Osaka (Japanese: 大阪 ⓘ) is the central metropolis of the
Kansai region and the capital of Osaka Prefecture in Japan. With
around 2.7 million inhabitants, it is the largest city in the
region and an important industrial and commercial center. Even
though it is less important historically than its neighbor
Kyoto, the metropolis is an important tourist destination due to
its immense selection of shopping, restaurants, entertainment
and hotels. Its central location also makes it possible to make
numerous day trips. In 1970, the World Expo ("Expo") took place
in Osaka, and this will be the case again in 2025.
Osaka
was the capital of Japan several times up until the 8th century
under its old name Naniwa; one of the central districts still
bears this name today. The residents of Osaka have friendly
rivalries with the residents of the Kantō region and especially
the capital Tokyo. In addition to the strong interest in
baseball and local dishes - such as okonomiyaki - what is
typical for Osaka and the Kansai region is the fact that in
pedestrian traffic and especially on escalators, right-hand
traffic predominates, in contrast to the otherwise usual
left-hand traffic, which is also practiced by pedestrians in
most regions.
The city of Osaka is located in the estuary of the Yodogawa ("Yodo
River") in the Kansai region, a metropolitan region with over 17 million
inhabitants. The city itself has around 2.6 million in 24 city
districts. The small rivers Dojima-gawa and Tosabori-gawa separate the
north and south. In between, in the heart of the city, lies the island
of Naka-no-shima. Not all districts are of tourist interest. These are
primarily:
Kita-ku with the Umeda district, the Osaka and Umeda
train stations and the Umeda Sky Building.
Chūō-ku with
Osaka Castle
Minami, the
south in the Nishi-ku district with the area around Shinsaibashi and
Dotombori
Tennōji-ku with Tennoji Park and the Uemachidaichi area
with the Shitennōji Temple.
Minato-ku, the port area, with the
Tempozan Harbour Village and Universal Studios.
Yodogawa-ku with
Shin-Ōsaka station and connections to the Tokaidō Shinkansen and Sanyō
Shinkansen.
Even though Osaka is primarily a metropolis for business and
entertainment, there are many, partly historical, sights and activities
for the whole family.
Combination tickets for tourists
The
Osaka ePass is a combination ticket issued as a QR code for your cell
phone, with which you can visit up to 25 attractions, which, even if you
rush like the Japanese do, shouldn't be possible. It is available as a
1- or 2-day ticket for ¥ 2000 or 2500. Details of what is included can
be found in the tourist information offices. (As of July 2023) A very
similar offer is the Osaka Amazing Pass (formerly: "Osaka Round Pass").
This also includes inner-city public transport (excluding JR) for up to
40 attractions. 1 or 2 days: ¥ 2800 or ¥ 2900. 3600.
Osaka Castle (大阪城, Osaka-jō) is one of Japan's most famous castles
and played an important role in the unification of Japan in the 16th
century. It can be reached via the JR Osakajō-koen station. The castle
grounds are a 6-hectare park surrounded by moats and walls. Some of the
walls have huge stones built into them, such as the Tako-ishi or Octopus
Stone at the Sakura-mon Gate, which covers an area of 55m² and weighs
an estimated 130 tons, or the Higo-Ishi Stone at the Kyobashi-mon Gate,
which is only slightly smaller at 54m² and weighs around 120 tons. The
castle rises five stories high above the filled hill into the sky,
almost as picturesque as Himeji. The 8-story tower in its current form
is a reconstruction from 1931. One could almost forget that the entire
building was destroyed several times, most recently in World War II, and
that the current castle is a concrete building, equipped with elevators
and a museum with multimedia presentations on history. The view from the
upper floor alone is worth the 600¥ entrance fee.
1 Shitennō-ji
(四天王寺), 1-1-18 Shitennōji Tennōji-ku . Buddhist temple. One of the
oldest in the country with a non-climbable pagoda.
2
Sumiyoshi-Taisha (住吉大社), 9-89, Sumiyoshi 2-chōme, Sumiyoshi-ku,
Ōsaka-shi, Ōsaka-fu 558-0045,大阪府大阪市住吉区住吉二丁目9-89 (same name train
station 住吉大社駅, Nankai Line) . A major Shinto shrine in Sumiyoshi
District.
3 Osaka Tenman-gū (大阪天満宮) . Shintō shrine, founded in 949.
The spirit of Sugawara no Michizane is worshiped. The annual temple
festival is March 24-25. July.
4 Tamatsukuri Inari (玉造稲荷神社) . Shinto
shrine, dedicated to Inari.
5 Sanko Shrine (三光神社) . Shintō, on
Sanada-yama Hill.
1 Nakanoshima Park (中之島公園)
2 Utsubo Park (靱公園)
3 Nagai Park
(長居公園), 1, Nagai-kōen, Higashisumiyoshi-ku Ōsaka, 大阪府大阪市東住吉区長居公園1番地 .
4 Sakuya Konohana Kan (咲くやこの花館) . Botanical garden with a large
greenhouse and over 2,600 species of plants from different climate
zones.
In Tennō-ji Park:
The 5 Tennō-ji Zoo (天王寺動物園) has its
entrance on the west side at the Shinsekai Gate.
Osaka City Art
Museum (大阪市立美術館), 〒543-0063 大阪府大阪市天王寺区茶臼山町1-82 . Open: Renovation until
autumn 2025.
The Keitaku Garden is a classic Japanese complex with a
tea room. It is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m./6:00 p.m.
The
Chausuyama hill is in the northeastern part. This was the main camp of
Tokugawa Ieyasu during the winter siege of Osaka, as well as the main
camp of Sanada Yukimura during the summer siege of the city, and then
the scene of a battle on May 6-7, 1615.
In the suburb of Sakai, along with 44 others, you will find the
largest of the keyhole-shaped burial mounds (kofun) of the legendary
emperors of the 3rd to 7th centuries AD. This Daisenryō Kofun (大仙陵古墳)
measures 320 hectares, but is really only impressive from the air. You
can get a good view from the observation deck of Sakai City Hall (open 9
a.m. to 9 p.m.). The interior cannot be visited, but there is a 2.8 km
long path around it. Accessible via Mozu Station, JR Hanwa Line.
In
Habikino, the keyhole-shaped kofun of Emperor Ojin, the Ōjinryō (応神陵),
is located next to two others. He was the father of Emperor Nintoku. The
dimensions almost reach those of the Daisenryō kofun; the kofun has not
been excavated. There is little to see from the outside, although it has
been a World Heritage Site since 2019. You can get there via the
Hajinosato (Kintetsu-Minamiosaka) or Furuichi (古市駅)
(Kintetsu-Minamiosaka or Kintetsu-Nagano) train station.
The large
zempokoen-shaped tumulus in Shikinzan (資金山), which was excavated in
1947, contained significant grave goods. It is dated to around the 4th
or 5th century. The burial chamber consists of a long tiled corridor
bordered by walls of uneven stones and covered with enormous flat slabs.
The surrounding area is now a park on the edge of which stands the Suita
City Museum (吹田市立博物館). It is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., daily
except Monday.
The Imashirozuka Kofun (今城塚古墳公園) in the area of the
city of Takatsuki is the largest in the Yodogawa region. It was
excavated in 2004. The largest Haniwa figures to date were found here.
There is a historical park in the area.
The area where the 1970 World Expo took place was largely used as a
recreational area. The facility is far from the city center in Suita.
The Osaka Monorail to Osaka Airport, Senrichuo and Kadoma-shi serves the
Bampakukinenkoen station (万博記念公園駅). The Saito Line also runs to
Saito-Nishi. The JR Ibaraki station is just under 2 kilometers away.
In the larger part, north of the E2A highway, there is a large green
area that is used for events with the "Sun Tower" in the center. There
is a small Expo museum here. On the sides are a traditional Japanese
garden and the "Flower Hill" ("Hana-no-oka"). Both the park and the
exhibition have a small entrance fee.
The ethnographic museum has
an interesting exhibition on the Ainu. Closed on Wednesdays.
South of the motorway is Osaka's largest Ferris wheel, the Redhorse
Wheel, which is open from 11 a.m. to 8/9 p.m. There is also the Nifrel
Aquarium, a park with cherry trees and a shopping center with a cinema.
The eastern part around the motorway junction is home to sports
facilities. The first division club Gamba Osaka plays its home games in
the large football stadium.
Osaka Museum of History (大阪歴史博物館), 1-32 Otemae 4-Chome Chuo-ku,
大阪府大阪市中央区大手前4-1-32 .
Osaka Science Museum (大阪市立科学館) . Open:
Tue.-Sun. 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Open Air Museum of Old Farmhouses
(日本民家集落博物館), Ryokuchi-koen. 12 farmhouses from the pre-industrial era
from all over the country have been restored and re-erected here. Open:
Tue.-Sun. 9.30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed 1 week around New Year. Price: 500
yen.
Japan Mint (造幣局), 1-1-79, Temma Kita-ku . The Japanese Mint is
located in the Kita-ku district near the Temmabashi subway station.
However, the site is best known for especially for a famous path that is
lined with countless cherry trees and is overrun by Japanese and
tourists alike at the end of March for the cherry blossom season. Open:
9.00-16.45, closed on Wednesdays.
Museum of East Asian Ceramics
(大阪市立東洋陶磁美術館, Museum of Oriental Ceramics ; in the centrally located
Nakanoshima Park). It houses one of the world's most important
collections of Chinese and Korean ceramics, based on the private
collection of Ataka Eiichi (1901–94). Of the 400 pieces, 320 are on
display at a time. Among other things, two national treasures and 13
important cultural assets of Japan are on display. [outdated] Open:
Renovation until spring 2024.
Osaka Museum of Housing and Living
(大阪くらしの今昔館), 大阪府大阪市北区天神橋6-4-20 (Osaka Metro/Hankyu: Tenjimbashisuji
6-chome; JR: Tenmma). Living conditions of pre-modern times recreated.
Open: Wed.-Mon. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Asahi Beer Museum (アサヒビールミュージアム), 1-45
Nishinoshochō, Suita, Osaka 564-0071 (near JR Suita). Exhibition and
brewery tour. Open: 9.30am-3pm. Price: ￥1000.
The Umeda Sky Building (梅田スカイビル) impresses with its extravagant (and
in Japan still controversial) architecture. It consists of two high-rise
towers, which are connected at the top with the Floating Garden
Observatory, a viewing gallery with a well-stocked souvenir shop, café
and interesting exhibition about the construction and architecture of
the building and above it the Sky Walk in the often very windy outdoor
area - you have a largely unrestricted panoramic view of Osaka and the
region. The building is 173m high in total, a glass elevator on the 3rd
floor takes you to the 39th floor, from where you take a spectacular
escalator suspended between the two high-rise buildings (actually not
for people with a fear of heights) to the observation deck, where you
buy the entrance ticket (¥ 1700). The building also houses both the
Goethe Institute and an art museum. Its address is 1-1-20 Oyodonaka,
Kita-ku, a few hundred meters from Osaka Station. Tsūtenkaku (通天閣) is
the name of a 103-meter-high broadcasting and observation tower near the
JR Shinimamiya station in the Naniwa district. The steel-framed tower
was built in 1956 as the successor to a similar tower that was
dismantled in 1943 and, like the surrounding area, has a somewhat shady
entertainment district. , cult status. The observation decks are at
heights of 84m and 87m. Two colors at the top of the tower indicate the
weather forecast for the coming day. Be careful, there can be long
queues, of which the one visible outside is only a small part.
Tempozan Ferris Wheel (天保山大観覧車; in the harbor district). Ferris wheel
near the aquarium, which is well worth seeing.
River cruises start at the Minatomachi Pier (湊町船着場) behind the Namba Hatch concert hall between the Ukiniwa pedestrian bridge and the Fukari bridge or the Namba train stations (exit C26). The Wonder Cruise Party boats operate in the evening. They also depart from Dotonburi, closer to Nipponbashi. A 20-minute round trip costs ¥1200.
You can play ninja in costume and with VR glasses at Ninja-Do (忍者堂),
4F, Wakaba Bldg. 1-1-18 Taishi, Nishinari-ku. The approximately one-hour
program starts at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Kaiyūkan Large Aquarium
(海遊館; on the pier of the same name. Metro: Osakako 大阪港駅). One of the
largest aquariums in the world with animals from habitats ranging from
the Arctic to the tropics.infoedit
Nearby are the Legoland Center
(only with online booking; ¥ 2800) and the Glion Vintage Car Museum.
Universal Studios Japan (ユニバーサル・スタジオ・ジャパン), 2 Chome-1-33 Sakurajima,
Konohana Ward, Osaka, 554-0031, Japan (Osaka Loop Line to Nishikujō, JR
Jumesaki Line to Universal City). A sprawling theme park - currently one
of the most popular in all of Asia - based on popular American films
with rides and live entertainment. The "Wizarding World of Harry Potter"
and the "Super Nintendo World" featuring Mario & Co. are considered to
be visitor magnets. Please note: Entry to the extremely popular Super
Nintendo World is limited and generally only possible with the
(expensive) Express Pass or by booking a fixed appointment ("slots") via
the park's official app, which are regularly fully booked - planning
ahead if you want to see one of the park's highlights is essential. It
should also be noted that neither food nor drinks are allowed into the
park, which is also enforced during the security check at the entrance.
Open: daily 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Price: Prices for day tickets vary
depending on demand: adults from ￥8600, plus "Express Pass" to avoid
long lines from ￥7200.
Suminoe Park (住之江公園; Yotsubashi Metro and
Newtram: Suminoe-kōen). This is where the baseball stadium is. On the
west side is the race track for motorboats. Since betting is allowed
here, minors are not allowed in. There are other sporting activities in
the area, such as a climbing hall, an artificial turf soccer field, 2
golf practice areas, the MAG billiards hall, the upscale Spa Suminoe
bathhouse and, right next to the sewage treatment plant, the Gorilla
Hall for rock concerts.
Miykojima indoor swimming pool (都島屋内プール), Miyakojima-ku,
Miyakojimahondori, 4−12−7 (Metro Noeuchindai (野江内代駅 stop T16). Open:
9.00-20.30, closed on Mondays.
The indoor swimming pool in Tsurumi
Park has a large children's adventure pool.
Yodogawa indoor swimming
pool (立淀川屋内プール), 2-3-1 Jusohigashi, Yodogawa-ku (on the 3rd floor of the
district administration building). Open: 8.45-21.30, closed on
Thursdays.
Tennen Onsen Naniwanoyu (天然温泉 なにわの湯), 1-7-31 Nagaranishi, Kita-ku (Metro Tenjimbashisuji 6-chome, Exit 5. Past the police box, turn right at the traffic lights, total time approx. 5 minutes). Inner-city onsen with natural thermal springs and numerous facilities and treatments. No entry with tattoos, even if they are covered. Open: 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Price: 950.
Information centers
1 Umeda, right inside Osaka Station, Level 1.
There is also a Hankyu tourist center in the station section of this
company, which is helpful for appropriate tickets.
2 Namba,
immediately outside the Namba Station subway station.
3 Shin Osaka,
at the Shinkansen station.
By plane
Osaka has two passenger
airports - Kansai and Itami - but only the former handles international
flights:
1 Kansai International Airport (IATA: KIX) is the
largest and most important airport in the region, which has connections
to many international hubs. The airport, which opened on an artificial
island in 1994, is equipped with all the amenities you would expect and
has Terminal 1, the longest airport building in the world - the
departure area measures 1.7km (!). From German-speaking countries,
Lufthansa flies directly to Osaka-Kansai from Munich - practical
transfer connections are available with KLM, Turkish Airlines, Etihad
Airways or Emirates, for example, with a single transfer via their hubs.
Japan Airlines also flies from Tokyo-Haneda (HND) to Osaka, but not from
Tokyo-Narita (NRT), where most European flights arrive. There are
several train connections from the airport to the city, which vary in
speed, price and comfort: The state-owned JR offers a regional train
("Rapid Service") and an express train (Haruka Limited Express) for an
additional charge to the main Osaka Station (journey time approx. 70 and
45 minutes respectively); the Haruka also runs to the Shinkansen station
Shin-Osaka and on to Kyoto. The private company Nankai also offers two
types of train: the futuristic-looking rapi:t Limited Express and the
slightly slower Airport Express, both of which travel to Osaka-Namba
station in the south of the city center (journey time around 35 and 45
minutes respectively). Only the JR Rapid Service can be used with an IC
card (see Mobility) - for all others, separate tickets must be purchased
at the counter, vending machine or online in advance.
2 Osaka
International Airport / Itami (IATA: ITM), despite its misleading name,
now only serves domestic flights and is connected to all major and many
smaller, more remote airports in Japan in a dense network. It is
therefore suitable for longer distances that cannot be sensibly covered
by the Shinkansen and is closer to the city center than Kansai. You can
get from the airport to the city on the Osaka Monorail, which crosses
two regional train lines (Hankyu Takarazuka Main Line and Midōsuji
Line). For domestic flights, depending on the start/destination, the
much smaller regional airport in nearby Kobe may also be suitable.
By train
Osaka has numerous train stations in keeping with its
size, but three of them can be considered to be important main stations
for visitors:
Shin-Ōsaka station (新大阪駅), built in the 1960s, is the
metropolis's long-distance train station and is located a few kilometers
north of the city center ("Shin" means "new"). The Shinkansen, Japan's
famous high-speed trains, run exclusively here. Without any
exaggeration, trains on the Tokaido and Sanyo routes (新幹線) stop here
every few minutes on the important
Fukuoka-Hiroshima-Kobe-Osaka-Kyoto-Nagoya-Tokyo axis. The fastest
trains, called Nozomi (のぞみ), take just 2¼ hours from/to Tokyo, and the
journey to Kyoto or Kobe takes just 15 minutes. With the Japan Rail
Pass, however, the Nozomi can only be used for an additional charge; the
other Shinkansen (e.g. Hikari, Kodama or Sakura) are permitted, but are
sometimes considerably slower, especially on long routes. There are also
regional train connections from Shin-Osaka with the JR (for example to
Umeda, Osaka Loop Line), Midosuji Line (to Umeda and Namba) and Hankyu
Line (to Umeda and the northern surrounding area). The station has
manned ticket counters as well as vending machines, displays and
announcements in English.
The Ōsaka Station ("Osaka Station") (大阪駅),
which was replaced by a new building in the 2000s, can be described as
the main station in the city center. In an impressive hall and on
several adjacent underground platforms, numerous state and private train
connections stop, including the important Osaka Loop Line, the
north-south Midosuji Line and connections to the neighboring cities of
Kyoto and Kobe. The station, which is framed by shopping centers and
high-rise buildings, is enormous and winding, but there is efficient
signage in English. Between Osaka Station and Shin-Osaka, both the
Midosuji Line (duration approx. 10 minutes) and regional JR trains
(duration approx. 5 minutes) run every few minutes.
Osaka-Namba
Station (大阪難波駅) is an important hub in the south of the city center and
actually consists of two stations, Kintetsu and JR, which are about 400
meters apart and connected by tunnels. The private Hanshin-Namba and
Kintetsu-Namba lines run in the Kintetsu section, roughly as far as
Nara. The Kansai main line from Nagoya ends at the JR station. The
regional Yamatoji line serves several smaller surrounding towns,
including Nara, which is of interest to tourists. The airport trains
from Nankai to Kansai Airport also start/end in Namba.
By bus
The Osaka-Umeda bus station is one of the best connected in the country.
Several night buses run from Tokyo-Shinjuku. Comfortable buses with 3
seats per row are usually used for the 9-hour journey, i.e. 28
passengers on the bus. The Dream Liners are more expensive, with only 11
passengers per level. In terms of price, even the latter are still
cheaper than a Shinkansen ticket.
On the road
In general, it
is not a good idea to "experience" Osaka by car. Many streets have no
names, or some streets have the same name. Parking fees are
astronomical. In some parts of the city, it is forbidden to buy a car if
you cannot show a parking space, which then costs almost the same as a
car. The left-hand traffic and the many Japanese traffic signs do the
rest to make driving in Osaka seem very inconvenient.
By ship
There are ferry connections from Osaka to Busan (South Korea) three
times a week and to Shanghai (China) twice a week. Osaka International
Ferry Terminal is located at Nankō (南港) in the Osaka Bay Area. The best
thing to do is to take the "New Tram" from Suminoe-koen Station to
Nankōguchi (南港口). Cruise ships also dock here.
Overnight ferries
run daily, and in the late afternoon, from Beppu (Oita) and Shibushi,
the port for Kagoshima, to the Sunflower Terminal. Take the new tram to
the "Trade Center Mae."
If you book a round trip, you get a 50%
discount on the return trip. If you want to do this route as a 2-day
tour, you can buy the Osaka Metro & Bullet Ferry Set Ticket for ￥15,000
return, which includes travel by metro and bus in Osaka on both days.
(In high season, this is cheaper than the single fare). (As of July
2023) Hankyu ferries from Kitakyushu-Shinmoji ↔ Osaka-Izumiotsu
(泉大津フェリーターミナル) (Matsunohama 松ノ浜駅 station).
Tickets
Despite several tourist ticket offers, the easiest and
most straightforward solution for most visitors is probably to use one
of the rechargeable chip cards for local transport (IC Card). For Osaka,
this is the ICOCA, but all IC Cards from other parts of the country
(e.g. Pasmo and Suica from Tokyo) are also fully valid. You can use them
on all regional trains, suburban and underground trains and city bus
connections, with the exception of the Limited Express (not to be
confused with the Rapid Express, Semi-Rapid etc., which only skip stops
- the airport train Haruka is a Limited Express, for example) and
Shinkansen, which incur a surcharge. The rechargeable ICOCA is available
from most ticket machines and in convenience stores such as 7-Eleven,
Lawson and Family Mart as a plastic card (2000 yen with 1500 yen credit)
and, as an Apple user, you can also buy it (!) and top it up directly in
Apple Wallet. With the IC cards, which are held up to clearly visible
readers at the entrances to the platforms, you can pay not only for
local transport but also in the mini supermarkets mentioned above and
even in some restaurants. If you absolutely do not want to use a chip
card, you can also buy paper tickets from numerous English-speaking
machines.
Subway
Osaka has Japan's second largest subway
network after Tokyo. This makes the subway the normal way to get around
central Osaka. The Midosuji Line is Osaka's main line, connecting the
large stations and shopping complexes of Shin-Osaka, Umeda,
Shinsaibashi, Namba, and Tennōji. The displays and ticket system are
similar to those in Tokyo, although the prices are a little more
expensive, especially for shorter routes.
Regional train
As
the name suggests, the JR Osaka Loop Line (環状線, Kanjō-sen) runs in a
circle around the center of Osaka. It is not as crowded and heavily used
as Tokyo's Yamanote Line, but it can also get quite busy at peak times.
Important stations are Umeda, Tennō-ji and Osaka Castle. Namba,
Universal Studios Japan and Shin-Osaka are connected to the JR Osaka
Loop Line via branches. Please note that the Kansai ticket is not valid
on the JR line network.
In addition to the JR line network, there
are a number of other private railways, some of which have a not
inconsiderable rail network and connect the suburbs of Osaka with the
center, but also lead to the surrounding cities such as Kyoto, Kobe,
Nara or Wakayama.
Firstly, there is the Hankyu Line, which mainly
serves the northern area of Osaka. The lines all start at Hankyu Umeda
Station and some lead to Kyoto (Umeda-Kawaramachi), Takarazuka (Umeda -
Takarazuka) or Kobe (Umeda - Sannomiya)). In addition to these main
lines, there are a number of branch lines. The Kansai Ticket is valid in
the Hankyu Line network.
The Kintetsu Line runs east of Osaka.
The lines start from Kintetsu Namba Station. They connect Osaka with the
eastern districts, but also go to Nara or Ise (famous for the Ise
shrines). It is even possible to travel to Nagoya by changing trains.
The Kansai Ticket is valid in the Kintetsu Line network.
The area
in southern Osaka is served by the Nankai Line. The lines start in Namba
(Nankai Namba Station) and go to Wakayama (Nankai Main Line) and
Kōya-san (Koya Line). There are also several connections to Kansai
International Airport. The Kansai Ticket is valid in the Nankai Line
network.
Bus
The city buses are operated by City Bus. As
everywhere in Japan, the destinations are only written in Japanese; You
board at the middle door and pay the driver in cash or with a prepaid
card when you get off. There are several hubs near train stations where
several bus lines meet. One transfer point is at Suminoe-kōen.
Two areas in Osaka are particularly worth mentioning as shopping
areas. In the north, Umeda, the area around Osaka Station (there isn't
much around Shin-Osaka). Umeda is a business and commercial center with
a number of high-rise buildings and, in between, some large and winding
shopping centers and department stores, some of which extend over up to
10 floors. A very special one is the HEP FIVE, which can be seen from
afar, and on the top floor there is also a Ferris wheel with a diameter
of 75m, so that you can see Osaka from a height of 106m.
In the
south, the area between Shinsaibashi and around Namba Station is very
thematically organized according to areas of interest. The main street,
Mido-Suji (御堂筋), houses mainly high-priced and prestigious shops of
well-known luxury and lifestyle brands, both above and below ground.
Just one parallel street further east is the famous shopping street
Shinsaibashi-Suji (or "Shinsaibashi" for short, although this actually
only refers to the subway station to the north of the street) with a
colorful mix of shops, similar to European shopping arcades. In the area
of this arcade there are fish shops in which you can occasionally see
a puffer fish hanging, a sign that you can get this specialty here. For
those not in the know, it is just a simple, inconspicuous black fish in
the display.
Along the Doguya-suji (道具屋筋商店街) there is one
specialty shop for kitchen supplies and household goods after the other.
Amerikamura (アメリカ村, American Village), also known as "Ame-mura", is
an entertainment and shopping district near Shinsaibashi (Midosuji Line,
Shinsaibashi Sta.) in the Minami district of Osaka. Its landmark is a
(smaller) copy of the Statue of Liberty. Amerikamura is famous for its
western clothing stores aimed specifically at young people and is an
ideal place to marvel at part of Japanese youth culture. On the main
street there are branches of well-known brands such as Apple and Dior.
At the Nippombashi subway station, in Nipponbashi-Suji, there is Den
Den Town, a street with all kinds of electronics stores of various
sizes. A parallel street further west you will find "Otatown" (named
after "Otaku") for video game, anime and manga enthusiasts. One street
further west you will find all kinds of household and restaurant
supplies. Around Namba there are several multi-story department stores
with a clear focus on consumer electronics.
The wholesale market
hall (大阪市中央卸売市場 本場) is open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.
Small restaurants in the area mainly serve fresh fish.
Zakoba
morning market (between the wholesale market and Funatsubashi Bridge).
Private vendors in particular sell food outdoors here. Open: 8 a.m. to 2
p.m. on the last (sometimes second to last) Saturday of an odd month.
Donguri Kyowakoku, Namba Walk 5-4, 1-chome, Senninchimae, Chuo-ku.
Merchandise for Studio Ghibli films. (There are 5 other branches.) Open:
10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
If you are looking for a different bread than the
soft one commonly found in Japan, Painduce in Osaka Station has good
baguette.
Local specialties
If you want to make your own wax food models,
like those found outside every restaurant in Japan, you can learn how to
do it at Food Samples R&M, 13-17 Nambasennichimae, Chuo-ku. The daily
program (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) lasts about 45 minutes, and prices depend on
the model you choose.
Restaurants
Many izakayas and the like
can be found in the extensive underground passages (Shin-Umeda
Shokudogai) around Osaka-Umeda station.
Restaurants specializing in
Kappo-ryōri (a style of cooking that became common around 1910 and where
absolute freshness is the trump card) usually only serve at the counter.
The food is prepared in front of the customer.
Hamburg, Naniwa-ku,
Shikitsunishi, 2−9−2 八阪ハイツ (Metro Daikokucho, Exit 2). If you urgently
need pork knuckle with sauerkraut, this is the place for you. Open: 2
p.m./4 p.m.-11 p.m., closed on Tuesdays. Price: upscale.
If you want
a little more garlic in your food, you'll find what you're looking for
in the restaurants in Koreatown Tsuruhashi around the station of the
same name.
at home (あっとほぉーむカフェ), SEM Bldg. 4-9-13 Nippombashi,
Naniwa-ku. Branch of the most famous of all Tokyo “maid cafes.” Open: 11
a.m.-10 p.m.
Fast food
For a quick bite to eat on the go, such
as onigiri rice balls or a sandwich, the countless convenience stores of
7-Eleven, Lawson and Family Mart are recommended. You can also find cold
drinks, coffee and sweets there - often around the clock.
In the city
center in particular there are branches of the well-known burger chains
McDonalds, Burger King and Mosburger, and due to the Japanese love of
chicken, there are also KFC and Wendy's from the USA.
Vegetarians
Vegetarians and especially vegans generally have a hard time with
Japanese cuisine, as meat or fish is considered a necessary component of
many dishes and there is almost always some of it in at least the soup
base, which you can't simply opt out of (the meat side dish or bonito
flakes, however, can). There are very few vegan/vegetarian restaurants,
and as an alternative there are convenience stores such as 7-Eleven or
Starbucks, where you can find basic vegetarian options. Shake Shack
offers vegetarian burgers, but McDonalds and Burger King do not. Very
occasionally, dishes are advertised on menus as “Vegan OK!”
Along the banks of the Dotonbori (Namba). The area around
Amerika-mura attracts the young crowd. The Kita is more adult.
Dotombori-dori and Soemon-chō are also lively.
The Kita-Shinichi
district in Umeda south of the riverside station tends to attract
middle-aged expense-seekers. Here you can also find bars where the
“mama-san” wears a kimono.
Namba Hatch (Namba stations, exit C26).
Contemporary concert hall for live music.
Bunraku National Theater
(国立文楽劇場). Bunraku is a traditional puppet show. Even without language
skills, a performance is worth seeing as long as you are a little
interested in Japanese culture. Rakugo and Manzai comedies are also
performed in the small hall.
In Osaka, due to its size and importance as a national and
international trade center, there are many hotels in practically every
price range, with the standard of cleanliness and, regardless of age,
the state of maintenance, as is customary in the country, usually very
high even in cheap hostels. However, even expensive rooms in the houses
of the well-known national and international chains are often much
smaller than would be the case in other countries due to the lack of
building land. Osaka charges an overnight tax, which since 2019 depends
on the room price, 100 to 300 yen - if you book online via one of the
common websites, this is usually already included.
Cheap
The
Nishinari-ku (西成区) was long the "slum" where male day laborers and
homeless people sought shelter. Since legal support for the homeless was
introduced in 1995, this group of people has become smaller. The
operators of the cheap accommodation there (flop houses) have
increasingly opened up to foreign travelers. Even in 2022, you can still
get a small room here for ￥ 2000, maybe even with a TV. But you
shouldn't have any demands.
Guesthouse 44, 4-7-2 Higashimikuni,
Yodogawa-ku (Metro Higashimikuni, Exit 3). Tel.: +81663931111. German
restaurant with three 6-bed dormitories and one double room.
Medium
Most hotels are geared more towards (Japanese) business
travelers. The nationwide chains can be found around the train stations.
Luxury
Granvia Osaka (株式会社ホテルグランヴィア大阪; in the Osaka train station
building)
The Osaka Medical Network for Foreigners has a directory of doctors,
dentists and clinics with foreign language skills in several languages.
There is also a list of practices on duty after office hours.
English is spoken in this hospital:
Meiji Hospital, 2-4-8
Higashinoda-chō, Miyakojima-ku, Osaka 534-0024. Tel.: +81 (0)663533121
There is Osaka Free WiFi, which requires registration. However, the
hotspots in the train stations and in Terminal 1 of Kansai Airport were
switched off at the end of March 2023. In addition, many subway trains
and Starbucks branches have free WiFi.
Main Post Office, Osaka Ekimae
Daiichi Building, Floor B1, in the same building as the tourist
information office (exit D51 Osaka-Umeda Station). Post office with the
usual opening hours in Europe, with the search term "Japan Post" you can
find numerous other branches on Google Maps. If you have labeled your
shipment correctly - there are numerous templates on the Internet - you
can send postcards and letters home even without knowing the language on
both sides.
Many train stations and all shopping malls have free
public toilets which are generally in very good condition.
Consulates German General Consulate (在大阪・神戸ドイツ総領事館), Umeda Sky Building,
Tower East, 35th F., 1-1-88-3501, Oyodonaka, Kita-ku, Osaka, 〒531-6035
大阪市北区大淀中1-1-88-3501 梅田スカイビル タワーイースト35F. Tel.: +81 (0)6 64405070, Fax:
+81 (0)6 64405080. As usual “friendly” German bureaucratic service.
Smartphones, tablets, etc. must be stored in lockers for a fee. Open:
Mon–Fri 9:00 a.m. to noon, by online appointment only.
Swiss
Consulate General, River View Kitahama Bldg. Room 601, 1-1-30 Kitahama,
Chuo-ku. Tel.: +81 6 4708 3790, Fax: +81 6 4708 3956, E-Mail:
tokyo.visa@eda.admin.ch. Open: Mon–Fri 9:00 a.m. to noon.
The city of Osaka was originally called Naniwa. The city was the
capital of Japan as Naniwa no miyako or Naniwa-kyō (難波京, "Imperial
Residence City of Naniwa") from 645 to 655 under the Kōtoku-tennō and
finally in 744 under the Shōmu-tennō. However, earlier tennōs probably
also had their seat in Naniwa, as the Nihonshoki mentions that the
Ōjin-tennō (r. 270–310) moved into the Ōsumi Palace (大隅宮, Ōsumi no miya)
in Naniwa.
Important land and sea connections between Yamato (now
Nara Prefecture), Korea and China have existed since ancient times. The
former province of Settsu now forms the northern part of Osaka
Prefecture with part of today's Hyōgo Prefecture.
The Buddhist
Jōdo Shinshū religious community established its headquarters in 1496 in
Ishiyama (now part of Osaka) in the heavily fortified Ishiyama Hongan-ji
temple. Oda Nobunaga began the siege of the temple in 1576, which lasted
four years. The monks surrendered in 1580, the temple was completely
destroyed and Toyotomi Hideyoshi built his own castle, Ōsaka Castle, on
the site.
Osaka was called Ōzaka (大坂) from the Middle Ages to
pre-modern times. At the beginning of the Meiji period, the government
renamed the city to its current name, Osaka. Today, Osaka is the third
largest Japanese city after Tokyo and Yokohama and the most important in
terms of goods economy, as the most important markets for the exchange
of goods are located there.
The city prefecture (-fu) of Osaka
has existed since the Meiji Restoration. As the successor to the
shogunate administration for the city (Ōsaka-machi-bugyō), it initially
consisted only of the city of Osaka, but was soon expanded to include
areas in Settsu Province, and later also in Izumi, Kawachi and Yamato
Provinces. The forerunners of the modern city of Osaka, the four urban
districts (-ku) Higashi (East), Nishi (West), Kita (North) and Minami
(South) were separated from the districts (-gun) Higashinari and
Nishinari in 1878/79. When the municipal regulations were modernized in
1888/89, the modern Ōsaka-shi was created, but after the exemption from
the city regulations (shisei tokurei) was issued at the same time, it
remained without an independent city administration like Tokyo and Kyoto
until 1898 and was governed as an immediate city directly by the
governor of the prefecture. By 1955, in several steps, including a major
expansion in 1925, the districts of Higashinari and Nishinari were
completely incorporated into the city of Osaka, along with parts of
other districts. In the 1920s, the population thus exceeded that of the
city of Tokyo, and Osaka was temporarily the largest city in Japan,
until 1932, when Tokyo more than doubled its population through
extensive incorporations ("Greater Tokyo"). From 1922, the city of Osaka
was one of the six major cities with somewhat more self-government or
reduced intervention options by the Reich Ministry of the Interior/the
governor of the prefecture. During the occupation, self-government was
reformed, as in all municipalities and prefectures, and a municipal
police force (Ōsaka-shi Keishi-chō) also existed until 1954. As a
"special city" (tokubetsu-shi), Ōsaka-shi was to become a
prefecture-independent city, but this was never implemented; instead, in
1956 it became one of the first five major cities by decree (seirei
shitei toshi) with expanded self-government. The current 24 city
districts have existed since a reorganization in 1989.
During the
Second World War, the city was bombed several times with napalm bombs by
the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) between March 1945 and August
1945. The attacks destroyed around 35% of the city area and left 12,620
dead and 23,037 injured. The attacks burned down 40 km2 of the city and
left 1,134,552 people homeless (see Osaka air raids).
In 2019,
the G20 summit took place in Osaka. The topics included the economy
within the group of states.
After the failure of the to plan to abolish the city of Osaka in
2020, Mayor Ichirō Matsui of the Ōsaka Ishin no Kai announced his
resignation at the end of his current term of office. Former Ishin
prefectural parliamentarian Hideyuki Yokoyama was elected as his
successor in the unified regional elections in April 2023 with 64.4% of
the vote against four candidates. In the simultaneous election for the
81-member Osaka city parliament, the Ishin no Kai won an absolute
majority with 46 seats, the Kōmeitō remained unchanged at 18, and the
LDP fell to 11 seats. At the same time, the Ishin no Kai also won both
prefectural elections in Osaka. In the now 79-member Osaka prefectural
parliament, the city of Osaka is represented by a total of 26
representatives from 21 constituencies, including 16 single-mandate
constituencies. Here, too, most of the city districts function as
constituencies, with three constituencies each comprising two city
districts.
In elections to the national lower house, the city
extends into constituencies 1 to 6 of the prefecture, with the Osaka 6
constituency including parts of the city of Osaka as well as the cities
of Moriguchi and Kadoma. In the 2021 lower house election, the two major
national parties LDP and KDP lost all constituencies in the city of
Osaka, as in all of Osaka, while Ishin no Kai and Kōmeitō each won three
seats.
After its quadruple success in the elections in Osaka Prefecture and City in 2019, the Ishin no Kai made a new attempt to abolish the city of Osaka and to set up "special districts" similar to those of Tokyo Prefecture in its place. A first referendum on this narrowly failed in 2015. The date for the second referendum, set by the Osaka City Election Supervision Commission after confirmation by the Osaka Prefecture and Osaka City Parliaments, was November 1, 2020. The "notification" (kokuji; legal start of the election campaign) was made on October 12. If the referendum had been successful, the city of Osaka and its 24 wards would have been replaced by four "special wards" (Kita/North, Chūō/Central, Tennōji and Yodogawa) of Osaka Prefecture on January 1, 2025. Unlike the question in the 2015 referendum (then 大阪市における特別区の設置… Ōsaka-shi ni okeru tokubetsu-ku no setchi…, roughly “… to set up special districts in the area of the city of Osaka”), this time the abolition of the city was explicitly part of the question (大阪市を廃止し特別区を設置する… Ōsaka-shi o haishi shi tokubetsu-ku o setchi suru…, “… to abolish the city of Osaka and establish special districts”); Mayor Matsui had wanted the wording "abolish the Osaka City Council/City Hall" (大阪市役所を廃止 Ōsaka-shiyakusho o haishi), but the Election Supervision Commission did not follow this wish. Ishin no Kai and, unlike in 2015, the Kōmeitō Ōsaka (prefectural association) campaigned for the plan; the LDP city council faction and the prefectural associations of LDP, KDP, KPJ and SDP supported a no vote.
With Kansai International Airport, Osaka has had a modern
international airport since 1994 on an artificial island off the coast
of the bay about 60 km south of the city. Its catchment area also
includes the cities of Nara, Kobe and Kyoto. Connections between the
city and the airport are available by bus and train (Rapīto, Haruka).
Osaka International Airport in Itami (north of Osaka) and Toyonaka
is mainly used for domestic flights. Due to its location in the middle
of a residential area near Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto, a flight ban applies
from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. to limit noise pollution. Itami was originally
supposed to be closed with the construction of Kansai Airport.
The municipal transport authority, founded in 1903 with the construction
of the Osaka tram, which was closed in 1969, as the oldest municipal
transport company in Japan, operates an extensive bus network and a
subway network with eight lines. In addition, there is a network of
former state-run (JR West) and privately run railways that connect the
city center with its neighboring towns. The Keihan and Hankyū lines
connect with Kyoto, the Hanshin and Hankyū lines with Kobe, the Kintetsu
lines with Nara and Nagoya and the Nankai main line with Wakayama. The
private Hankai tram also runs from the south of the city to neighboring
Sakai.
Shinkansen high-speed trains of the Tōkaidō and San’yō
Shinkansen stop at Shin-Osaka station in the Yodogawa district.
According to a study from 2014, the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan
area generated a gross domestic product of 671 billion US dollars (GDP).
This put it in 7th place in the ranking of the most productive
metropolitan regions in the world.
In the past, Osaka was the
center of Japanese trade, especially in the Middle Ages and pre-modern
times. Today, most large companies have their headquarters in Tokyo,
which they moved from Osaka at the end of the 1990s. However, some
corporations are based in Osaka, for example Keyence, Daiwa House
Industry, Sekisui House. The economic downturn following the end of the
"bubble economy" hit Osaka and Kansai particularly hard with
bankruptcies, unemployment and capital outflows, the real estate market
stagnated, domestic and foreign investors withdrew or relocated to
Kanto.
In 1970, the first World Expo in Asia, Expo '70, was held
outside Osaka. With this World Expo under the motto "Progress and
Harmony for Humanity", Japan became known to the world as an industrial
power after the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. On March 14, 1970, Emperor
Hirohito opened the Expo in front of 7,000 invited guests. By September
13, 77 countries had presented themselves in Osaka. The 102-meter-high
tower of the Soviet pavilion became the symbol of the exhibition.
Tourism now plays an important role in the city's economy. With 7
million foreign visitors, Osaka was the 17th most visited city in the
world in 2016. Tourists brought in revenue of 3.4 billion US dollars in
the same year. Most foreign visitors came from the People's Republic of
China.
Osaka has several important venues for classical Japanese theater,
such as the Shin Kabuki Theater, the Osaka Nōgaku Kaikan Kyōgen Theater,
and the National Bunraku Theater. The city is also known for its comedic
entertainment (manzai). Major festivals include the Midosuji Parade and
the Tenjin Matsuri.
The city of Osaka is home to the Orix
Buffaloes, a Pacific League baseball team that plays its home games at
the Osaka Dome, and a team from the Japanese professional soccer league,
Cerezo Osaka. This makes the city the only major soccer center outside
the greater Tokyo area. Cerezo's rivals, Gamba Osaka, are based in the
city of Suita in Osaka Prefecture.
Since 1982, the Osaka Women's
Marathon, a race for the female running elite, has been held in January.
In 2011, the Osaka Marathon was launched, which is also open to amateur
athletes of both sexes.
The 2007 World Athletics Championships
took place in Osaka. 203 associations sent almost 2,000 athletes to the
metropolis.
Osaka is home to a campus of Kansai University, a campus of Kwansei Gakuin University, Osaka City University, Soai University, the main campus of Osaka University of Technology and Osaka University of Economics. The campus of the highly respected Osaka State University, however, is located in the surrounding Osaka Prefecture.