"Notes on Osaka" Osaka by SfumatoPants

By population Osaka, and the Kansai (Kobe, Kyoto, Nara, Wakayama) region is about 2/3 that of the Greater Tokyo region. Osaka is the science and engineering center of Japan. Those electronic items most associated with Japanese technology are usually designed in Osaka. Panasonic, Sharp, Nintendo are just a few of the headquarters found here, as well as the Japan based headquarters for companies like Intel. Tokyo is the financial and political center of Japan and presents itself with a shiny veneer - Osaka is a little more worn in, it's a city that isn't self conscious, and likes to work hard and party hard.
You are more likely to see a smile here (or, on the other hand, expressions of annoyance), on a relaxed face, and genuine politeness rather than the forced mask hiding the stress you often find in Tokyo. This makes for a more "Japanese" experience for the tourist, if such a thing can be said.

First off, Osaka is all about food and drink. In a country of high standards Osaka stands out as the culinary capital. The restaurant scene is very competitive as locals are extremely opinionated about their food. A bad restaurant won't stay open for long. If you come here, you can enjoy all the things a big city offers, but you must eat. EAT and DRINK!
Westerners feel a kindred fascination with Tokyo since many of the elements from the city are drawn from Western culture. It makes the city feel comfortable, but somehow out of range.
Osaka has a historical and contemporary connection with Asia, having a large population of Korean and Chinese descendents (and huge numbers of tourist from both and across Asia). Other than the obvious ways this manifests itself on the culture, food and architecture, it lends Osaka a more comfortable attitude towards that which is non-Japanese. Tokyo often comes across as insecure, always needing to define what "Japanese" is, but Osaka seems to shrug of the debate - it's just cool about the whole thing.
The result of this is that there is relatively little English information about Osaka, available on the web, or in print. In many ways the city exists as a dark spot in the minds of Westerners, which is unfortunate since, as I have discovered having lived here now for about a year, it is more fun than Tokyo, and offers all the same amenities - and in the case of food (did I mention food?) - better.

A recent acquaintance of mine invited me to a brew pub at the station where they live recently. To my surprise I discovered that this station is the central hub in the Kansai area, providing easy and fast access to Kobe, Kyoto, Nara, Nanba, Itami airport, and Osaka Station. There is no other point that can serve so conveniently for all these destinations.

Amagasaki

Cheap, new, bright business hotel at the station:
http://www.hopinn.com/

...another:
http://www.hotel.gr.jp/index.php

One draw back is that the area is a sprawling suburban shopping mall. This makes it easy to shop, eat and drink, but it's not as much fun as being in a hotel in Shinsaibashi, for example. Kobe is only 15 minutes away as is Shinsaibashi. That said, if you want the most convenient location for hitting all the major tourist sites in Kansai, you can't beat Amagasaki.

Everyone goes to Kyoto, and so you should. Since much information is available on the subject I'll refrain from discussing it. Having once been the nations capital, Osaka offers some historical sights that go back beyond the 15th century. If you are one of those people that wanting to see Greek or Roman ruins, you go to Turkey, then Osaka has an extraordinary opportunity for you - Kofun, or burial mounds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kofun
http://muza-chan.net/japan/index.php/blog/japanese-giant-tombs

The Kofun are almost unknown even to many Japanese. This is surprising considering that they are on the same scale as the Pyramids in Egypt. If you prefer the ruins of Turkey, then the Kofun are a must visit.

If you are interested in design, Osaka is the headquarters of GRAF, the internationally award winning design house. Fantastic use of materials with an eco edge that doesn't need to make it's it's manufacturing method the message. Highly recommended even for the casual enthusiast, Graf sets trends not only in Japan but in European design as well.
www.graf-d3.com/

Osaka Castle is well worth a visit, a stroll around the park surrounding the castle on a hot day with a cold bottle of tea is a great way to relax after having been swallowed up by the masses of the city. Across the street from the Castle grounds, on the South West corner where the NHK building is, you will find the Osaka Museum of History.
www.mus-his.city.osaka.jp/english_iso-8859-1/index.html
I'm not a fan of museums. I've seen far to many over my years all over the world, so I have little patience for a bad one. The OMH is an example of how a museum can both entertain and enlighten. Open spaces, superior lighting, and a logical progression that cleverly leads you from one topic to the next, building on the overall experience.