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Ōsaka (大阪) is the third largest city in Japan, with a population of over 17 million people in its greater metropolitan area. It is the central metropolis of the Kansai region and the largest of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto trio.
If Tokyo is Japan's capital, one might call Osaka it's anti-capital. Whatever you call it, though, there are many opportunities for you to discover its true character.
Osaka dates back to the Asuka and Nara period. Under the name Naniwa (難波), it was the capital of Japan from 683 to 745, long before the upstarts at Kyoto took over. Even after the capital was moved elsewhere, Osaka continued to play an important role as a hub for land, sea and river-canal transportation. During the Tokugawa era, while Edo (now Tokyo) served as the austere seat of military power and Kyoto was the home of the Imperial court and its effete courtiers, Osaka served as "the Nation's... Read more
Ōsaka (大阪) is the third largest city in Japan, with a population of over 17 million people in its greater metropolitan area. It is the central metropolis of the Kansai region and the largest of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto trio.
If Tokyo is Japan's capital, one might call Osaka it's anti-capital. Whatever you call it, though, there are many opportunities for you to discover its true character.
Osaka dates back to the Asuka and Nara period. Under the name Naniwa (難波), it was the capital of Japan from 683 to 745, long before the upstarts at Kyoto took over. Even after the capital was moved elsewhere, Osaka continued to play an important role as a hub for land, sea and river-canal transportation. During the Tokugawa era, while Edo (now Tokyo) served as the austere seat of military power and Kyoto was the home of the Imperial court and its effete courtiers, Osaka served as "the Nation's Kitchen" (「天下の台所」 tenka-no-daidokoro), the collection and distribution point for rice, the most important measure of wealth. Hence it was also the city where merchants made and lost fortunes and cheerfully ignored repeated warnings from the shogunate to reduce their conspicuous consumption.
During the Meiji era, Osaka's fearless entrepreneurs took the lead in industrial development, making it the equivalent of Manchester in the U.K. A thorough drubbing in World War 2 left little evidence of this glorious past — even the castle is a ferroconcrete reconstruction — but to this day, while unappealing and gruff on the surface, Osaka remains Japan's best place to eat, drink and party, and in legend (if not in practice) Osakans still greet each other with mōkarimakka?, "are you making money?".
Kansai Travel Pass: Exploring Osaka & Kansai Region:
If you are planning to travel beyond city limits you might consider using the tickets from Surutto Kansai. For use in Osaka and other cities in the west of Japan, there are some other useful tickets.
The Osaka Subway here is Japan's second-most extensive subway network after Tokyo, which makes the underground the natural way to get around. The Midosuji Line is Osaka's main artery, linking up the massive train stations and shopping complexes of Shin-Osaka, Umeda, Shinsaibashi, Namba and Tennoji.
The signage, ticketing and operation of the Osaka subway is identical to its larger counterpart in Tokyo. Station arrivals are displayed and announced in both Japanese and English. Keep your ticket when you enter the train — it is required when you exit.
True to its name, the JR Osaka Loop Line (環状線 Kanjō-sen) runs in a loop around Osaka. It's not quite as convenient or heavily-used as Tokyo's Yamanote Line, but it stops in Umeda and Tennoji, and by Osaka Castle. Namba and Universal Studios Japan are connected to the Loop Line by short spurs.
Many residents get around by bicycle, as the city is mostly flat and easily navigable by bike. Riding on the sidewalks is permitted and some sidewalks even have bike lanes marked. If nothing is marked, try to stay to the left where possible (but often you simply need to find the best path through the pedestrians).
Rental bikes are available.
It is generally a bad idea to use an automobile to visit Osaka. Many streets do not have names, signs are usually only in Japanese, and parking fees are astronomical. In addition, an international driver's license is required.
The widest selection of restaurants is in Osaka's main entertainment districts, with the highest concentration of all in the Umeda and Dotombori areas.
Even in a nation of obsessive gourmands Osaka is known as an excellent place to eat, exemplified by the Osakan maxim kuidaore, "eat yourself into ruin". The best place for trying out kuidaore is probably Dōtonbori (道頓堀) and neighboring Hōzenji-yokochō (法善寺横町) or Soemon-cho (宗右衛門町), the whole area containing nearly nothing but one restaurant after another.
Some typically Osakan foods worth trying include:
Okonomiyaki is best eaten in hole-in-the-wall restaurants, while takoyaki is best eaten from street vendors' carts, which can be found all over the major districts around nightfall. The best place to find kushkatsu(串カツ) is in Shinsekai, between Dobutsuen-mae and Ebisucho stations on the Sakaisuji subway line.
There are many nightlife districts in Osaka. Nightlife in Osaka is very popular.
Osaka has a distinctive dialect of Japanese, which is favored by many comedians in Japanese popular culture. The Osaka dialect is traditionally associated with the merchant class, and as such is regarded by many Japanese as rather rough-sounding compared to standard Japanese. While generally not a problem for advanced Japanese speakers, it may be difficult to understand if you have just started learning Japanese. All non-elderly locals are able to speak and understand standard Japanese though, so if you don't understand, just politely ask them to repeat themselves in standard Japanese (hyōjungo 標準語) and they will usually oblige.
As with most other major Japanese cities, English is spoken in major tourist attractions but is otherwise not widely spoken.
LOCAL TIME
8:09 am
January 19, 2021
Asia/Tokyo
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We continue admiring underwater world in Aquarium Kayukan (Osaka. Aquarium Kayukan. P.1). Here's remora fish, which was brazenly riding on a stingray. I filmed several videos. They are almost the same, so you can watch any of them. Or all of them. Honestly, I was driven mad, I stuck to... |
This is Nishi - the port district in the west of Osaka. There's Tenpozan Harbor Village with a Ferris wheel, a small park, shops, and a museum. And right on the waterfront, there is one of the world's largest aquariums (Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan) with an area of 26.570 square meters. Frankly... |
I continue walking in
Universal Studios
(
Universal Studios Japan. P.1
). Finally I got to Waterworld: A Live Sea War Spectacular. This is Water World, after the movie with Kevin Costner, do you remember it? It is one of my favorite shows at Universal. Performance is held just three... |
I've already visited one Universal Studios, it was in Hollywood. Park cut me to the heart, it's even cooler than Disneyland! When I was in Osaka, I could not miss the opportunity to plunge into this magical world once again! I visited it on Monday that was very wise, as it's not recommended to... |
Namba is a major transport hub in the center of Osaka. Several railway and subway lines converge here. And the most memorable moment was when I got to the desired station and could not find a way out.
It was a real attraction and I didn't manage to overcome it. I do not... |
By the way,
Shitenno-ji
is the first officially founded temple of Japan. It is more than 1400 years old! Of course the temple constructions repeatedly suffered from fires and wars, but each time, they were restored again. It is said that the pagoda and the main gate are the same... |
It is called Osaka-jo in Japanese. So we should go to the subway station called Osaka-jo koen or Osaka-jo kitazume, and then - 10 minutes on foot. You can also get to the Morinomiya station of the JR Loop line, but then you'll have to go a little longer. Or the same 10... |