, a groundbreaking high-rise that symbolized a new era for the hotel. That same year, the Shin-Osaka Hotel quietly closed its doors after 38 years, and its legacy of hospitality was carried forward into the new hotel.
Designed by Isoya Yoshida, one of Japan’s most celebrated architects, the new building expressed a profound Japanese aesthetic rooted in harmony with nature and the meticulous craftsmanship of artisans.
In 2000, the Osaka International Convention Center was also opened to the west
1997 - Becoming RIHGA Royal
In 1990, Osaka hosted the International Garden and Greenery Exposition, and the Osaka Royal Hotel once again welcomed distinguished VIP guests from around the world, including the Emperor and Empress of Japan at the time, and the then Crown Prince.
As Japan entered a new era, the hotel took another step onto the world stage. In April 1997, the long-beloved Royal Hotel became the RIHGA Royal Hotel, marking a new chapter in its history.
“RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka, Vignette Collection” Entrance
