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Famous for its down-to-earth citizens and hearty cuisine, Osaka combines historical and cultural attractions with all the delights of a Japanese urban phenomenon. At night Osaka is live-wired with flashing neon, beckoning with promises of tako-yaki (fried octopus ball), good times and loads of beer. Osaka offers visitors a vibrant, almost spiritual experience. Many Japanese performing arts, such as Bunraku, Kabuki and Noh as well as the tea ceremony and ikebana (flower arrangement), originated in Osaka.

Warm or hot for much of the year, the climate in Osaka varies noticeably season to season. Winter temperatures hover around 10°C/50°F by day and only slightly above freezing at night. The summer weather brings highs of 35°C/95°F and a fairly humid and muggy climate, when any air conditioning is always a great relief.

The rainy season, locally known as ‘tsuyu’, occurs in June and July. The typhoon season falls between September and the beginning of October, when stormy weather at times can be predicted with reasonable accuracy. However, plenty of fine days can still be expected.

Osaka Pictures

Things to do in Osaka

Visitors of the Umeda Sky building have an unbridled, 360-degree view of Osaka. There is also a ’sky garden’ in the facility. Even if you cannot appreciate the height to which it soars (a whooping 170 meters!), the building is an architectural marvel from the outside as well. The “Ring of Fire” environments of the Pacific Ocean have been recreated in 14 separate exhibits and populated with over 35,000 specimens representing 380 species in the Osaka Aquarium. The aquarium is centered on a huge nine-meter-deep water tank, which represents the Pacific Ocean. The prime exhibit is a huge “vegetarian” whale-shark. A truly spectacular sight! Universal Studios Japan, or USJ, promises to be the Osaka rival of Tokyo Disneyland. USJ is the third movie-based theme park in the Universal Studios’ family and the first opened outside of the United States. You can experience live-action shows and amusement park rides inspired by some of the more popular Universal Studios’ films, including Jaws, Back to the Future and Terminator. The park also features a number of American-style restaurants centered on movie themes. Want something different? Check out the Wine Museum Osaka (a truly exquisite experience!) and the Hep Five Ferris Wheel (heights anyone?) from where you can see the whole of Osaka.

Nightlife in Osaka

Oh the choices you have to make! For the party-goers, bars, discotheques and lively restaurants are in abundance. For relaxation there are 16 different kinds of spas and open baths originating in 11 different countries. The place is a favorite among local residents and tourists alike. There are also swimming and bathing pools for both sexes and even some boarding accommodations. The most famous of the night spots is the Dotonbori area, a hectic neon jungle along the Dotonbori canal lined with food, drink and entertainment establishments and a giant moving crab billboard at its heart – a symbol of both the area and the city. Farther south towards Nankai Namba station is a maze of arcades buzzing with cafes, pachinko parlours, strip clubs and cinemas, while north of Dotombori, between Mido-Suji and Sakai-Suji, are the hostess bars, discos and clubs for later in the night. Towards the western end of Dotombori Canal and just to the south is the National Bunraku Theatre (puppet theatre), which was popularized in Osaka and where the traditional art form still captivates. If you can catch a performance while in Osaka it is an amazing experience.

Dining in Osaka

The Japanese have a special term that sums up the people of Osaka: ‘kuidaore,’ which means eat till you drop. This is good news for visitors. You name it, they’ve got it – whether it be a local specialty (for the more adventurous traveler) or something from one of the far off corners of the globe. Want to know what’s really great? You can dine on the tightest of budgets or splurge and spend a month’s salary on one meal. The choice is yours! Take this for instance – as soon as you enter the bustling labyrinth that is Dotombori, the heady aromas of Osakan cooking will arrest you, as hundreds of eateries, bars and theatres line the narrow corridors. Overall, the food is simply to die for but don’t give in to the temptation and “eat yourself bankrupt”.

Shopping in Osaka

Amerika-mura by day and Dotombori by night. These are the two busiest places that come highly recommended as shopping destinations in Osaka. Amerika-mura weekends have all the mayhem, color and noise of London’s Camden or New York’s East Village. Sit outside at a cafe, grab a coffee and watch the serious business of Osakan teens trying to out-groove one another (and don’t be surprised if you find real-life anime characters walking around).

Triangle Park is the catwalk at the centre of all the fuss, where the hordes meet to shop for the newest looks and eat the latest, most “in foods.” It’s great fun, so make sure you allow plenty of time to take it all in. The area around Dotombori Canal and Dotombori Arcade, where there is so much neon, noise, bells, whistles and greetings all strobing away, makes you feel like you’re inside of a pinball machine.

Osaka travel tips

• Passport/Visa Requirements: Citizens of Canada and the U.S. need passports but not visas. Reconfirm travel document requirements with your carrier before departure.
• Language: Japanese
• Time Zone: 9 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+9 GMT). Daylight Savings Time is not observed.