Osaka

People in Osaka don't say konnichi-wa, they yell Mo kari makka? (Are you making any money?). Osaka became a merchant town at the end of the 16th century, when traders and businessmen were at the bottom of the feudal hierarchy. Denied the cultural pursuits of the aristocracy, Osaka impresarios spent their millions patronizing bunraku puppetry and kamigata kabuki into art forms. They spent even more on enhancing Osaka's reputation as the "kitchen of Japan," but always made sure they got their money's worth. Today Osaka is still a culinary mecca, and the city's notoriously forthright oba-chan (grandmothers) drive a hard bargain at the market.

Japan's second city in terms of industry, commerce, and technology, Osaka is known for its dynamic spirit, superb restaurants, and Bunraku puppet theater. It's not a window to Japan's past—go to Kyoto and Nara for that—but a storefront display of what moves the country today.

Anyone older than 70 in Japan remembers Osaka as an exotic maze of crisscrossing waterways that provided transportation for the booming merchant trade. All but a few of the canals and nearly all of the traditional wooden buildings were destroyed by the bombings of World War II. Architecturally, the city has leapt into the future with such buildings as the Imperial Hotel on the bank of the Yodo-gawa (Yodo River), the inverted U-shape of the Umeda Sky Building, and the enormous Ferris wheel on top of the HEP Five complex. The city is working hard to restore some of the beauty that was lost, with a strong movement for establishing green natural areas.

Osaka is still a merchant city, with many streets devoted to wholesale commerce. For example, medical and pharmaceutical companies congregate in Dosho-machi, and fireworks and toys are found in Matcha-machi-suji, which is also famous for shopping. Head to Umeda, Shin-Sai-bashi, or Namba for the greatest concentration of department stores, movie theaters, and restaurants. The city's nightlife is also legendary. Be sure to stroll through the Dotombori-dori area, beside Dotombori-gawa (Dotombori River), which has more nightclubs and bars per square foot than any other part of town. Although Osaka may not have many sights of historical interest, it's a good, central starting point for trips to Nara, Kyoto, Koya-san (Mt. Koya), and Kobe.

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