Holidays in Osaka. Open left menu osaka Osaka city she is developing

The city of Osaka is located on the territory of a state (country) Japan, which in turn is located on the territory of the continent Asia.

Population of the city of Osaka.

The population of Osaka city is 2,685,481 people.

What time zone is Osaka located in?

Osaka City is located in the administrative time zone: UTC+9. Thus, you can determine the time difference in the city of Osaka, relative to the time zone in your city.

Osaka area code

The telephone code of the city of Osaka is: +81 06. In order to call the city of Osaka from a mobile phone, you need to dial the code: +81 06 and then the subscriber’s number directly.

Official website of the city of Osaka.

Website of the city of Osaka, official website of the city of Osaka, or as it is also called “Official website of the Osaka city administration”: http://www.city.osaka.lg.jp/.

Flag of the city of Osaka.

The flag of Osaka City is the official symbol of the city and is presented on the page as an image.

Subway in Osaka.

The subway in the city of Osaka is called the Osaka Subway and is a means of public transport.

Osaka Metro passenger traffic (Osaka Metro congestion) is 842.00 million people per year.

The number of subway lines in Osaka city is 8 lines. The total number of subway stations in Osaka is 123. The length of subway lines or the length of subway tracks is: 129.90 km.

A city in which the past, with samurai, traditions, ceremonies and the present, with bustling business streets harmoniously merge into one - this is Osaka, whose residents are focused only on the future. The city lives in such a dynamic rhythm both day and night that it may seem truly crazy to a visitor.

General information

Osaka is the first imperial capital of Japan, which it became in the 8th century, with the emergence of the Yamato state and, accordingly, the cradle of the entire civilization of the islands. From this region, one of the world's religions, Buddhism, began to spread throughout the country. In former times the city was called Naniva. Osaka is located on a plain, surrounded to the east and north by low mountains in the very center of the island of Honshu. Today it is not only an industrial, commercial, but also a port center of Japan, competing even because of its location on the same island and high level of development with the capital of the state, Tokyo. The city is so beautiful that it has been called “Japanese Italy”.

Weather in Osaka

The city is located in the humid subtropical zone, with four distinct seasons. The coldest month is January, but winter is generally mild (with an average temperature of 9 °C), with little snow. Spring is a pleasant time of year, but summer is stuffy and hot. Daytime temperatures in July-August can reach 35 °C, night temperatures - 25 °C.

The rainiest months are September, as well as the period from May to July. Up to 130 cm of precipitation falls annually.

Transport in Osaka

The city has two airports:

• Kansai International Airport on an artificial island washed up in the city's bay. A third of all world flights, a number of regional flights and most of the cargo flights arrive here.
• Osaka International Airport primarily caters to charter and international cargo flights.

The city can be reached from Tokyo by the Tokaido Shinkansen super express train. The journey will last 2.5 hours and end at Shin-Osaka Station. The Nozomi train takes half an hour longer. The city can be reached by rail from the ports of Kobe and Kyoto.

Around the city, most residents travel by metro or municipal, private or city buses.

Districts of Osaka

Geographically, the city is divided into two parts: North and South, separated from each other by Midosuji Boulevard. The first of them is of little interest to travelers, since these are mainly business buildings, as well as restaurants where it is convenient to have business lunches and dinners. The city’s “golden” youth live in the same area, visiting local clubs and discos, as well as expensive boutiques. The southern part is historical; there are entertainment and shopping districts, temple complexes, etc.

Osaka consists of 24 districts, called in the local language " ku". Nara Prefecture is an hour's drive from the city.

Sights of Osaka

Architecture of Osaka

• The main group of attractions in Osaka are architectural monuments:
• Osaka Castle, five stories high, is the city's main attraction. Destroyed during the Second World War, today it is completely restored and is a kind of symbol of the city. The Sakajo-Koen Garden is located around the castle. In the 16th century he played a leading role in local events, and the country's mint, built in European style, is located here.
• Buddhist and Shinto temples, of which there are many in Osaka.
• Kansai International Airport is the result of the embodiment of the genius of human thought. It was built on an artificial island, which is connected to the shore using a 4-kilometer bridge.
• The National Bunraku Theater is one of the most popular attractions in the city, because this type of theatrical art originated here. Moreover, even in modern Osaka, this theater retains its status as public artistic entertainment.
• The southern gate of Nara, decorated with statues of heavenly guardians.

Temples of Osaka

Japan is a rather religious country, and therefore the religious buildings of Osaka, as well as the holy places that have been worshiped by local residents since ancient times, deserve special attention.

• Sumiyoshi Taisha is a special shrine built in the very rare "sumiyoshi-zukuri" style. Shinto gods are worshiped here - the patrons of fishermen, sailors, and travelers. That is why the temple was built not far from the port building.
• Todaiji Temple is famous throughout the world for the “Hall of the Big Buddha” Daibutsuden. The structure, 57 m high, is considered one of the most ancient wooden buildings not only in Japan, but also in the world.
• Horyuji Temple is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, surrounded by a park that is home to about a thousand “divine messengers” - tame deer.
• Sitenen-ji Monastery or Sitenen, which translates as “Monastery of the Four Heavenly Kings,” is one of the most famous Buddhist monasteries in Japan. It belongs to the Wa sect and is its main religious building. By the way, this temple is also considered the oldest state temple in the country. Its buildings are impressive, since both the Golden Hall and the ensemble of five pagodas are well preserved. There is also an embodiment of the Buddhist paradise on earth - the Gokuraku garden and the turtle pond.
• The Great Buddha is one of the world's largest bronze Buddha statues.
• Not far from Osaka, on Mount Koya, there are also a number of temples and monasteries of the Shingon school, which professes Buddhism. The first religious buildings arose here in the first millennium, and today their number numbers in the hundreds. In many of them, pilgrims can stay overnight.
• Ikasuri Shrine and Abeno Seimei Shrine are architecturally and spiritually interesting places, rarely visited by pilgrims.
• The temple complexes in Nara still remain active, but at the same time are open to tourists. Those who wish can take part in the ceremonies and try to comprehend the meaning of Eastern religious and philosophical teachings directly in their homeland.

Osaka Holidays

The historical festival takes place annually on April 22 at Shitennoji Temple. The main event of the event is bugaku. These are court ceremonies and dances dating back to the Heian era (VIII - XII centuries) - the time of the founding and flourishing of the state.

Tenjin is the city's largest festival, which takes place on July 24-25. It is considered one of the three main holidays not only on the island, but throughout the entire state. During the day, there are processions of city residents carrying mikoshi palanquins. In the evening, everyone comes to the river, where colorfully decorated boats and vessels take part in the parade. Residents of the city proudly sit on the boats, singing national songs to the beat of drums. At the end of the holiday, a grandiose fireworks display is launched.

Osaka Restaurants

Arriving in Osaka, many people make it their goal to taste national cuisine, and therefore many restaurants and bars focus specifically on the needs of visitors. Among the good places where you can have a good time are the following:

• Matsusakagyu Yakiniku M - combines quality food and service. Beef is especially well prepared.
• Kiji leaves behind an extremely pleasant impression and offers guests a huge variety of Japanese cuisine.
• French Bistro Rue D"or is a somewhat unusual establishment where, along with indigenous dishes of the islands, guests can be pleased with excellent French pastries.
• St. Regis Bar is famous throughout the city for its quality of service and the opportunity to truly relax after a hard day at work.
• La Piccola Cucina is the number one restaurant in the city, the cuisine is excellent, and the quality of service is always at its best.
• Kanidoraku Honten - focuses on hearty and tasty lunches; from the proposed assortment of dishes, each visitor can assemble a set to suit his taste.

Entertainment in Osaka

Osaka and its surroundings are full of great places to go with your kids:

• The planetarium, which has the world's largest dome, is located in the Science Museum.
• The village near the harbor of Tempozan is a grandiose amusement park with the world's largest ferris spike, 100 m in diameter. Here you can also visit Osaka Kaiyukan, one of the most popular attractions, the exhibition of which is dedicated to the local marine fauna. Here you can see not only fish, but also mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles.
• Universal Studios is a story-driven amusement park, the creators of which based it on the most famous films of the Universal film studio, which presents attractions based on the most popular films “Jurassic Park”, “Jaws”, “Back to the Future”, “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial”, etc. d. The park is located outside the city, but can be reached within 10 minutes from JR O saka Station.

The most popular nightlife spots in the city are bars, karaoke, pubs and nightclubs located in the Namba area.

Shopping in Osaka

The Umeda quarter, directly within the city, is an area of ​​a real underground three-story city with hundreds of boutiques, shops, coffee shops, restaurants, and gaming halls.

If you go to the historical southern part, you can find many cheap shops that offer clothing, textiles, and cosmetics.

Dan-Dan Town is an area with low prices on the latest models of consumer electronics.

Since ancient times, Japan has been famous as a country of contrasts, and modern Osaka is a clear confirmation of this. This city is so Japanese that it can be declared a living encyclopedia of local traditional culture and modern history.

Osaka is considered. It is the center of the prefecture of the same name. This is a large metropolis with developed infrastructure, skyscrapers, television corporations, etc. Here you can fully feel the national spirit, its character, and the local people are more friendly and sincere than in the capital of the country.

general information

Very often, tourists planning to visit the Land of the Rising Sun are interested in where Osaka is located. The settlement is located in the south of the island of Honshu on the coast of the bay of the same name, near the Yodo River. It ranks 3rd in size and has an area of ​​223 sq. km.

The city is located on an alluvial plain and two plateaus. The highest point is Tsurumi (37.5 m), the lowest is Yamatoda (2.21 m). In the 6th century, the first capital of the state was located on this site, and the area was called Naniva.

It was the country's largest international port. In the Middle Ages, the Ishiyama Hongan-ji Monastery was located here, which was the center of the Dedo-Shinshu sect. People engaged in trade settled around the temple.

Today the population in Osaka is more than 2.5 million people, and the density is 11,836 per square meter. km. Recently, this figure has been decreasing due to people moving to the suburbs. It is home to the largest Korean community in Japan.

This is a large industrial center of the country, where trade is still considered the main activity, and agriculture, tourism and the service sector are also developed. The Osaka metropolitan area consists of 24 districts (ku): Abeno-ku, Chuo-ku, Nishi-ku, Miyakojima-ku, etc.

The city has 2 football clubs: Cerezo Osaka and Gamba Osaka. These are one of the most successful teams not only in the country, but throughout Asia.

Weather in the locality

Osaka has a humid subtropical climate, which belongs to the Inland Sea of ​​Japan. The average annual temperature is +17°C. Summers here are hot and winters are quite warm. In August, the mercury stays at +34°C, and in January it does not drop below +5°C.

The average annual precipitation is 1279 mm, most often it rains in June (185 mm), and in December there is practically no rain (44 mm). The city is dominated by northeast and west winds with an average speed of 2.6 m/s. It often brings smoke and smog from the industrial areas of the island.

What can you see in Osaka?

The city is not the most beautiful in the country, but at the same time it has a lot of interesting and educational places, for example, one of the largest underground shopping complexes on the planet is located here. The most popular attractions in Osaka, Japan are:

Popular entertainment among tourists is visiting theaters and museums in Osaka:

Osaka often hosts international exhibitions, and in 2017 it will host Beautyworld Japan West (in September) and Food-Tech (in October).

The suburbs and waterfront of Osaka in Japan are amazingly beautiful, and photos taken in the city are simply stunning.

Where to live?

The village has a huge selection of all kinds of hotels, hostels, apartments or holiday homes. The most expensive ones in Osaka, Japan are:

1. Swissotel Nankai Osaka is a five-star hotel with comfortable rooms, a spa, sauna and fitness center. The restaurant serves international cuisine.
2. St. Regis Osaka – Contemporary apartments feature a coffee machine and a bathroom with rain shower and spa bath. The staff speaks 7 languages.
3. The Ritz-Carlton Osaka – The property features a wellness center, bridal suites and luggage storage. Services for people with disabilities are provided.

Budget but popular hotels are:

• 3bedroom Central Osaka;
• Picnic Hostel Osaka;
• Guest House Neko Neko.

Internet, bicycle rental and a shared kitchen are provided here. The staff speaks 3 languages ​​and the rooms are clean and comfortable.

Where to eat?

Local residents love to eat tasty and satisfying food, so catering establishments are open on almost every corner. The most popular of them are:

• Matsuzakagyu Yakiniku M, Hozenji Yokocho - BBQ steakhouse;
• Hokkyokusei Shinsaibashi Honten – the restaurant serves international dishes;
• Kuma Kafe – Australian cafe, suitable for vegetarians;
• Mizuno - they cook here;
• Kanidouraku Dotombori-Honten – Asian cuisine based on seafood, specializing in sushi.

All establishments feature friendly staff, fast service and delicious food.

City shops

You can combine a trip to Osaka with shopping. Shopping centers, boutiques and department stores are located here both underground (White Yumed, Herbies Plaza) and on the top floors of skyscrapers (Daimaru, Sogo). In the city you will buy clothes from world brands without fear of counterfeits.

Osaka has American, European and Asian clothing districts. Kuromon Market offers retail and wholesale food stores.

Transport

The most convenient means of transportation around the city is the metro. It serves 912 million people a year and is considered the largest on the planet.

Also popular are trains and buses. The city of Osaka has an international airport that receives most of the cargo and passenger flights. The second air harbor serves mainly domestic aircraft.

As you can see on the world map, Osaka borders the city of Itami, the distance is only 25 km. You can get from one settlement to another along the Meishin and Hanshin roads or No. 11.

The huge castle in Osaka (its area is 1 square kilometer) is one of the most significant historical monuments in the country.

The commander Toyotomi Hideyoshi founded the castle in 1597 on the site of an old temple. It was built based on the architecture of Azuchi Castle, the headquarters of Oda Nobunaga. The castle in Osaka was planned to be just as impregnable, but larger in all respects. That is why the building not only rises 5 floors up, but also goes 3 floors into the ground, and the walls of the tower are covered with gold leaf.

During Hideyoshi's time, Osaka became not only the country's most important economic center, uniting a divided Japan, but also the center of major feuds. The fortress-castle had to endure two major battles. In the 17th century, it nevertheless fell under enemy pressure and was destroyed. In 1620 it was decided to restore and expand it. But natural forces prevented this - lightning struck the tower and most of the buildings burned down. Until the 20th century, the castle lay in ruins, until the mayor of Osaka found funds for its reconstruction. Since 1931, the castle has once again risen above the city and houses a museum.

The interior of the castle was restored to its original form. Of the original buildings, the main Otemon gate, five Yagura towers (Tower of a Thousand Eyes) from the Tokugawa period, moats, several barracks and houses have been preserved. The stones of the buildings were laid without mortar, which allowed them to withstand earthquakes. Inaccessible sheer cliffs framing the castle, moats up to 90 meters wide, a total length of 12 kilometers, overall monumentality and proud beauty - the castle in Osaka is an expressive monument to the ambitions and strength of character of the Japanese leaders.

Kansai International Airport

Kansai International Airport, opened in 1994, is located on an artificial island near the city of Osaka. It was designed by Renzo Piano and is a completely civil airport.

The airport includes 2 terminals - north and south. The North Terminal receives flights from 24 airlines. It has a three-story building equipped with nine escalators and three glass elevators, one of which is external. On the ground floor there are several duty-free shops and food establishments, including restaurants.

The South Terminal welcomes nineteen airlines and serves more than 12 million passengers a year. It has a four-story building equipped with 6 travelators and 2 glass elevators. Here, duty-free shops, as well as restaurants and cafeterias, can be found on all floors of the building.

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Park Universal Studio

Universal Studios is a huge entertainment park located in the Japanese city of Osaka and competes with the famous Disneyland. This is a great place for a fun holiday with the whole family. There are a huge number of attractions and shows, divided into several thematic zones.

As in all similar parks in the world, the central theme of all attractions presented at Universal Park are films shot at the Universal Studios. All the attractions here are very realistic and, of course, high quality.

The authors of the project tried to make it a wonderful place to relax, not only from the technical side, but in terms of design and design. The almost entirely reconstructed neighborhoods here take you back to old European and American cities. The attractions in the park are divided into several thematic areas based on the most popular films: “Terminator”, “Jurassic Park”, “Waterworld”, “Jaws”, “Shrek”, “Spider-Man”, “Back to the Future”, “Backdraft” ", as well as many others. On one of the attractions, stuntmen recreate fragments of popular films right in front of the audience.

In addition, the park has many restaurants and shops. The entertainment program is so dense that it is unlikely that you will be able to cover everything in one day, but this is not a problem, because the Park offers its visitors 2- and 3-day tickets - so you can visit it several times in a row.

The Shinsaibashi shopping arcade and the area of ​​the same name are the real center of trade in Osaka. You can buy everything here. Elite boutiques coexist with tiny shops, designer goods coexist with consumer goods. The shops are accompanied by numerous eateries, cafes and restaurants. The dominant feature of the area is the covered street Shinsaibashi-Suji. Here, in Shinsaibashi, the favorite place of local youth is based - the American Village with an appropriate assortment of goods.

The shopping district stretches for about 600 meters. There are two large department stores here - Daimaru and Sogo, as well as about 180 small boutiques and restaurants.

In a historical sense, the area took its name from one of the bridges built by local merchants, one of these merchants was Shinsaibashi Okada. The bridge has not survived, but the name of the merchant has remained for centuries.

Area "American Village Amerikamura"

Amerikamura, often shortened to "Amemura" in Osaka, is a large shopping area. Everyone who comes here gets the impression that there are only shops, shops and shops. The way it is. Western brand stores sell goods that European travelers are accustomed to. And many local Japanese shops and stores sometimes offer such incredible goods that the sense of reality dissolves.

The Amerikamura area is also known by another name - American Village. Apparently, to emphasize some connection with another developed country, there is its own local Statue of Liberty, watching from above everything that happens in the quarter, as well as King Kong. And there's a lot going on here. Amerikamura is the cutting edge of modern Japanese youth. Here you can see representatives of all subcultures. The imitation of American culture is felt in the local atmosphere. There are many American-style cafes here. On weekends, flea markets are organized here, and street musicians perform famous American tunes in very different ways.

It's easy to spend a whole day in this area of ​​Osaka, walking around the shops or just wandering the streets and watching life. The local flavor will not let even an inveterate phlegmatic person get bored.

Chikiri Castle

Kishiwada Castle or Chikiri Castle was built by Hidemasa Koide in 1597. The Nobukatsu rulers of Okabe Mina took possession of the castle from Takatsuki in 1640. The Okabe family maintained their position for 13 generations (until the Meiji Restoration). The castle's main tower was destroyed when lightning struck in 1827, but was rebuilt in 1954, and is now also used as a museum.

Dotonbori District

Dotonbori is a major shopping and business district in Osaka. It is located along the southern bank of the canal of the same name. The area is loved by tourists and city residents for its swirl of energies and active, vibrant, very rich atmosphere. It's always lively and crowded here. Dotonbori has many restaurants and cafes with cuisine for every taste - the streets are literally saturated with the aromas of preparing dishes. There are large entertainment centers that are great for shopping, and theaters where traditional Bunraku puppet theater performances and other events take place. It is considered to be the center of Osaka's nightlife.

Films are often shot in Dotonbori; it acts as a kind of “face” of Osaka. During the day, the area, framed by fountains on both sides of the canal, looks quite businesslike. In the evening, it blooms with neon lights and seems to change its outfit. And numerous textured luminous signs like “Running Man Gliko” or “Crab Kani Doraku” give Dotonbori a unique, even slightly surreal, very special chic.

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Umeda Sky Building

Everyone knows that Japan is one of the most advanced countries in the world. Buildings like the futuristic office skyscraper Umeda Sky Building are clear evidence of this.

The 173-story skyscraper looks ultra-modern. Silvery materials sparkle in the sun, and look absolutely incredible when lit at night; the two slender towers are connected by the original floating garden of the Observatory. People are allowed here for a small fee and the view of the huge living metropolis from the height of the 39th floor is a truly breathtaking sight.

On the minus first floor of the building there is the Takimi-koji restaurant, which with its interior replicates the Japanese street of the early Showa period (1912-1945 - during the reign of Emperor Showa).

The skyscraper was built in 1993 according to the design of Hiroshi Hara. Initially it was planned to build it as an “Air City” and there should have been four towers, not two. But they were cut down taking into account funding opportunities, and the result was the Umeda Sky Building.

There is a park around the building. The contrast, albeit man-made, of living nature and modern reinforced concrete structures does not hurt the eye, but is pacifying in its own way. After all, the manifestation of harmony in any landscape is a strong feature of the Japanese character.

The most popular attractions in Osaka with descriptions and photographs for every taste. Choose the best places to visit famous places in Osaka on our website.

Individual and group

Another city that had the honor of bearing the title of capital of Japan is Osaka. In 1586, a large castle was built on the site of the future city. It served as the abode of samurai Toyotomi Hideshi. Since then, the city has significantly increased its influence on the country, and over time it has grown into a large industrial center. Now Osaka is in third place among the largest cities in Japan (the city lost first place to Tokyo and Yokohama).

In ancient times in Japanese history, Osaka Castle was a large and fortified structure, but such a tasty morsel was often subject to sieges and was destroyed several times. Each time it was restored, the last such restoration occurred in 1931. Since then, the castle remained untouched, and soon became a museum dedicated to the history of its owners and samurai in general. A special platform has been equipped from where you can observe the surrounding natural landscapes and buildings accompanying the castle.

The city is home to the Shitenno-ji Temple, which was built in the 6th century. The temple is significant because it was the birthplace of Buddhism in Japan, which later spread throughout the country. Unfortunately, the current appearance of the temple is a reconstruction of the 20th century. Once a month, on the 21st, a flea market is held in the temple. Another interesting temple is Sumiyoshi-taisha. This is a Shinto shrine that is dedicated to people with a maritime profession. According to myths, this temple contains the souls of dead sailors.

The city is interesting not only for its temples. It houses many museums. For example, it is worth noting the large historical museum, which displays remarkable objects that were found during the excavations of Naniwa Castle. The floors of the museum represent a reconstruction of the large halls of the palace, and a panoramic view of the city from different periods is also organized. The museum also has an invention center.

Notable is the Museum of Japanese Folk Culture. Exhibits of folk art are presented here: toys, dishes, furniture, etc. All things are unique. And in the National Art Museum you can find masterpieces of classical artists. The museum itself is decorated in a rather unusual way. In addition, Osaka is home to theaters that stage performances by famous Japanese and foreign authors.

Osaka has its own twin towers called the Umeda Sky Building. These are two buildings that have 40 floors each, and where they meet there is an extensive observation deck. Near the architectural marvel there is an underground market that realistically reconstructs the spirit of the 20th century.

Among the entertainment facilities, the Universal Studios amusement park should be noted. This is a theme park, which is divided into zones dedicated to cities, characters, and eras.

Osaka is home to a large aquarium dedicated to the world of the Pacific Ocean. The total displacement of the Aquarium is about 13 million liters, the aquarium is divided into 14 thematic levels. The Aquarium houses living inhabitants of the Pacific Ocean, from small crustaceans to large sharks.