Ōsaka, Kansai Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital city of Osaka Prefecture. Osaka is also the largest component of the Keihanshin Metropolitan Area, the second-largest metropolitan area in Japan and the 10th largest urban area in the world.

Osaka was traditionally considered Japan's economic hub. By the Kofun period (300–538) it had developed into an important regional port, and in the 7th and 8th centuries, it served briefly as the imperial capital. Osaka continued to flourish during the Edo period (1603–1867) and became known as a centre of Japanese culture. Following the Meiji Restoration, Osaka greatly expanded in size and underwent rapid industrialization. In 1889, Osaka was officially established as a municipality. The construction boom accelerated population growth throughout the following decades, and by the 1900s, Osaka was the industrial hub in the Meiji and Taishō periods. Osaka made noted contributions to redevelopment, urban planning and zoning standards in the postwar period, the city developed rapidly as one of the major financial centre in the Keihanshin Metropolitan Area.

Osaka is a major financial centre of Japan, and it is recognised as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in Japan. The city is home to the Osaka Exchange as well as the headquarters of multinational electronics corporations such as Panasonic and Sharp. Osaka is an international centre of research and development and is represented by several major universities, notably Osaka University, Osaka Metropolitan University, and Kansai University. Famous landmarks in the city include Osaka Castle, Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, Dōtonbori, Tsūtenkaku in Shinsekai, Tennōji Park, Abeno Harukas, Sumiyoshi Taisha Grand Shrine, and Shitennō-ji, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Japan.

Economy The gross city product of Osaka in fiscal year 2004 was ¥21.3 trillion, an increase of 1.2% over the previous year. The figure accounts for about 55% of the total output in the Osaka Prefecture and 26.5% in the Kinki region. In 2004, commerce, services, and manufacturing have been the three major industries, accounting for 30%, 26%, and 11% of the total, respectively. The per capita income in the city was about ¥3.3 million, 10% higher than that of the Osaka Prefecture. MasterCard Worldwide reported that Osaka ranks 19th among the world's leading cities and plays an important role in the global economy. Osaka's GDP per capita (Nominal) was $59,958.($1=\120.13) However, by 2020, Osaka ranked as the 5th most expensive city due to flatlining consumer prices and government subsidies of public transportation.

Historically, Osaka was the centre of commerce in Japan, especially in the middle and pre-modern ages. Nomura Securities, the first brokerage firm in Japan, was founded in the city in 1925, and Osaka still houses a leading futures exchange. Many major companies have since moved their main offices to Tokyo. However, several major companies, such as Panasonic, Sharp, and Sanyo, are still headquartered in Osaka. Recently, the city began a program, headed by mayor Junichi Seki, to attract domestic and foreign investment. In the 2017 Global Financial Centres Index, Osaka was ranked as having the 15th most competitive financial centre in the world and fifth most competitive in Asia (after Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and shanghai_sh).

The Osaka Securities Exchange, specialising in derivatives such as Nikkei 225 futures, is based in Osaka. The merger with JASDAQ will help the Osaka Securities Exchange become the largest exchange in Japan for start-up companies.

According to global consulting firm Mercer, Osaka was the second most expensive city for expatriate employees in the world in 2009. It jumped up nine places from 11th place in 2008 and was the eighth most expensive city in 2007. However, it was not ranked in the top ten places of the list in 2013. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) ranked Osaka as the second most expensive city in the world in its 2013 Cost of Living study.

Keihanshin Osaka is part of the metropolitan region called Keihanshin (aka Greater Osaka) in the Kansai region. The Keihanshin region includes the prefectures of Osaka, Kyoto, Hyōgo (Kobe), Nara, Shiga, Wakayama, Sakai. The Keihanshin region has a population (as of 2015) of 19,303,000 (15% of Japan's population) which covers 13,228 km² (5,107 sq mi). It is ranked the second most urban region in Japan after the Greater Tokyo area and 10th largest urban area in the world. Keihanshin has a GDP of approximately $953.9 billion in 2012 (16th largest in the world). Osaka-Kobe has a GDP of $681 billion (2015), which is a bit more than Paris or Greater London.

Transport Greater Osaka has an extensive network of railway lines, comparable to that of Greater Tokyo. Major stations within the city include Umeda (梅田), Namba (難波), Shinsaibashi (心斎橋), Tennōji (天王寺), Kyōbashi (京橋), and Yodoyabashi (淀屋橋).

Osaka connects to its surrounding cities and suburbs via the JR West Urban Network as well as numerous private lines such as Keihan Electric Railway, Hankyu Railway, Hanshin Electric Railway, Kintetsu Railway, and Nankai Electric Railway.

The Osaka Metro system alone ranks 8th in the world by annual passenger ridership, serving over 912 million people annually (a quarter of Greater Osaka Rail System's 4 billion annual riders), despite being only 8 of more than 70 lines in the metro area.

All Shinkansen trains including Nozomi stop at Shin-Osaka Station and provide access to other major cities in Japan, such as Kobe, Kyoto, Nagoya, Yokohama, and Tokyo.

Regular bus services are provided by Osaka City Bus, as well Hankyu, Hanshin and Kintetsu, providing a dense network covering most parts of the city.

Osaka is served by two airports situated just outside of the city, Kansai International Airport (IATA: KIX) which handles primarily international passenger flights and Osaka International Airport (IATA: ITM) which handles mostly domestic services and some international cargo flights.

Due to its geographical position, Osaka's international ferry connections are far greater than that of Tokyo, with international service to Shanghai, Tianjin, and Busan along with domestic routes to Kitakyushu, Kagoshima, Miyazaki and Okinawa.

Culture Osaka has a large number of wholesalers and retail shops: 25,228 and 34,707 respectively in 2004, according to the city statistics. Many of them are concentrated in the wards of Chuō (10,468 shops) and Kita (6,335 shops). Types of shops vary from malls to conventional shōtengai shopping arcades, built both above- and underground. Shōtengai are seen across Japan, and Osaka has the longest one in the country. The Tenjinbashi-suji arcade stretches from the road approaching the Tenmangū shrine and continues for 2.6 km (1.6 miles) going north to south. The stores along the arcade include commodities, clothing, and catering outlets.

Other shopping areas include Den Den Town, the electronic and manga/anime district, which is comparable to Akihabara; the Umeda district, which has the Hankyu Sanbangai shopping mall and Yodobashi Camera, a huge electrical appliance store that offers a vast range of fashion stores, restaurants, and a Shonen Jump store. Osaka is known for its food, in Japan and abroad. Author Michael Booth and food critic François Simon of Le Figaro have suggested that Osaka is the food capital of the world. Osakans' love for the culinary is made apparent in the old saying "Kyotoites are financially ruined by overspending on clothing, Osakans are ruined by spending on food". Regional cuisine includes okonomiyaki (お好み焼き, pan-fried batter cake), takoyaki (たこ焼き, octopus in fried batter), udon (うどん, a noodle dish), as well as the traditional oshizushi (押し寿司, pressed sushi), particularly battera (バッテラ, pressed mackerel sushi). Osaka is known for its fine sake, which is made with fresh water from the prefecture's mountains. Osaka's culinary prevalence is the result of a location that has provided access to high-quality ingredients, a high population of merchants, and proximity to the ocean and waterway trade. In recent years, Osaka has started to garner more attention from foreigners with the increased popularity of cooking and dining in popular culture.

Other shopping districts include: • American Village (Amerika-mura or "Ame-mura") – fashion for young people • Dōtonbori – part of Namba district and considered heart of the city • Namba – main shopping, sightseeing, and restaurant area • Shinsaibashi – luxury goods and department stores • • Osaka market • Umeda – theaters, boutiques, and department stores near the train station

Entertainment and performing arts • Osaka is home to the National Bunraku Theater, where traditional puppet plays, bunraku, are performed. • At Osaka Shochiku-za, close to Namba station, kabuki can be enjoyed as well as manzai. • At Shin Kabuki-za, formerly near Namba and now near Uehommachi area, enka concerts and Japanese dramas are performed. • Yoshimoto Kogyo, a Japanese entertainment conglomerate operates a hall in the city for manzai and other comedy shows: the Namba Grand Kagetsu hall. • The Hanjō-tei opened in 2006, dedicated to rakugo. The theater is in the Ōsaka Tenman-gū area. • Umeda Arts Theater opened in 2005 after relocating from its former 46-year-old Umeda Koma Theater. The theater has a main hall with 1,905 seats and a smaller theater-drama hall with 898 seats. Umeda Arts Theater stages various type of performances including musicals, music concerts, dramas, rakugo, and others. • The Symphony Hall, built in 1982, is the first hall in Japan designed specially for classical music concerts. The Hall was opened with a concert by the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra, which is based in the city. Orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic and Vienna Philharmonic have played here during their world tours as well. • Osaka-jō Hall is a multi-purpose arena in Osaka-jō park with a capacity for up to 16,000 people. The hall has hosted numerous events and concerts including both Japanese and international artists. • Nearby City Hall in Nakanoshima Park, is Osaka Central Public Hall, a Neo-Renaissance-style building first opened in 1918. Re-opened in 2002 after major renovation, it serves as a multi-purpose rental facility for citizen events. • The Osaka Shiki Theater is one of the nine private halls operated nationwide by the Shiki Theater, staging straight plays and musicals. • Festival Hall was a hall hosting various performances including noh, kyōgen, kabuki, ballets as well as classic concerts. The Bolshoi Ballet and the Philharmonia are among the many that were welcomed on stage in the past. The hall has closed at the end of 2008, planned to re-open in 2013 in a new facility.

Annual festivals One of the most famous festivals held in Osaka, the Tenjin Matsuri, is held on July 24 and 25 (Osaka Tenmangū). Other festivals in Osaka include the Aizen Matsuri (June 30–July 2, Shōman-in Temple), the Sumiyoshi Matsuri (July 30–August 1, Sumiyoshi Taisha), Shōryō-e (April 22, Shitennō-ji) and Tōka-Ebisu (January 9–10, Imamiya Ebisu Jinja). The annual Osaka Asian Film Festival takes place in Osaka every March while the Midosuji Parade takes place in October.

Museums and galleries The National Museum of Art (NMAO) is a subterranean Japanese and international art museum, housing mainly collections from the post-war era and regularly welcoming temporary exhibitions. Osaka Science Museum is in a five storied building next to the National Museum of Art, with a planetarium and an OMNIMAX theater. The Museum of Oriental Ceramics holds more than 2,000 pieces of ceramics, from China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam, featuring displays of some of their Korean celadon under natural light. Osaka Municipal Museum of Art is inside Tennōji park, housing over 8,000 pieces of Japanese and Chinese paintings and sculptures. The Osaka Museum of History, opened in 2001, is located in a 13-story modern building providing a view of Osaka Castle. Its exhibits cover the history of Osaka from pre-history to the present day. Osaka Museum of Natural History houses a collection related to natural history and life.

Sport Osaka hosts four professional sport teams: one of them is the Orix Buffaloes, a Nippon Professional Baseball team, playing its home games at Kyocera Dome Osaka. Another baseball team, the Hanshin Tigers, although based in Nishinomiya, Hyōgo, plays a part of its home games in Kyocera Dome Osaka as well, when their homeground Koshien Stadium is occupied with the annual National High School Baseball Championship games during summer season.

There are two J.League clubs, Gamba Osaka, plays its home games at Suita City Football Stadium. Another club Cerezo Osaka, plays its home games at Yanmar Stadium Nagai. The city is home to Osaka Evessa, a basketball team that plays in the B.League. Evessa has won the first three championships of the league since its establishment. Kintetsu Liners, a rugby union team, play in the Top League. After winning promotion in 2008–09, they will again remain in the competition for the 2009–10 season. Their base is the Hanazono Rugby Stadium.

The Haru Basho (春場所, "Spring Tournament"), one of the six regular tournaments of professional sumo, is held annually in Osaka at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium.

Another major annual sporting event that takes place in Osaka is Osaka International Ladies Marathon. Held usually at the end of January every year, the 42.195 km (26.219-mile) race starts from Nagai Stadium, runs through Nakanoshima, Midōsuji and Osaka castle park, and returns to the stadium. Another yearly event held at Nagai Stadium is the Osaka Gran Prix Athletics games operated by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in May. The Osaka GP is the only IAAF games annually held in Japan.

Osaka made the bid for the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2008 Summer Paralympics but was eliminated in the first round of the vote on July 13, 2001, which awarded the game to Beijing.

Osaka was one of the host cities of the official Women's Volleyball World Championship for its 1998, 2006 and 2010 editions.

Osaka is the home of the 2011 created Japan Bandy Federation and the introduction of bandy, in the form of rink bandy, was made in the city. In July 2012 the first Japan Bandy Festival was organized.

Media Osaka serves as one of the media hubs for Japan, housing headquarters of many media-related companies. Abundant television production takes place in the city and every nationwide TV network (with the exception of TXN network) registers its secondary-key station in Osaka. All five nationwide newspaper majors also house their regional headquarters, and most local newspapers nationwide have branches in Osaka. However major film productions are uncommon in the city. Most major films are produced in nearby Kyoto or in Tokyo. The Ad Council Japan was founded in 1971 is based in Osaka, now it is the Osaka branch.

Media: Print All five major national newspapers of Japan, The Asahi Shimbun, Mainichi Shimbun, Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Sankei Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun, have their regional headquarters in Osaka and issue their regional editions. Furthermore, Osaka houses Osaka Nichi-nichi Shimbun, its newspaper press. Other newspaper-related companies located in Osaka include the regional headquarters of FujiSankei Business i.;Houchi Shimbunsha; Nikkan Sports; Sports Nippon, and offices of Kyodo News Jiji Press; Reuters; Bloomberg L.P.

Broadcasting The five TV networks are represented by Asahi Broadcasting Corporation (ANN), Kansai Telecasting Corporation (FNN), Mainichi Broadcasting System, Inc. (JNN), Television Osaka, Inc. (TXN) and Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation (NNN), headquartered in Osaka. NHK has also its regional station based in the city. AM Radio services are provided by NHK as well as the ABC Radio (Asahi Broadcasting Corporation), MBS Radio (Mainichi Broadcasting System, Inc.) and Radio Osaka (Osaka Broadcasting Corporation) and headquartered in the city. FM services are available from NHK, FM OSAKA, FM802 and FM Cocolo, the last providing programs in multiple languages including English.

Publishing Osaka is home to many publishing companies, including Examina, Izumi Shoin, Kaihou Shuppansha, Keihanshin Elmagazine, Seibundo Shuppan, Sougensha, and Toho Shuppan.

Education Public elementary and junior high schools in Osaka are operated by the city of Osaka. Its supervisory organization on educational matters is Osaka City Board of Education. Likewise, public high schools are operated by the Osaka Prefectural Board of Education.

Osaka once had a large number of universities and high schools, but because of growing campuses and the need for larger area, many chose to move to the suburbs, including Osaka University.

Historically foreign expatriates in the Kansai region preferred to live in Kobe rather than Osaka. As a result, until 1991 the Osaka area had no schools catering to expatriate children. Osaka International School of Kwansei Gakuin, founded in 1991, is located in nearby Minoh,[00] and it was the first international school in the Osaka area. The Great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake of 1995 caused a decline in demand for international schools, as there were about 2,500 U.S. nationals resident in Osaka after the earthquake while the pre-earthquake number was about 5,000. American Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ACCJ) Kansai chapter president Norman Solberg stated that since 2002 the numbers of expatriates in Kansai were recovering "but the fact is there is still a persistent exodus to Tokyo".[01] In 2001 the city of Osaka and YMCA established the Osaka YMCA International School.

Colleges and universities include: • Kansai University • Morinomiya University of Medical Sciences • Osaka Metropolitan University • Osaka University of Economics • Osaka Institute of Technology • Osaka Jogakuin College • Osaka Seikei University • Osaka University of Arts, Minamikawachi District, Osaka • Osaka University of Comprehensive Children education • Osaka University of Education • Soai University • Tokiwakai Gakuen University

Libraries • International Institute for Children's Literature, Osaka[02] • Osaka Municipal Central Library • Osaka Prefectural Nakanoshima Library

Learned society • The Japanese Academy of Family Medicine

Facilities "Important cultural property" (重要文化財) after the name of a facility indicates an important cultural property designated by the country.

Leisure facilities and high-rise buildings • Abeno Harukas • Asia Pacific Trade Center  • Festivalgate • Intex Osaka • Namba Parks • OAP Tower • Osaka Business Park • Osaka Garden City  • Osaka Prefectural Government Sakishima Building • Tempozan Harbor Village  • Tsūtenkaku (Registered Tangible Cultural Property) • Umeda Sky Building • Universal Studios Japan

Historical site • Hirano  • Horijo  • Kawaguchi foreign settlement • Ruins of Naniwanomiya Palace  • Osaka Castle • Tekijuku (important cultural property)

Parks and gardens • Hakubo Memorial Park Tsurumi Ryokuchi  • Keitaku Garden  • Nagai Park • Nakanoshima Park • Ogimachi Park  • Osaka Castle Park • Osaka Nanko Bird Sanctuary  • Sakuranomiya Park  • Shirokita Park  • Suminoe Park  • Sumiyoshi Park • Tennoji Park • Utsubo Park • Yodogawa River Park .

Ancient architecture • Sumiyoshi Taisha main shrine (national treasure)

Modern architecture • Around Umeda • Osaka Central Post Office  – Central Electric Club  – Oe Building  • Nakanoshima • Osaka City Central Public Hall (Important Cultural Property) – Osaka Prefectural Nakanoshima Library (Important Cultural Property) – Bank of Japan Osaka Branch Old Building • Around Osaka Castle • Old Mint Foundry Front Entrance  (Former Youth Art Gallery) (Important Cultural Property) – Senpukan (Important Cultural Property) – Osaka Castle (registered tangible cultural property) – former Osaka City Museum – Osaka Prefectural Government Office  • Kitasenba, Minamisenba • Kitahama Retro Building  (Registered Tangible Cultural Property) – Osaka Securities Exchange – Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Osaka (Sumitomo Building) – Arai Building  (Registration Tangible Cultural Property) – Osaka Municipal Aizuku Kindergarten  (Important Cultural Property) – Nippon Life Insurance Head Office Building – Osaka Club  (registered tangible cultural property) – Sumitomo Mitsui Bank Osaka Central Branch – Koraibashi Nomura Building  – Nippon Christian Church Naniwa Church  – Aoyama Building  (Registered Tangible Cultural property) – Fushimi Building  (registered tangible cultural property) – former Konishi Gisuke store building  (important cultural property) – Osaka Gas Building  (registered tangible cultural property) – Ikoma Building  (registered tangible cultural property) – Cotton Industry Hall  (Important Cultural Property) – Meidi-Ya building – Miki Musical Instrument Headquarters  (Registered Tangible Cultural Properties) – Harada Industry  • Shimojoba (Nishisenba) • Japanese Christian Church Osaka Church  (registered tangible cultural property) – Yamauchi Building (registered tangible cultural property) – Edobori Kodama Building (registered tangible cultural property) • Shinsaibashi/Namba • Daimaru Shinsaibashi – Takashimaya Osaka (Nankai Namba) – Takashimaya East Annex – Miki Instruments Main Store Kaiseikan  (registered tangible cultural property) • Osaka Port/Kawaguchi • Tsuki Port Red Brick Warehouse  – Sumitomo Warehouse Tsuki Port  – MOL Mitsui Tsuki Port Building (Osaka Merchant Ship) – Japan Anglican Church Kawaguchi Christian Church (Registered Tangible Cultural Property) – Mitsui Warehouse  – Osaka Municipal Transportation Bureau (Osaka City Electricity Bureau)

Theaters and halls • Izumi Hall  • Umeda Arts Theater • Morinomiya Piloti Hall  • NHK Osaka Hall • Osaka International Convention Center • Osaka Shiki Theater  • Osaka Castle Music Hall  • Osaka-jō Hall • Orix Theater • National Bunraku Theatre • The Symphony Hall  • Theater BRAVA!  • New Kabukiza  • Zepp Osaka • Tenma Tenjin Hanjotei  • Namba Grand Kagetsu  • Festival Hall, Osaka.

Sport venues • Ogimachi Pool  • Osaka Municipal Central Gymnasium • Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium • Maruzen Intec Osaka Pool • Kyocera Dome Osaka • Nagai Park • Yanmar Stadium Nagai • Yanmar Field Nagai • Yodoko Sakura Stadium • Maishima Sports Island

Religious facilities Shrines • Sumiyoshi Taisha • Osaka Tenmangu • Goryo Shrine  • Zama Shrine • Namba Shrine  • Ikukunitama Shrine • Tamatsukuri Inari Shrine • Kōzu-gū • Mitsu Hachimangu  • Namba Yasaka Shrine  • Shinmei Shrine  • Imamiya Shrine • Abe Seimei Shrine  • Kumata Shrine  • Tsuyunoten Shrine  • Tsunashiki Tenjin Shrine • Asahi Shinmeisha 

Temples • Shitennō-ji • Shitennoji Honbo Garden  • Shomanin  • Dainenbutsu-ji • Taishokannonji  • Isshin-ji • Taiyū-ji • Hozenji  • Honganji Tsumura Betsuin  • Shinshu Buddhist Otani-ha Sect Namba Betsuin Temple 

Churches • United Church of Christ in Japan (UCCJ) Naniwa Church  • Grand Cathedral of the Virgin Mary of Osaka  • Japan Anglican Church • Japan Christian Church Osaka Fukushima Church • Japan Evangelical Lutheran Osaka Church.