Olympic Bid — Osaka, Japan
Winter — Osaka, Japan Research
Osaka is a large port city and commercial center on the Japanese island of Honshu. It’s known for its modern architecture, nightlife and hearty street food. The 16th-century shogunate Osaka Castle, which has undergone several restorations, is its main historical landmark. It’s surrounded by a moat and park with plum, peach and cherry-blossom trees. Sumiyoshi-taisha is among Japan’s oldest Shinto shrines.
Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital and the most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the third most populous city in Japan, following Tokyo and Yokohama (both located in the Greater Tokyo Area and the Kantō region). With a population of 2.7 million in the 2020 census, it 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 with more than 19 million inhabitants.
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 center 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 center in the Keihanshin Metropolitan Area.
Osaka is a major financial center of Japan, and it is recognized as one of the most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities in Japan. The city is home to the Osaka Securities Exchange as well as the headquarters of multinational electronics corporation such as Panasonic and Sharp. Osaka is an international center of research and development and is represented by several major universities
Ōsaka means “large hill” or “large slope”. It is unclear when this name gained prominence over Naniwa, but the oldest written evidence for the name dates back to 1496.
Osaka is best known for its amazing casual food and outgoing locals. It’s arguably Japan’s street food capital, and among food lovers is famous for snacks including takoyaki and okonomiyaki. Osaka is also renowned for its lively, extroverted locals who make eating and drinking in Osaka an unforgettable experience.
It’s considered Japan’s oldest imperial palace. … Even after the capital was relocated, Osaka continued to develop as Japan’s second-ranked city: In particular, it became the face that the nation showed the rest of Asia, playing an important part as a place of commercial and cultural exchange.
Geography:
The city’s west side is open to Osaka Bay, and is otherwise completely surrounded by more than ten satellite cities, all of them in Osaka Prefecture, with one exception: the city of Amagasaki, belonging to Hyōgo Prefecture, in the northwest. The city occupies a larger area (about 13%) than any other city or village within Osaka Prefecture. When the city was established in 1889, it occupied roughly the area known today as the Chuo and Nishi wards, only 15.27 square kilometres (3,773 acres) that would eventually grow into today’s 222.30 square kilometres (54,932 acres) via incremental expansions, the largest of which being a single 126.01-square-kilometre (31,138-acre) expansion in 1925. Osaka’s highest point is 37.5 metres (123.0 ft) Tokyo Peil in Tsurumi-ku, and the lowest point is in Nishiyodogawa-ku at −2.2 metres (−7.2 ft) Tokyo Peil.
Situated in roughly the central part of the Japanese archipelago, Osaka Prefecture occupies a curving, almost crescent-shaped area that is oriented lengthwise the north-south direction. Opening onto Osaka Bay to the west, it is bounded in all other directions by mountain ranges. While it has second smallest area of any prefecture in Japan, Osaka’s population of 8.8 million accounts for 7% of the national population, making it the third most populous prefecture following Tokyo and Kanagawa.
Moreover, Osaka is home to approximately 210,000 foreign residents, which is 15.6% of the national total. A major metropolis, Osaka is at the heart of the Kansai Region and is a hub of the national expressway and railway networks, as well as playing the role of the principal economic powerhouse of western Japan.
Climate:
saka is located in the humid subtropical climate zone (Köppen Cfa), with four distinct seasons. Its winters are generally mild, with January being the coldest month having an average high of 9.3 °C (49 °F). The city rarely sees snowfall during the winter. Spring in Osaka starts off mild, but ends up being hot and humid. It also tends to be Osaka’s wettest season, with the tsuyu (梅雨, tsuyu, “plum rain”) — the rainy season — occurring between early June and late July. The average starting and ending dates of the rainy season are June 7 and July 21 respectively. Summers are very hot and humid. In August, the hottest month, the average daily high temperature reaches 33.5 °C (92 °F), while average nighttime low temperatures typically hover around 25.5 °C (78 °F). Fall in Osaka sees a cooling trend, with the early part of the season resembling summer while the latter part of fall resembles winter. Precipitation is abundant, with winter being the driest season, while monthly rainfall peaks in June with the “tsuyu” rainy season, which typically ends in mid to late July. From late July through the end of August, summer’s heat and humidity peaks, and rainfall decreases somewhat. Osaka experiences a second rainy period in September and early October, when tropical weather systems, including typhoons, coming from the south or southwest are possible.
Attractions:
- Osaka Castle
2. Shitennō-ji Temple
3. The Kobe Port Tower
4. Tsūtenkaku Tower
5. The National Museum of Art
6. The Umeda Sky Building
7. Universal Studios Japan
8. Tenmangu Shrine and the Tenjin Festival
Culture
From time immemorial, Osaka has been a town bustling with traders. Merchants came in from the east and the west, gathering in Osaka to buy and sell rice. Osakans’ passion and discernment for food has remained unchanged for hundreds of years. After all, this is the city once called “tenka no daidokoro,” “kitchen of the nation.” The importance Osakans attach to matters of dining is clear in an instant if you look around Shinsekai, Fukushima, and Tsuruhashi. Muster your courage and step forth for a culinary walking tour and you, too, can engage in the fine Osaka tradition of “kuidaore.” “Kuidaore” as an expression meaning to seek out delicious food with determination, pouring money into eating until you are bankrupt (literally, “eat-yourself-broke.”) This phrase originated in Osaka, so of course the flavors and tastes of Osaka have been stamped with many a seal of approval.
The Tenjin Festival held in Osaka is ranked as one of the top three festivals in Japan. This huge festival has been around for more than 10 centuries. Right afterwards, the traditional Naniwa Yodogawa Fireworks Festival is held in the beginning of August. Located right in the middle of Osaka, Osaka Castle towers over the city. Its grounds are laid out as a public park that covers 60,000 square meters, making it a perfect place to enjoy walking or running. In springtime, it’s a lively destination popular as one of Osaka’s cherry blossom viewing spots.
Mind Map & Thumbnails
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