Tokyo is the biggest metropolitan area in Japan, but with a population of 8.8 million people, Osaka is the second biggest, and the center of the Kansai area and Western Japan. In the urban districts of Umeda and Namba, there are many high-rise buildings and you can enjoy shopping and good food. At night, the beautifully illuminated cityscape and the picturesque banks of the Yodo River are bustling with people. If you come to Osaka, you can experience city life in all its richness.
About Osaka Prefecture
On the other hand, Osaka has been a center of politics and economy since early times, and a lot of traditional culture of that time is still alive. Osaka boasts historical places of interest like Osaka Castle, Sumiyoshi Taisha and Tekijuku, performance arts like bunraku (ningyōjōruri) and rakugo, food culture like okonomiyaki and takoyaki, and craftsmanship that date back to the days of the Silk Road. These are surely some of Osaka’s strong points.
Besides Osaka, there are many captivating cities in the Kansai area, like the old capital of Kyoto and the charming port town of Kobe. Kansai area has a closely woven network of railways, so these neighboring cities are easily accessible from Osaka. Moreover, you can travel across the country by shinkansen or express bus (Osaka–Tokyo takes two and a half hours by shinkansen).
As you can see, as the center of the captivating Kansai area, Osaka is a city where modernity and tradition live side by side. If you come to Osaka to study abroad, you can discover and experience various sides of Japan. Furthermore, deepening your understanding of the Kansai dialect and comedy culture is one of the true joys of living in Osaka. Come and enjoy the warm-heartedness of Osaka.