Interesting facts about Osaka

osaka

Osaka is one of the main cities in Japan and is located on the island of Honshu.

It is the capital of the Osaka Prefecture, and it is also part of Japan’s second largest metropolitan area, Keihanshin with about 20 million people – after the Greater Tokyo Area (38.5 million people).

As of January 2020, the population of Osaka is 2.7 million people. It is the 3rd most populous city in Japan (after Tokyo and Yokohama).

The city covers a total area of 223 square kilometers (86 square miles).

Osaka has an average elevation of 83 meters (273 feet) above sea level.

osaka-2

Some of the earliest signs of habitation in the area of Osaka were found at the Morinomiya ruins, with its shell mounds, including sea oyster shells and buried human skeletons from the 5th-6th centuries BC.

During the Yayoi Period (300 BC to 250 AD), permanent habitation on the plains grew as rice farming became popular.

By the Kofun period (300 to 538 AD) 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 to 1867 AD) and became known as a center of Japanese culture.

osaka history

Following the Meiji Restoration (event that restored practical imperial rule to the Empire of Japan in 1868), Osaka greatly expanded in size and underwent rapid industrialization.

In 1889, Osaka was officially established as a municipality.

During World War II, Osaka came under air attacks in 1945 by the United States Army Air Forces as part of the air raids on Japan.

Today, Osaka is one of Japan’s largest financial centres.

osaka-3

Osaka Castle is a Japanese castle in Chūō-ku, Osaka. The castle is one of Japan’s most famous landmarks and it played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century of the Azuchi-Momoyama period. The castle grounds, which cover approximately 6 hectares (15 acres), contain thirteen structures that have been designated as important cultural assets by the Japanese government. Osaka Castle Park is also on the castle grounds.

osaka castle

Shitennō-ji is a Buddhist temple in Osaka. It is sometimes regarded as the first Buddhist and oldest officially administered temple in Japan, although the temple buildings have been rebuilt over the centuries.

shitennō-ji

Dōtonbori or Dōtombori is one of the principal tourist destinations in Osaka, running along the Dōtonbori canal from Dōtonboribashi Bridge to Nipponbashi Bridge in the Namba district of the city’s Chuo ward. Historically a theater district, it is now a popular nightlife and entertainment area characterized by its eccentric atmosphere and large illuminated signboards. One of the area’s most prominent features, a billboard for confectionery company Glico displaying the image of a runner crossing a finishing line, is seen as an icon of Osaka within Japan.

dotonbori

Universal Studios Japan located in Osaka is one of six Universal Studios theme parks, owned and operated by USJ Co., Ltd., which is wholly owned by NBCUniversal (as of 2017). The park is similar to the Universal Orlando Resort since it also contains selected attractions from Universal Orlando Resort and Universal Studios Hollywood.

universal studios japan

The Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is an aquarium located in the ward of Minato in Osaka, Japan, near Osaka Bay. It is one of the largest public aquariums in the world, and is a member of the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA).

osaka aquarium kaiyukan

Tsūtenkaku owned by Tsūtenkaku Kanko Co., Ltd. is a tower and well-known landmark of Osaka, Japan and advertises Hitachi. It is located in the Shinsekai district of Naniwa-ku, Osaka. Its total height is 103 meters (338 feet); the main observation deck is at a height of 91 meters (299 feet).

tsūtenkaku

The Umeda Sky Building is one of the city’s most recognizable landmarks. It consists of two 40-story towers that connect at their two uppermost stories, with bridges and an escalator crossing the wide atrium-like space in the center.

umeda sky building

Tempozan Ferris Wheel provides some of the best views over Osaka. It has a height of 112.5 metres (369 ft) and diameter of 100 metres (330 ft). It opened to the public on July 12, 1997, and was then the tallest Ferris wheel in the world. The wheel has colored lights that provide a weather forecast for the next day. Orange lights indicate a sunny day, green lights a cloudy day and blue lights indicate rain.

tempozan ferris wheel

Osaka’s port is one of the most important in the nation.

First high-speed trains ware Japan’s electric “bullet trains” running between Tokyo and Osaka in 1964.

Its location on the Yodo delta with its network of watercourses and canals spanned by more than a thousand bridges has, deservedly, earned Osaka the nickname of the Venice of the East.”

Osaka 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.

The climate is temperate, with cool winters and hot, humid summers; annual rainfall is about 1,360 milimeters (54 inches). The area is subject to typhoons in September, which occasionally are
disastrous.