If you have any updates, suggestions, corrections or opinions, please let us know: Copyright © 1996-2020 japan-guide.com All Rights Reserved. the center of Osaka. Osaka (大阪, Ōsaka) is Japan's second largest metropolitan area after Tokyo. On the first point, a merger would create a mixture of hope and anxiety in the surrounding prefectures. It has been the economic powerhouse of the Kansai Region for many centuries. The food won't blow.. Clean, comfortable beds, elegant décor, close to public transport, helpful staff - The Fraser Residence has them all in spades. District known for its shrine and shopping arcade. Millions of movie-goers defy pandemic for record opening of 'Demon Slayer', My bicultural child is starting to reveal his two faces, Japan expects fewer babies in 2021 as pandemic hits pregnancies. Located on the upper floors of Japan's tallest building, this hotel offer fabulous views over the city. Very convenient high-class hotel just across from JR Osaka Station. Nostalgia evoking district around Tsutenkaku. Beautiful hotel in the convenient Umekita district near JR Osaka Station.

As a major tourist hub in Japan, Osaka rivals Tokyo in terms of attractions and food. As will local voters. Huge, commemorative public park on the former site of Expo 70. The inside of the shop looks like a dollhouse an.. Away from the neon lights of Namba and just moments from the office towers of Umeda, on a quiet street in Osaka’s Fukushima Di.. El Pancho is a fun place, brightly decorated in an almost too Mexican array of bright lights and ornaments. Missing in the debate, which, to non-Osakans, feels quite insular if not much ado about nothing, are two fundamental questions. The Japan Times LTD. All rights reserved. Site of Japan's most beautiful feudal castle. District around one of Osaka's busiest stations. Sorry, but your browser needs Javascript to use this site. A more efficient, wealthy, modern and business-friendly northern Osaka in particular could prove to be a tough local competitor for corporate tax revenue and jobs, especially for neighboring Kobe and even Kyoto Prefecture. First, what would a merger mean for the rest of the Kansai region? But following the merger, Osaka’s wards could also adopt more proactive micro-tourism policies that convince more tourists to spend more time, and money, in Osaka and less time in Kyoto. Meet locals all over Japan in their own home to eat and cook. Visitors will be spoilt for choice with Universal Studios Osaka, Osaka Aquarium, and Osaka Castle all vying for their attention. Forested park with waterfall just outside Osaka. The coronavirus outbreak is having a large impact on travel to and within Japan. Osaka was formerly known as Naniwa. The new administrative wards of Osaka would enjoy more autonomy than their predecessors under the current system. One of Japan's most impressive aquariums. The vast majority of news coverage of the issue in the Kansai region has been focused on arguments for or against a merger from the point of view of Osaka politics. As a major tourist hub in Japan, Osaka rivals Tokyo in terms of attractions and food. Local politicians, academics, financial experts and lawyers, along with news commentators and even comedians from the Yoshimoto Kogyo talent stable — who play, or overplay, the role of the befuddled “ordinary voter” — can be seen trying to make sense of detailed financial graphs and wordy PowerPoint presentations used by invited guests to prove their arguments or disprove their opponents’ claims. A comfort modern Japanese hotel located in the center of Osaka. For over 1000 years the capital of Japan. Very conveniently located inside JR Osaka Station City. Hirofumi Yoshimura, Campaigns begin ahead of second referendum on Osaka metropolis plan, Referendum a pivotal moment for Osaka and its politicians. Osaka was formerly known as Naniwa. What is your preferred length for a travel report video on YouTube? View from Osaka is a monthly column that examines the latest news from a Kansai perspective. And that is only the tip of the iceberg for an Osaka experience. There simply is no excuse to go hungry in Osaka. If that leads the relatively wealthy ward that hosts the Umeda rail hub, where JR West, Hankyu and Keihan trains connect Osaka to the rest of the region, to decide on bold financial incentives to lure businesses from elsewhere, firms based in Hyogo, Kyoto, and Nara prefectures might start to wonder if it would be more advantageous to relocate. It has been the economic powerhouse of the Kansai Region for many centuries. Meanwhile, due to the coronavirus, Kyoto is discovering that the overseas tourist gold rush has ended and many service industry businesses are in trouble. For the moment, the referendum is the major political event of the year in the region and one that, regardless of the result, will greatly impact its economic future as well. Tallest skyscraper in Japan with observation deck. Osaka officials tend to answer this by saying, essentially, that they’ll let you know after the merger is approved. Thus, at this point, despite some fundamental questions, much about what happens if the merger is successful remains uncertain. Close to many shops and Osaka Castle. Osaka City is a good place to go around Kinki area of Japan. A special exhibition titled "The Pioneers: Masters of Edo Painting" is taking place until November 8th at Osaka's Abeno Harukas.. Held annually on 22nd to 23rd November, Shinno-sai is the last festival to be held in Osaka, thus also known as the Tome-no-ma.. And so you can find quite cheap hotel/accommodations here around Nishinari area, you can save money to stay. Hailed as the food capital of Japan (some say even the world), Osaka serves up delicious takoyaki (octopus in fried batter), okonomiyaki (pan-fried batter cake), and more. The second question is one most residents outside Osaka are focused on. What does the merger mean in terms of advantages to myself or my company if I relocate? The main attractive features of the Hotel City Plaza Osaka is the rooftop spa with a rest zone outside, and a variety of special.. For business or pleasure, search by area for the perfect traditional Japanese ryokan to match your Osaka accommodation needs. Before the Nara Period, when the capital used to be moved with the reign of each new emperor, Naniwa was once Japan's capital city, the first one ever known. Sign in and subscribe for the latest Japan travel news and updates. Popular market street for seafood, produce and more. Arriving late for the museum at Osaka Castle, I instead enjoyed its surroundings, the beautiful sunset and also visited Hokoku Jinja... Let Mo Tattoo design a tattoo just for you--or bring in your own design and get inked. Because it's not only 2nd biggest city in Japan, but also is linking most popular destinations Kyoto and Nara. The main attraction during Christmas in Osaka is the projection mapping light show "Shining Art Wall" at the Nakanoshima Library... Osaka city needs no introductions.

Well done museum about the city's history. Register now and start earning Japan Travel Points! The Westin Osaka: Five-star American hotel near JR Osaka Station located in Shin Umeda City has heavenly beds, spacious rooms, and.. As with many cities, Osaka’s Umeda Sky Building offers a stunning view from the top – even more so at night when the entire city lights up. Osaka city needs no introductions.

It would be nice to think all of the rhetoric from Osaka officials about the need to compete with Tokyo and other East Asian regional hubs means the merger would be a big step toward making Osaka the next Singapore or Seoul. Second, what would a merger likely mean for the rest of the country, including the international community in Japan? Osaka is a port city, and historically the merchant capital of Japan. Recently opened business hotel conveniently located inside JR Shin-Osaka Station. 2 subway stations nearby. But that may be wishful thinking, as the Finance Ministry will no doubt have a say, directly or not, in how the new wards can financially operate. Popular theme park at Osaka's waterfront. However, Osaka is best known as a gastronomic heaven. Osaka is Japan's third biggest city, and the metropolis of the Kansai region.

Well established, leading hotel conveniently located above Nankai Namba Station. The traditional greeting among citizens of this friendly, unpretentious "work hard, party hard" city is mohkare-makka, or "Are you making money?

And that is only the tip of the iceberg for an Osaka experience. Pleasant, old-fashioned hot spring resort. No doubt things will eventually improve. Osaka (大阪, Ōsaka) is Japan's second largest metropolitan area after Tokyo. Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division. Shopaholics are in for a treat as Namba’s Shinsaibashi and Dotonburi shopping districts are filled with endless boutiques. Maidreamin Maid Café is a coffee shop in DenDen town, close to Namba station. A modern Japanese inn in Dotombori. Harbor city, recovered from 1995 earthquake. Japan Travel is the leading resource for Japan travel information and the primary destination for visitors planning and traveling to Japan. In the 16th century, Toyotomi Hideyoshi chose Osaka as the location for his castle, and the city may have become Japan's political capital if Tokugawa Ieyasu had not terminated the Toyotomi lineage after Hideyoshi's death and moved his government to distant Edo (Tokyo). The former’s younger generations have been fleeing the city for years in search of work opportunities elsewhere. Osaka – On Nov. 1, Osaka residents will vote for the second, and hopefully last, time on whether to merge the city’s administrative areas into four large, semiautonomous wards. Like everywhere else, Kansai’s prefectures face a graying, declining population. Popular and inexpensive hostel about a 15 minute walk from JR Osaka Station. The cafe and inn feature.. That could mean political tensions in the new ward assemblies that may, or may not, be resolved to the satisfaction of nonresident supporters of financial incentives. 3 train stations of Namba within a walking distance. Veteran Koji Yakusho brings his movie star clout to the Tokyo International Film Festival, Fake residence cards proliferating as more non-Japanese overstay, JR East to bring forward last train departures on 17 lines in Tokyo, Endangered Japanese crane population on the rise in Hokkaido, Francis becomes first pope to endorse same-sex civil unions, Episode 69: Why we should be celebrating Japan's tattoo culture, Directory of who’s who in the world of business in Japan.

Explore Japan's cities with Japan Travel Bike. Located in Osaka, Neko-Yokujo and Neko-Hatago is a cat cafe and dormitory-style inn designed for cat rescue. Visitors will be spoilt for choice with Universal Studios Osaka, Osaka Aquarium, and Osaka Castle all vying for their attention. Official campaigning has kicked off for a second referendum in Osaka City on whether to reorganize the city into wards similar to those in Tokyo. We strive to keep Japan Guide up-to-date and accurate, and we're always looking for ways to improve. One of the city of Osaka’s distinguishing traits has always been that many of the top corporate leaders who constantly bellow for lower corporate taxes do not actually reside there, preferring to live elsewhere in Osaka Prefecture or even neighboring Hyogo, Nara, or Kyoto prefectures. Osaka – On Nov. 1, Osaka residents will vote for the second, and hopefully last, time on whether to merge the city’s administrative areas into four large, semiautonomous wards.