In this article, I share eight of the most incredible fun facts about Osaka, based on my travels to the country. Osaka is the first place I ever traveled to alone. Armed with a guidebook, some recommendations from friends who had traveled to Japan, and a lower-intermediate knowledge of the language, I wandered the streets every day, relishing every second. I loved the bright signage adorning the sides of buildings, the colorful packaging of every exciting new snack at the convenience store and the shouts of “irasshaimase~!” (welcome) at every clothing shop I entered. I also loved the fact that Osaka is a safe city, which was very comforting to me at the age of 20.
If you ever visit Osaka, there are some places you should definitely check out: The Umeda Sky Building near Osaka Station is a striking sight to see and has a circular observation deck, allowing you to see the whole city! The Osaka Museum of History and the Osaka Science Museum, both of which are appreciated by locals and tourists alike. For the true history buff there’s Osaka Castle, which is an important historical site in central Osaka. When you want to go shopping there are plenty of shopping districts, department stores and shopping malls, including HEP FIVE which has its own rooftop Ferris wheel. Osaka City is located in Osaka Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. Osaka is Japan’s third-largest city by population, with 2.6 million residents. Tokyo is the most populous city and Yokohama is the second. Osaka is also one of Japan’s largest financial centres. Okay, now strap in for some interesting facts about Osaka. 8 Incredible Fun Facts About Osaka Osaka has a unique dialect Osaka is known in Japan as ‘The Nation’s Kitchen’ Osaka is home to the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan Universal Studios Japan is the third-most visited theme park in the world Osaka is known for its performing arts Osaka has one of the largest aquariums in the world Osaka Castle played a role in unifying Japan Osakans are very proud 1. Osaka has a unique dialect The Osaka dialect, known as Osaka-ben, is distinctly different from standard Japanese. This can make it difficult for Japanese learners to understand Osakans when they speak. Here are a few phrases in Osaka-ben: Standard Japanese Osaka-ben English Arigato Ookini Thank you Sumimasen Sunmahen I’m sorry Ikura desu ka? Nambo? How much? Wakarimasen Wakarahen I don’t know ii ee Good
2. Osaka is known in Japan as ‘The Nation’s Kitchen’ In Japan, Osaka is referred to as “The Nation’s Kitchen” thanks to its famously delicious food. A few of Osaka’s famous foods are: Takoyaki: Takoyaki is a fried ball-shaped snack filled with octopus. Okonomiyaki: Okonomiyaki is a kind of savory pancake that can have various different ingredients added to it. Kushikatsu: Kushikatsu is the name given to skewered meat or vegetables that have been deep fried. The Dotonbori neighborhood near Namba Station is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Osaka and it is a great place to try Osaka’s street food!
3. Osaka is home to the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan The oldest Buddhist temple in Japan is Osaka’s Shitennō-ji Temple. The temple was established in the 6th century and was the first officially-administered Buddhist temple in the country, making it an important cultural property. Extra fun fact about Shitennō-ji Temple: Prince Shotoku invited three Korean carpenters from the Baekje kingdom to complete the project. 4. Universal Studios Japan is the third-most visited theme park in the world Osaka’s Universal Studios Japan is the world’s third-most visited theme park, according to Statista. It’s not surprising when you consider the park’s thrilling rides and attractions based on famous movies. The top 10 is as follows: Magic Kingdom (Walt Disney World), USA – 17.72 million visitors Disneyland Anaheim, USA – 17.25 million visitors Universal Studios Japan – 16 million visitors Tokyo Disneyland, Japan – 15.1 million visitors Shanghai Disneyland, China – 14 million visitors Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, China – 12.52 million visitors Tokyo DisneySea, Japan – 12.4 million visitors Epcot (Walt Disney World), USA – 11.98 million visitors Disneyland Park, France – 10.4 million visitors Disney’s Hollywood Studios, USA – 10.3 million visitors Explore Student Travel Programs in Japan 5. Osaka is known for its performing arts Osaka is known for its performing arts. Here, you can see bunraku and manzai, which both originated in Osaka. Bunraku is a traditional puppet show involving a narrator, a musician and a puppeteer. Manzai is a form of stand-up comedy in which two comedians put on skits. Osaka also has a number of kabuki theaters, where you can see kabuki — a traditional form of Japanese theater involving dramatic performances and traditional dances. 6. Osaka has one of the largest aquariums in the world Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan is one of the largest aquariums in the world. The Osaka Aquarium contains 15 tanks focused on different areas of the Pacific Rim. It has a diverse range of sea animals across 620 species. This includes marine life like otters, sea lions, penguins, dolphins, whale sharks, rays and jellyfish. 7. Osaka Castle played a role in unifying Japan Osaka Castle was one of the highlights of my trip! Osaka Castle had a part in unifying Japan, showing its historical significance. It was constructed in the 16th century under the instruction of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, with the intention of it being used to unite the people of Japan. Using Osaka Castle as his base, Toyotomi brought an end to the wars being fought in the country. Today, Osaka Castle and the surrounding Osaka Castle Park are famous landmarks and popular tourist destinations. 8. Osakans are very proud Osakans are proud of their city, as well as the local people and culture. This is easy to see on Osaka Info, which describes Osaka as “the city with the friendliest and funniest people in Japan.” This local pride extends to baseball. You’ll find a lot of passionate fans of local teams, the Hanshin Tigers and Gamba Osaka.