Osaka, a city located in the center of Japan. Not only is Osaka an economic center where the world’s leading corporations have converged, but is also a lively and buzzing city where one can enjoy various urban scenes and entertainment throughout the year.

Source: Osaka Prefectural Government website

More than four hundred years have passed since the castle was originally built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The current stone walls, turrets, gates, and other old structures date back to the Edo period. The Main Tower, reconstructed in 1931, has become a symbol of Osaka. With seasonal flowers such as cherry and plum blossoms, the park attracts many people who come to relax.

The third and current Osaka Prefectural Government buiding was constructed in 1926. It is the oldest government building presently used in Japan. With imposing marble pillars and a chandelier, the lobby is popularly used for on-location filming of movies and TV dramas.

The theater is used primarily to stage bunraku puppet theater, which is designated as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. The vicinity is also deeply connected with bunraku, being home to Kozu Shrine, a setting in the famous play Natsumatsuri Naniwa Kagami, and the grave site of Uemura Bunrakuken, the originator of bunraku.

Lined with many office buildings, the main street makes up the center of economic and cultural activities in Osaka. The name frequently comes up in popular songs. Approximately 900 ginkgo trees planted in 1937 form a green tunnel in spring and a golden one in autumn. The sidewalks are lined with bronze statues by famous sculptors from both Japan and abroad, offering a feast for the eyes.

The red brick structure completed in 1918 is surrounded by buildings featuring a myriad of modern and contemporary architectural styles such as the Osaka Prefectural Nakanoshima Library, the Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, and Osaka City Hall. The buildings blend in harmoniously with the river and trees in neighboring parks, attracting men and women of all ages as an urban oasis and captivating weekend painters and photographers with their scenic beauty.

Osaka City Hall is located in the Nakanoshima area, which is lined with historical buildings from the Taisho period, or early 20th century. The lobby is decorated with sculptures and stained glass from the former city hall building. The video information corner on the first floor offers free public viewings of a film called “Tourism in Invincible Osaka.” The well-known Miotsukushi Bell is located on the roof of the building.

The multi-purpose leisure complex contains a dome-shaped stadium that is home to the Orix Buffaloes, a professional Japanese baseball team.

The current tower, the second to be built, was completed in 1956 during the movie boom in Japan. Redevelopment in recent years has created a curious mixture of new and old in the area.

One of the largest international exhibition facilities in Japan, the complex is comprised of Buildings No. 1 through 6, which form three sides of a square.