Osaka

INTRO
Let's say you decide to travel to Japan. Were would you want to go first. Tokyo, of course - the capital of the Country of the Rising Sun, the huge mega-polis, the heart of one of the most developed economies in the world. But - if you visit the capital, the thing that you definitely need to do next is to visit the "anti-capital" - the main metropolis of the Kansai region - Osaka. Back in the history of Japan, in Edo (now Tokyo) was concentrated the military power, and Kyoto was the home of the imperial court, but it was Osaka where merchants made their fortunes - it was the trade centre of the empire. Nowadays, the city is one of the best places in Japan to eat, drink and have fun. Although some find its outer look unappealing and even ugly, Osaka remains one of Japan's main destinations for foreign tourists.

City Profile
City: Osaka
Country: Japan
Area: 222,11 sq km
Population: 2,636,256
Districts: 24
Mayor: Junichi Seki
Language: Japanese

LOCATION
The west side of Osaka city is open to Osaka Bay. From all other sides the metropolis is surrounded by more than 10 smaller cities, all in Osaka Prefecture. The only exception is the city of Amagasaki in the north-west, which belongs to Hyogo Prefecture. The city of Osaka occupies 12% of the whole territory of Osaka Prefecture.

TIME TO VISIT
The annual "hanami" - cherry blossom viewing is the highlight in the calendar of the city. There are many places from which blossom can be viewed, but the ones that are most visited are the Osaka Amenity Park and Osaka Castle Park. April and May are the months to visit the city if you feel like indulging in the tranquil and bewitching spirit of the cherry blossom viewing. In July more than 1 million people go to Osaka to enjoy Tenjin Matsuri - a festival on the river which has been celebrated for more than 1000 years now. Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri takes place in September, and also attracts a lot of locals as well as tourists. Summers in Osaka are quite warm and rather humid - temperatures often reach 35 oC. If you visit the city in the winter, you'd better prepare some warm clothes - although it rarely snows, it is quite cold - sometimes below -10 oC.

POPULATION
The city of Osaka has population of more than 2,600,000 people. The metropolis reached its population peak in the sixties - more than 3 million, and it has been gradually decreasing since then. The population density is almost 11,900 people per square kilometre. Majority of the inhabitants are Japanese, Koreans are the largest foreign group - round 71,000, followed by the Chinese - almost 12,000. Commonly spoken dialect in Osaka is Osaka-ben.

DISTRICTS
The city of Osaka is divided into 24 administrative divisions, called wards (in Japanese - ku). A tourist in Osaka could use a different way of division - by shopping and entertainment districts.

Nipponbashi - a shopping district in Naniwa Ward. It is located within a walking distance from Namba district
Den Den Town - located in the Nipponbashi, known for the big variety of electronic stores. Some retail stores are tax and duty-free, and prices are often negotiable - unlike at other places in Osaka.
American Village - or Amerikamura - entertainment and retail area located in Minami district. It is well known for the small-scale Statue of Liberty, and famous as a place where Western tourists hang out.
Namba - it hosts a lot of the city's most popular restaurants, bars, arcades and nightclubs. Namba Parks is a new glittering development, consisting of high office building and a huge shopping mall with rooftop garden.
Dotonbori - undoubtedly a major tourist destination. That is a single street with shops and restaurants, running alongside the Dotonbori canal. Officially, Dotonbori is part of Namba district.
Umeda - a commercial, entertainment and shopping district in Kita-ku ward. Hanshin, Hanky and Daimaru - three of the biggest department stores of Osaka are in this district.

SIGHTS & ATTRACTIONS

Osaka Castle - that is Osaka's most popular attraction. It is a reconstruction of the original castle built in 1583. It its most prettiest the castle is in the cherry blossom season when people flock to the castle park to picnic and enjoy the "hanami". There is a heritage museum inside, which is very popular. Despite being a copy, the Osaka Castle is one of the landmarks that need to be visited while in Osaka. About 1 km northwest of the castle park is Nakanoshima - an island between the Dojimagawa and Tosaborigawa rivers. That is a marvellous spot for a stroll or a picnic. http://www.tourism.city.osaka.jp/en/castle
Mount Koya - a place of lush greenery and a lot of temples. It is a perfect getaway - an entire different world, just 90 minutes away by train. If at some point of your visit to Osaka you get bored by the hustle and bustle of the city, and you already had enough of eating, that definitely is the right place to go.
Nanko Swimming Resort - as inclined by its name, that is a place where you can take a nice swim - it is artificial, but is amazingly done, and they even have a wave generator. Next door is the Nanko Fishing Park where keen fishermen go every day - both locals and tourists.
Shitenno Temple - built in 593 AD, it is the oldest Buddhist temple, although the present buildings are not originals - most are concrete reproductions, except for the big stone gate.
Umeda Sky Building - an example of Japanese modern architecture. Marvellous bird-view of the city from the top floors, where there is an observatory.

AIRPORT
Singapore is easy to reach - no matter what country or city of the world you come from. It is served by 1 major airport.

Kansai International Airport is an artificial island with rectangular form which is located in Osaka Bay. Apart from Osaka, it also services the surrounding cities of Kyoto, Kobe and Nara. Opened in 1994, Kansai International Airport is a major international and domestic hub for the whole Kansai region. The airport survived the Kobe Earthquake in January 1995 almost intact due to the sliding joints that were used in its construction. In April 2001 the American Society of Civil Engineers awarded the airport with the prize of "Civil Engineering Monument of the Millennium". Kansai International Airport is conned to Osaka City only by Sky Gate Bridge. It is easily reachable by train - there are two railroad operators. Scheduled express bus services to the airport called "Airport Limousines" are also available from different places in Osaka. Rates vary between 1,100 and 3,000 Yen - depending on the distance of the trip.

LOCAL TRANSPORTATION

Osaka Municipal Subway - that is the metro network of Osaka. It was opened in 1933, and currently, 8 subway lines are operated. Rates vary between 120 Yen and 350 Yen. There are 101 stations, and the total length of the system is 129,9 km. Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau is of great help when subway tickets, discount cards and maps are needed.
Taxi - taxi service in Osaka is very expensive. There are plenty of air-conditioned cabs available. Some companies offer huge discounts for long-distance trips during the night.
Buses - a cheap and efficient way to hang out is taking a bus. The public bus lines cover big part of Osaka, and there are discount 1-day cards available.

HISTORY
The earliest signs of a settlement near modern Osaka date from the 5th century BC - sea oysters and buried skeletons were found in the mounds of the Morinomiya ruins. Emperor Kotoku built his palace in Osaka in 645 AD, thus making this area the capital. Osaka was then named Naniwa, and it has always been an important connection - both by land and sea - between Yamato (modern Nara Prefecture), China and Korea. For a long time Osaka was Japan's most important economic centre - large part of the population belonged to the merchant class. In Edo Period (1603-1867) Osaka turned into one of the major cities in Japan. The initial design of modern Osaka dates from 1889, starting up with an area of almost 15 km2, and has expanded to 222 km2 since then.

CITY LINKS

Osaka Official Website - http://www.city.osaka.jp/english/
Osaka Travel Guide - http://wikitravel.org/en/Osaka
Osaka Prefectural Government - http://www.pref.osaka.jp/en/index.html
Osaka City Tourist Guide - http://www.tourism.city.osaka.jp/en/

UNIVERSITY LINKS

Osaka City University - http://www.osaka-cu.ac.jp/index-e.html
Kansai University - http://www.kansai-u.ac.jp/English/index-e.htm
Osaka University of Economics - http://www.osaka-ue.ac.jp/english/index.htm
Osaka Institute of Technology - http://www.oit.ac.jp/english/index.html