Japan is a fusion of the ultra-modern and the ancient, a country of temples and traditions as well as soaring skylines and futuristic bullet trains. Osaka is no exception. The iconic 16th-century Osaka Castle – the symbol of the city – with its famous five-layer donjon, which cascades down from its central tower, is set in 60,000 sq m of lawns with cherry blossom trees.
If offers a tranquil and contrasting haven from the busy, bustling, highly populated and exciting city, which visitors can view from the castle’s observation deck 50m above the ground. The panoramic view not only takes in the towering city but also the mountains and bay beyond.
Visitors, who can arrive by water bus, will be taken back in time and can try on a helmet, kosode or kimono (and have their picture taken), learn about the life of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, the 16th-century war load who was one of Japan’s great unifiers, and discover hundreds of years of history in the Main Tower, which houses 10,000 historical artefacts, from swords to screens.
While tourists will inevitably take home numerous pictures of the castle, any visitor to Osaka will also take home wonderful memories of the food.
Osaka’s nickname is tenka no daidokoro – or the nation’s kitchen. Although this originally referred to the fact that it was Japan’s rice trade hub in the Edo period, today it refers t the city’s reputation for delicious cuisine.
Okonomiyaki – which translates as ‘have it your way’ – is one of the city’s most famous dishes and is a bit like a pancake or pizza, which is then customized with your choice of meat, seafood or noodles.
Other Osaka must-eats include kitsune udon (thick noodle soup blanketed by fried tofu) and hakozushi, which is sushi pressed flat in a bamboo box.
Street food (which is taken to a whole new level in Osaka) includes takoyaki, which are ball-shaped octopus fritters. More daring diners should try tessa – sashimi made from the poisonous globefish – or fugu, which has to be prepared by certified chefs who leave just enough poison to numb the lips but not stop the heart.
There are plenty of modern attractions too, including Universal Studios Japan, the Umeda Sky Building, one of the world’s largest aquariums, the Tempozan Ferris wheel and the landmark Tsutenkaku Tower, as well as world-class shopping at the giant underground mall at Umeda.
The tenmangu Shrine, founded in the 10th century, is one of the most important of the hundreds of shrines across Japan that are devoted to the Shinto deity of scholarship.
The shrine is famous for its festival, Tenjin Matsuri, one of the three great festivals of Japan – and also arguably the world’s greatest boat festival – which is held annually in July. Some 3,000 people dress in imperial court style and march beside portable shrines before boarding 100 boats, which then sail upstream followed by fireworks. During the festival, visitors can also enjoy traditional Japanese performing arts such as kagura music and Bunraku puppet shows.
Even if you visit at other times of the year, the Tenmangu Shrine, which is dedicated to a famous Japanese scholar, is not to be missed as it is very much part of the cultural life of Osaka. It is where locals pray for academic success.
There are also secondary shrines in its precincts, where people pray to the deity of fertility, agriculture and industry. Marvel at the wooden carvings and statues of animals before leaving along the covered Tenjinbashi-suji Shopping Street, which claims to be the longest in Japan at more than two kilometres.
Then stop at an informal izakaya restaurant for a drink and some local food. Then you’ll really be immersed in the real Japan.