Osaka

Osaka has prospered as a center of commerce since the sixteenth century. A variety of visual and performance arts also developed there, arts that were especially popular among merchants and other townspeople. One of the most famous of these is comedy. Osaka is the birthplace of manzai, a stand-up routine performed by a pair of comics. Osaka is also called the "water city" because of its many canals, and there are 790 bridges in the city.

World Cup Games to Be Held in Osaka
Nigeria vs. England (June 12)
Tunisia vs. Japan (June 14)
Quarterfinal (June 22)

Fun Facts About the Stadium
Nagai Stadium was originally built for track and field events but was refurbished in 1996 so that it could be used for soccer games. It is now the home stadium for the Cerezo Osaka professional soccer team. It was renovated in March 2002 to meet FIFA standards.

Famous Local Foods
Osaka is famous as a city where people spend a lot of money on eating and drinking. One dish that originated in Osaka and is now popular nationwide is takoyaki, dumplings containing pieces of octopus, as well as dried shrimp and chopped spring onions. The dumplings are grilled in round metal molds, which makes them ball-shaped when they are cooked.

Famous Sights
The symbol of the city is Osaka Castle, first built in 1583 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who unified Japan after the "warring country" period (1467-1568). It was rebuilt in 1931 and renovated in 1995-97 with the aim of restoring the magnificent gold-colored walls of the main tower and other parts of the castle to their original state. Osaka during Hideyoshi's reign was not only the country's political capital but also prospered as the center of commerce and culture. Only in Osaka is there a public museum devoted to the culture of comedy.

Festivals
Summers in Osaka are hot and muggy, partly due to the city's geography. Many festivals are held in the summertime, though, which all feature danjiri: large floats with wooden wheels carrying beautifully sculptured shrines. The floats are pulled around town by energetic young people, accompanied by music performed on flutes and percussion instruments. The sight of the danjiri hurtling through the streets is so exciting that both participants and spectators forget about the heat.

Osaka Castle, which dates from the sixteenth century. (Osaka Tourist Association)