Osaka, Japan

Osaka is well-known for its abundance of excellent restaurants, historic Osaka Castle and the performing arts of Kabuki and Bunraku. The city also boasts an impressive aquarium and superb Museum of Oriental Ceramics. The city's busy Namba and Umeda districts are renowned for their nightlife and the Dotonburi area is particularly lively after dark. Universal Studios Japan, a 140-acre theme park in Osaka, is enormously popular.

Osaka has often been described as ugly, however in an attempt to attract daytime visitors, waterfront developments are creating new attractions and improving Osaka's image as a port town.

Things to see and do

• Osaka Castle
• Bunraku (traditional puppet theatre) and kabuki theatre
• Universal Studios Japan
• Triangle Park
• Amerikamura ("America Village")

Genera lnformation

Cruise Season

Jan - Dec

Currency

Yen (Â¥)

Language

Japanese

Land Area

222.11 square kilometers

Population

2,629,252

Electricity

plug with two parallel flat blades Japanese-style

Time

GMT plus nine hours

International Country Telephone Code

+81

Port Location - The port of Osaka is located in the western part of the city, in the heart of the Kinki district of Japan.

Transport Links - Osaka's Kansai International Airport (KIX) is built on an entirely man-made island, the first of its kind. 50km (30mi) south of downtown Osaka. Osaka is also on the main shinkansen (bullet train) route through Japan. There's a ferry service between Shanghai and Osaka (Nanko International Ferry Terminal).

Trains are convenient for getting around, Osaka does have a bus network, which uses the same ticketing system as the subway. There's also a sightseeing bus or you can hire a bike or tour around the central district on foot.