Osaka, Japan HyperLocal City Guide featuring Local News, Neighborhoods, and Yellow Pages.

Osaka Facts and Places:

Newspapers are Osaka Shimbun, Ryokou Shimbun
Osaka Sports teams are Cerezo Osaka Tigers
Local Schools are Kansai Gaidai University , Osaka Gakuin University

About Osaka, Japan

Osaka, Japan is a city of contrasts. Demure and dynamic. Ancient and avant-garde. Traditional and trendy. Each season in Osaka also brings contrasts. Visit in the springtime and savor the glory of the cherry blossoms in full bloom. Summers are hot and humid and fireworks often light the evening sky. Fall ushers in brilliant red and gold foliage, temperate days and ceremonies for the Harvest Moon and winter brings a glittering showcase of holiday lights.

Known as the “Water Metropolis” because of the vast amount of coastal waterfront, rivers and canals, a water tour of Osaka is a must. Cruise the canals throughout Osaka listening to “Rakugo” storytelling on a Naniwa Tanken Cruise. Take a cruise on the Osaka Aqua-Liner, a long, flat boat that skims the water surface easily passing under low bridges. See Osaka from the water with a cruise aboard the Santa Maria (an up-sized version of Columbus’ sailing ship in which he discovered America). Or, hop on an old-fashioned wooden river ferry and journey across the rivers as passengers have been doing since ancient times.

When it comes to attractions; there are many must-sees and more contrasts. The Osaka Castle is the most popular attraction in Osaka. Original construction began in 1583 by more than 60,000 workers and although repeated rebuilding was necessary through the centuries, the Castle stand today glittering with gold as a supreme monument to the ancient days of Osaka. The Shitennoji Temple, the oldest Buddhist temple site in Japan, is another traditional Osaka must-see. The Keitakuen Garden, Kema Sakuranomiya Park, Tennoji Park and Nakanoshima Park & Rose Garden are serene respites from the city’s frantic pace. Step back in time at the Osaka Maritime Museum and the Osaka Museum of Natural History. Moving into the present, Umeda Sky Building and WTC Cosmo Tower offer spectacular views of Osaka especially at night. Go to the Floating Garden Observatory (Kuchu Teien Tenbodai) and watch an incredible sunset paint a masterpiece across Osaka. The Suntory Museum houses the world’s largest IMAC Theatre. The Osaka Aquarium is filled to the brim with habitats of the Pacific Rim. Shop till you drop and ride the incredible Ferris wheel that cuts through the floors at the Hep 5 Mall. Visit Shiseido Cosmetic Garden, but don’t look for plants. It’s a place to play with all kinds of cosmetics and no sales are permitted. When it comes to attractions and activities, Osaka promises “something for everyone” and lives up to its promises.

Written by: Lynne Christen

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