Travel Features : The Best of Osaka
Osaka is the unashamedly brash and hedonistic little brother of Tokyo. When young Japanese are looking for a stable government job, they head for the capital; those who dream of making money by day then partying all night, book a ticket on the first plane for Osaka.
Technically speaking, Osaka is Japan’s third largest city, but as Tokyo and Yokohama form a single metropolis, most Japanese consider Osaka to be number two. Many visitors to Japan, however, see Osaka as merely an urban sprawl you pass through before going somewhere more cultured like Kyoto or Nara. If you are looking for world heritage sites or meditative contemplation, Osaka is all wrong. If you want to see how modern Japanese live and are willing to be adventurous with what you eat, how much you pay and what time you go to sleep, then welcome to bright lights, big city.
Namba & Shinsaibashi
Namba was once the core of Osaka’s merchant quarter. Now, along with neighboring Shinsaibashi, it forms Japan’s liveliest entertainment district. There are two phrases that locals use as they wander between restaurants and bars: kuidaore, which roughly translated means eat until you drop, and asobisugi, or play too much.
In the movie Blade Runner, director Ridley Scott presented his vision of the future: a vast urban landscape where factories belched flames into the night sky and giant video screens loomed over the workers below. Standing on Dotonbori Bridge in central Namba, it is easy to see where Ridley Scott got his inspiration. The restaurants, bars and clubs don’t really come and alive until after dark, but when the neon lights are blazing, Namba earns its reputation. The bridge at Dotonbori is the most popular meeting place and one of Osaka’s most famous landmarks. Beneath the neon Glico man and billboards for Suntory Whiskey and Asahi Beer, groups of young girls, office ladies and businessmen decide which karaoke box, restaurant or hostess bar to head toward. A giant mechanical crab beckons customers into the sushi shop below, while a mechanical clown with a drum welcomes visitors to the seven-story Kuidaore restaurant.
Osaka is famous for its food of which okonomiyaki and takoyaki are probably the most popular. Okonomiyaki is a thick pancake filled with cabbage, egg and seafood, which is cooked on a hot plate in front of you. Takoyaki are small balls of batter-coated octopus that are fried then covered in sauce and fish flakes. Both are fast, cheap and filling, and are usually grabbed by tired salarymen before they head home.
A short walk north from Dotonbori brings you to a series of streets known collectively as Amerika-mura (American Village). A mural of Marilyn Monroe looks down on groups of teenagers as they shop for vintage jeans and T-shirts covered in nonsensical English. The bars are crowded with locals and foreign language teachers, but just as much activity is happening on the streets themselves. Young men cruise around the city blocks in their customized Nissan Skylines and Toyota Crowns. Each car is packed with more audio-visual equipment than most homes, and the thumping bass can be heard long after the car has disappeared from view. It may be late, but this is downtown Osaka, and nobody’s trying to sleep.
Umeda
In the north west of the city is the business district of Umeda. The Levis and bleached blonde hair of Amerika-mura are replaced by suits and ties. Even the language changes; the most common phrase here is moo kari makka, or “making any money?” Amongst the generic office blocks and department stores is the awe-inspiring Umeda Sky Building. At 173 meters, the twin towers are not quite Japan’s tallest structures, but the floating garden observatory, spanning the tops of the buildings, is an impressive feat of design. Standing on the rooftop corridor, visitors have a 360° view of the city. Landmarks to look out for include Osaka Castle, Osaka Dome sports stadium (resembles a giant, white calzone), and the Ferris wheel at Tempozan Harbor Village.
Osaka Castle
By 1583, Shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi had managed to unite Japan’s warring factions and hoped that Osaka Castle would be a glorious symbol of his power. 100,000 men worked for three years to construct the granite castle, but when Toyotomi died, it was his rival Tokugawa Ieyasu who gained control of Japan. In 1615, Tokugawa’s troops laid siege to and then destroyed Osaka castle, the final stronghold of Toyotomi’s heir. The “indestructible” castle was then rebuilt only to be struck by lightning and destroyed again. The present Osaka castle is a 1931 concrete reproduction, but has fared much better than previous generations. During World War II, when nearly all of Osaka was destroyed by carpet bombing, the castle managed to remain intact.
Cherry trees line the paths of the park that surrounds the castle. During April, when the branches are covered in blossom, thousands of people come here to picnic. Families, businessmen and college students all sit under the masses of pink flowers and gaze up at the castle walls.
Shitenno-ji Temple
Shitenno-ji is considered to be the birthplace of Japanese Buddhism, as it was Japan’s first officially administered temple. Prince Shotoku ordered its construction in 593 A.D., but none of the original structures have survived the ravages of time. The reconstructed buildings have, however, stayed true to the original designs and layout. An impressive five-story pagoda stands at the center of the complex, but its most renowned feature is the 13th century torii gate, the oldest of its kind in Japan. Except for national holidays and during special events Shitenno-ji provides a place for quiet contemplation away from the rush of modern city life.
A Whale Shark & The Terminator
Japan has dozens of aquariums which vary greatly in size and quality. Osaka and Okinawa are home to the best two, with Osaka possibly taking the top spot for sheer originality of design. The Osaka Kaiyukan Aquarium is based on “The Ring of Fire,” the geologically active area along the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Visitors are taken deeper and deeper into the ocean, from sea otters playing on the ocean’s surface to the giant crabs that dwell on the sandy bottom. The aquarium’s star attraction is its whale shark, “Yu-chan,” which slowly circles her enormous tank looking out through the foot-thick glass.
The aquarium is located in Tempozan Harbor Village which also has the world’s largest IMAX Theater, the second largest Ferris wheel and a double scale reproduction of the Santa Maria ship.
While many theme parks in America and Europe struggle to break even, their Japanese “clones” are booming. Tokyo Disneyland makes a staggering $1.7 billion a year, and with 17 million visitors each year, it is also the most popular theme park in the world. Osaka’s Universal Studios Japan or (USJ) opened in March 2001, and has been receiving a million visitors a month.
Posters of the Jurassic Park T-Rex can be seen across Osaka, and the train taking you into the USJ station has the Terminator painted along its side. Inside the park, Woody Woodpecker poses for photos, while Dr. Emmett L. Brown tells people about his flux capacitor. The park has both the classic attractions like “E.T. Adventure,” and the most modern such as “Shrek 4D” and “Spider-Man — The Ride.”
Although the park can get extremely crowded, the Hollywood magic holds strong. Only at USJ will you see a Japanese salaryman cast off his jacket and tie, and spend the rest of the day wearing a novelty shark hat.
When to go
If you want to picnic under the cherry blossom, then the only opportunity is in the first couple of weeks in April. All other activities in Osaka are available throughout the year. Try to avoid the Japanese national holidays of New Year, Golden Week in early May and Obon in mid August. At these times prices for flights and accommodation become extremely expensive and most major attractions will be crowded.
Getting There
International and some domestic flights land at Kansai International Airport. J.R. trains connect the airport to the Namba (49 minutes) and Osaka (63 minutes) stations. The Nankai railway also connects the airport to Namba by express (42 minutes) or the futuristic looking Rapi:t train (33 minutes). The Nankai trains, however, are not covered by the Japan Rail Pass.
Domestic flights also arrive at Itami Airport. Itami is connected to the city by limousine buses which take about 25-30 minutes to reach Umeda, Namba or Shin-Osaka. Itami is also on the Osaka monorail, which has connections with the city’s subway system.
Getting Around
Osaka has plenty of buses and taxis, but the subway system is the best way to get around the city. Visitors can by individual tickets at the machines or there is a one-day-pass for 850 yen. The subway is open from 5 a.m. to midnight.
Where to stay
There is a wide range of accommodation available－from hostels up to five-star hotels. As the subway stops running at midnight, late night taxi rides can get expensive if you stay far from the city center. Reasonably priced rooms can be found at one of the Toyoko Inn Hotels. The chain has several hotels in Osaka and across Japan. They have an English language website at www.toyoko-inn.com/eng from where availability checks and booking can be made.
More Information
Learn more about the Umeda Sky Building at www.skybldg.co.jp
Find out prices, schedules and access information for Universal Studios Japan at www.usj.co.jp or phone +81 (0)6-4790-7000
See what’s happening at Osaka’s aquarium by visiting www.kaiyukan.com
View all Osaka images at Alamy.com
