Geography
Osaka Prefecture is located in the central part of the island of Honshu, in the Kansai region. The capital of the prefecture, Osaka, is the second largest urban agglomeration in Japan after Tokyo in terms of population and territory and is located on the coast of Osaka Bay in the Inland Sea of Japan. The climate here is subtropical, with hot and muggy summers and snowless winters.
History
The Kansai region has been inhabited since ancient times, since the Jomon period, and is the birthplace of the Japanese centralized state of Yamato. Before the Nara period, the territory of modern Osaka was at one time the location of the nomadic capital of Japan, called Naniwa, which in fact makes the city the very first capital of the country. Historically, Osaka was the commercial capital not only of the Kansai region, but of all of Japan. In the Kansai region, they speak a special, Kansai dialect of Japanese.
Culture, attractions
and entertainment
The main historical attraction of Osaka is the famous Osaka Castle, the symbol of the city. It was erected at the end of the sixteenth century by the famous military leader Hideyoshi Toyotomi. The castle has eight floors, of which three are underground. Nowadays there is a historical museum here.
Another significant attraction of the city is the ancient Buddhist temple Shitenno-ji, “Temple of the Four Heavenly Lords”. It was built at the end of the sixth century by order of Crown Prince Shotoku to commemorate the victory of Buddhist forces over pro-Shinto forces in a religious war. This is one of the most important Buddhist shrines in Japan, the temple is considered the birthplace of Buddhism in this country.
And in the southern part of the city there is an already important Shinto shrine, Sumiyoshi Taisha, founded in the third century AD. Local gods “kami” are the patrons of travelers, fishermen and sailors.
Osaka's main street, Dotonbori, links the past and the present. There are many boutiques, department stores and exclusive restaurants. Osaka is generally famous for its delicious and very diverse local cuisine; it was here that the term “kuidaore” was born, meaning enjoying food while spending the last of your money for it.
In the downtown business district of the city, the Umeda Sky skyscraper stands out, an unusual architectural structure consisting of two forty-story towers connected by a bridge at the tops. There is even an observatory in the building! This skyscraper, like Osaka Castle, is also a symbol of the city.
And on the island of Sakurajima there is the Universal Studios Japan theme park, a rival of Tokyo Disneyland. The ultra-modern Kaiyukan Aquarium, one of the largest in the world, is certainly interesting to visit, representing a model of the Earth with ten natural zones and fourteen thematic aquariums.
Finally, another attraction of Osaka is the futuristic Kansai International Airport, built on an artificial island 50 kilometers from the city.
From Tokyo to Osaka you can take the Shinkansen super express, which takes from two and a half to four hours, depending on the type of bullet train. You can also fly from Haneda Airport to Kansai Airport.
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