Osaka

A panoramic sentiment over the urban nub from Ritz Carlton Hotel inward Umeda

Osaka (大阪, Ōsaka?) is a urban nub inward the Kansai part of Japan's principal isle of Honshū, a designated urban nub nether the Local Autonomy Law, the uppercase urban nub of Osaka Prefecture too likewise the biggest share of Keihanshin area, which is represented past times 3 major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka too Kobe. Located at the oral fissure of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, Osaka is the 3rd largest urban nub past times population later Tokyo and Yokohama.

Tsūtenkaku is a symbol of Osaka's post-WWII rebuilding.

Keihanshin is the minute largest surface area inward Nippon past times population too 1 of the largest metropolitan areas highly ranked inward the world, amongst almost xviii 1 one one thousand thousand people, too past times gross domestic product the minute largest surface area inward Nippon too the 7th largest surface area inward the world.

Historically the commercial uppercase of Japan, Osaka functions every bit 1 of the ascendence centers for the Japanese economy. The ratio betwixt daytime too nighttime fourth dimension population is 141%, the highest inward Japan, highlighting its condition every bit an economical center. Its nighttime population is 2.6 million, the 3rd inward the country, only inward daytime the population surges to 3.7 million, minute solely later Tokyo. Osaka used to travel referred to every bit the "nation's kitchen" (天下の台所, tenka no daidokoro?) inward feudal Edo menstruum because it was the centre of trading for rice, creating the showtime modern hereafter telephone substitution marketplace inward the world.

Climate

Osaka belongs to the humid subtropical climate zone (Köppen Cfa), amongst 4 distinct seasons. Its winters are mostly mild, amongst Jan beingness the coldest calendar month having an average high of 9.3 °C (49 °F). The urban nub rarely sees snowfall during the winter. Spring inward Osaka starts off mild, only ends upwardly beingness hot too humid. It likewise tends to travel Osaka’s wettest season, amongst the Tsuyu or rainy flavor occurring betwixt belatedly May to early on July. Summers are real hot too humid. In the months of July too August, the average daily high temperature approaches 35 °C (95 °F), patch average nighttime temperatures typically hover about 25 °C (77 °F). Fall inward Osaka sees a cooling trend, amongst the early on share of the flavor resembling summertime patch the latter share of autumn resembling winter.

Hideyoshi's Osaka Castle (大阪城), destroyed inward 1868 too rebuilt inward 1931.

Culture too lifestyle

Shopping too culinary

Osaka has a large pose out of wholesalers too retail shops: 25,228 too 34,707 respectively inward 2004, according to the urban nub statistics. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 lot of them are concentrated inward the wards of Chuō (10,468 shops) too Kita (6,335 shops). Types of shops varies from malls to conventional shōtengai shopping arcades, built both above- too underground. Shōtengai are seen across Japan, too Osaka has the longest 1 inward the country. The Tenjinbashi-suji arcade stretches from the route approaching the Temmangu shrine too continues for 2.6 km going northward to south. The type of stores along the arcade includes commodities, clothing, too catering outlets.

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

Other shopping areas are Den Den Town, the electronic too manga/anime district, which is comparable to Akihabara; too the Umeda district, which has the Hankyu Sanbangai shopping mall too Yodobashi Camera, a huge electrical appliance store that offers a vast attain of fashion stores, restaurants, too a Shonen Jump store.

Universal Studios Japan

Osaka is known for its food, every bit supported past times the maxim "Dress (in kimonos) till you lot driblet inward Kyoto, swallow till you lot driblet inward Osaka" (京の着倒れ、大阪の食い倒れ) – to a greater extent than literally, "Kyoto (residents) are (financially) ruined past times (overspending on) clothing, Osakans are ruined past times spending on food".[48] Regional cuisine includes okonomiyaki (pan-fried batter cake), takoyaki (octopus dumplings), udon (a noodle dish), every bit good every bit the traditional oshizushi (pressed sushi), especially battera (バッテラ?, pressed mackerel sushi).

21st century Osaka

Other shopping districts include:

² American Village (Amerika-mura or "Ame-mura") – fashion for immature people

² Dōtonbori – share of Namba district too considered pump of the city

² Namba – principal shopping, sightseeing, too eating topographic point area

² Shinsaibashi – luxury goods too subdivision stores

² Umeda – theaters, boutiques, too subdivision stores close the develop station

Osaka Securities Exchange inward the Kitahama district of Osaka

Entertainment too performing arts

See also: Kamigata

² Osaka is domicile to the National Bunraku Theatre,[49] where traditional puppet plays, bunraku, are performed.

² At Osaka Shouchiku-za, unopen to Namba station, kabuki tin travel enjoyed every bit good every bit manzai. Nearby is the Shin-kabuki-za, where enka concerts too Japanese dramas are performed.

² Yoshimoto, a Japanese amusement conglomarate operates 2 halls inward the urban nub for manzai too other comedy shows: the Namba Grand Kagetsu too the Kyōbashi Kagetsu halls.

² The Hanjō-tei opened inward 2006, dedicated to rakugo. The theatre is inward the Temmangū area.

² Umeda Arts Theater opened inward 2005 later relocating from its onetime 46-year-old Umeda Koma Theater. The home has a principal hall amongst 1,905 seats too a smaller theater-drama hall amongst 898 seats. Umeda Arts Theatre stages diverse type of performances including musicals, music concerts, dramas, rakugo, too others.

² The Symphony Hall, built inward 1982, is the showtime hall inward Nippon designed specially for classical music concerts. The Hall was opened amongst a concert past times the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra, which is based inward the city. Orchestras such every bit the Berlin Philharmonic too Vienna Philharmonic bring played hither during their basis tours every bit well.

² Osaka-jō Hall is a multi-purpose arena inward Osaka-jō commons amongst a capacity for upwardly to 16,000 people. The hall has hosted numerous events too concerts including both Japanese too international artists.

² Near City Hall inward Nakanoshima, is Osaka Central Public Hall, a Neo-Renaissance-style edifice showtime opened inward 1918. Re-opened inward 2002 later major restoration, it serves every bit a multi-purpose rental facility for citizen events.

² The Osaka Shiki Theatre[is 1 of the nine someone halls operated nationwide past times the Shiki Theatre, staging right away plays too musicals.

² Festival Hall was a hall hosting diverse performances including noh, kyogen, kabuki, ballets every bit good every bit classic concerts. The Bolshoi Ballet too the Philharmonia are amidst the many that were welcomed on phase inward the past. The hall has closed at the halt of 2008, planned to re-open inward 2013 inward a novel facility.

The Osaka Dome hosts domicile games of Orix Buffaloes too Hanshin Tigers

Places of interest

21st century Osaka

Kansai, the lift beingness used for Osaka is transforming itself amongst high ascent skyscrapers that define the 21st century Nippon inward social too economical standards.

Osaka Maritime Museum

Amusement parks

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan (海遊館) – an aquarium located inward Osaka Bay, containing 35,000 aquatic animals inward fourteen tanks, the largest of which holds 5,400 tons of H2O too houses a multifariousness of body of body of water animals including whale sharks. This tank is the world's second-largest aquarium tank, behind the Georgia Aquarium, whose largest tank holds unopen to 29,000 tons of water.

² Tempozan Ferris Wheel, located adjacent to the aquarium

² Tennōji Zoo

² Universal Studios Japan

² Umeda Joypolis Sega

² Shin-Umeda urban nub – an innovative construction that has the floating garden observatory 170 m from the ground, which offers a 360-degree panoramic sentiment of Osaka, pop for photographs, a construction that likewise houses an hugger-mugger mall amongst restaurants too is styled inward the early on Showa menstruum inward the 1920s.

Tenji Matsuri

Parks

² Nakanoshima Park: About 10.6 ha. In the vicinity of the City Hall

² Osaka Castle Park: About 106 ha. Includes Osaka-jō Hall, a Japanese apricot garden, too more

² Sumiyoshi Park

² Tennōji Park: About 28 ha. Includes Tennōji Zoo; an fine art museum (established past times contribution from Sumitomo household unit of measurement inward 1936); too a Japanese garden, Keitaku-en (慶沢園). Keitaku-en was constructed inward 1908 past times Jihei Ogawa (小川治兵衛), an illustrious gardener inward Japan. This was originally 1 of Sumitomo family's gardens until 1921.

² Utsubo Park

² Nagai Park The 2007 IAAF World Championships inward Athletics were held at Nagai Stadium, located inward this park.

² Tsurumi-Ryokuchi Park amongst the Sakuya Konohana Kan was the site of the blossom expo inward 1990.