osaka

The arts, heritage and food haven of Japan

WORDS Anithya Balachandran

Japan's second-largest metropolitan area after Tokyo, the city of Osaka is teeming with things to do, places to see and unique experiences. Osaka was formerly known as Naniwa and has been a longstanding trading hub. Merchants came in from near and far, gathering in Osaka to buy and sell rice. Known for its passion and enthusiasm for food, the city was once referred to as "tenka no daidokoro," "kitchen of the nation." The importance of the inhabitants of the city attached to the culinary world is instantly evident once you look around Shinsekai, Fukushima, and Tsuruhashi. Guests of the city are often encouraged to indulge in "Kuidaore", an expression which means to seek out delicious food with determination, pouring money into eating until you are bankrupt. This phrase originated in Osaka and has been embedded into the identity of the city. Historically, Osaka's significance increased drastically in the 16th century when Toyotomi Hideyoshi chose Osaka as the location for his castle- Osaka Castle. Currently, Osaka is an eclectic blend of tradition and modernity as it's known for its culinary, nightlife and historic offerings. A short Shinkansen (Bullet Train) ride from Tokyo, the city has a highly unique personality and is definitely an experience that a traveller should explore!

Top 10 EdiTor’s rEcommEndaTions of Things To do

animals as much as possible to show that the animals live in an environment similar to their habitat. The “habitat environment exhibits” method is used in various zones including the African Savanna Zone where animals like hippopotamuses, giraffes and lions live, and the Asian Tropical Rainforest Zone where visitors can see the Asian elephant.

✤ tOMBOri river CrUise

The Tombori River Cruise is a 20-minute sightseeing boat ride that goes from the east side to the west side on the Dotonbori River. Travellers can soak in the views of the city and the larger-than-life store signs of Dotonbori as well as Minatomachi River Place from the comfort of a boat.

✤ Osaka aQUariUM kaiyUkan

✤ Osaka Castle

One of Japan's most renowned landmarks, the castle played a key role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century. The entire Osaka Castle grounds is huge and has lots of green spaces, sports facilities, a multi-purpose arena (Osaka-jo Hall) and a shrine dedicated to Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

✤ Universal stUdiOs Japan

Universal Studios Japan was the first theme park under the Universal Studios brand to be built in Asia. The theme park features 10 areas: Hollywood, New York, San Francisco, Jurassic Park, Waterworld, Amity Village, Universal Wonderland, Minion Park, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and SUPER NINTENDO WORLD.

✤ tOwer Of the sUn MUseUM

The Tower of the Sun Museum was designed by the artist Taro Okamoto and was constructed as part of the Theme Pavilion in the Symbol Zone of the 1970 Japan World Exposition in Osaka. The Tower of the Sun Museum bears three faces: the "Golden Mask" located at its top, which shines golden and suggests the future, the "Face of the Sun" on its front, which represents the present, and the "Black Sun" on its back, which symbolises the past.

✤ UMeda sky BUilding

The floating garden of Umeda Sky Building is an oasis of consciousness that has turned this dream of mankind into physical form. People and the natural environment unite, and people come together eventually becoming one with the universe. In the floating garden, 173 meters off the ground, there is a 360-degree field of vision, where you can let your spirit gambol into the future.

✤ tennOJi ZOO

The Tennoji Zoo was opened on January 1, 1915 houses approximately 1,000 animals of about 200 species on grounds that span over 11 hectares. The zoo implements the method of "habitat environment exhibits" in which it aims to recreate the landscape of the habitat of

Kaiyukan, one of the world’s largest aquariums showcases the aquatic animals of the Pacific Rim at their most vibrant and dynamic, by recreating the natural environment of their habitats. At Kaiyukan there are over 15 large tanks, each recreating a specific region of the Pacific Rim, taking visitors on a virtual tour of the Pacific Ocean. The tanks include, “Japan Forest,” which recreates a sunlit, beautiful Japanese forest; the icy, snow-clad “Antarctica;” and the centrepiece of the aquarium, “Pacific Ocean,” a 9 metres deep, 34 metres long tank containing 5,400 tonnes of water, serving as the home of whale sharks, the largest fish species in the world.

✤ naMBa yasaka shrine

A stone's throw away from the popular shopping complex Namba Parks, Namba Yasaka Shrine is one of Osaka's most unique places of worship. The enormous lion-head-shaped building called Shishi Den and cherry blossom trees dotted around the shrine grounds enrich the entire experience. The lion’s mouth is believed to swallow evil spirits and bring good luck to those visiting the shrine.

✤ shitennOJi

One of Japan's oldest temples and the first ever to be built by the state, was founded in 593 by Prince Shotoku. The prince supported the introduction of Buddhism into Japan. Although the temple's buildings burned down several times throughout the centuries, they were always carefully reconstructed to reflect the original 6th-century design. The outer temple grounds are free to enter, but admission to the inner precinct, the Gokurakujyodo garden of Paradise and the Treasure Hall is paid.

✤ Japan Mint

The Japan Mint is responsible for producing and circulating the coins of Japan. The agency has its head office in Osaka with branches in Saitama and Hiroshima. The office offers tours of its headquarters and houses a Mint Museum and Exhibition Room. The Mint Museum has 4,000 historical exhibits. One can read valuable documents, learn the history of coins, and understand the close relationship between society and coins.

Nature

✤ Tsurumi ryokuchi Park

The Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park is a gigantic park spanning over 300 square acres of the city and is home to diverse animal and plant life, a traditional tea house, and vibrant cherry blossoms. The urban escape is situated on the outskirts of Osaka and is typically less crowded than most parks within the city. The park was built in 1990 during the The International Garden and Greenery Exposition, an event that drew over 20 million visitors. Afterwards, the site was memorialised as a park and is designed such that it has flowers in bloom during every season.

✤ minoo Park

A densely forested valley, Minoo Park lies on the outskirts of Osaka. The park is especially beautiful during the fall as it is one of the best places in the Kansai Region to see the various colours of Autumn in a natural setting. The autumnal foliage is usually the best in the second half of November. The park can be reached in less than 30 minutes from downtown Osaka. One of the highlights of Minoo Park is its main hiking trail which extends about three kilometres through a valley alongside the Minoo River. The trail begins near Hankyu Minoo Station and leads to the Minoo Waterfall. With a height of 33 metres, the waterfall is the park's main natural attraction.

✤ kema sakuranomiya Park

The picturesque riverside park boasting water, greenery and cherry trees, stretches out over four kilometres alongside the Ogawa River and is particularly popular during the cherry blossom season. Built on the river terrace between Kema Araizeki and Temmabashi Bridge the park is a good place for strolling and jogging. The park has many cherry blossom-viewing spots as it has around 4,800 cherry trees. The ideal time to visit the park is during April as the weather is optimal during this month.

✤ osaka casTle Park

Located in the centre of Osaka, the humongous park features several historical monuments such as the Osaka Castle tower. The park is home to the Nishinomaru Garden which has approximately 300 cherry trees, an ume (plum) orchard boasting 1,270 ume trees in 100 varieties, and other spots where visitors can enjoy seasonal flowers. Furthermore, the park hosts musical events as The Osaka Castle Band Shell and Osaka-jo Hall are popular venues for music concerts. Sports facilities, such as the kyudo (Japanese archery) ground and the Shudokan gymnasium, are also located in the park. There are a plethora of annual events held in the park ranging from the spring/autumn potted plant market to the night cherry blossom viewing in the Nishinomaru Garden, amongst many others.