Osaka: City of Water (The Venice of Japan)

An old transportation centre

The city stretches along Osaka Bay, intersected by rivers and canals. Osaka is known as the “City of Water”, and its abundance of waterways has enhanced its development and laid the infrastructure towards a prosperous society. Many of Osaka’s most famous sights are located along canals, rivers, or seashores, including the bustling Minami (Southern District), the headquarters of Dotenbori Street with its giant billboards, and a host of public facilities on Nakanoshima River Island. The water trench fortress surrounds the famous Osaka Castle, the bay area where Universal Studios Japan is based and the Osaka Aquarium, one of the largest public aquariums in the world.

Osaka’s connection with water goes back to its beginnings. The city is located on the alluvial deposits of the Yodo and Yamato rivers. These sediments, which accumulated over thousands of years, formed a small peninsula called the Omachi Plateau and produce many areas of sand known collectively as Naniwa Yusushima.

On the land of these sands, a harbour was built connecting a series of imperial capitals that were constructed from the sixth to the eighth centuries along the upper reaches of the Yamato River in present-day Nara Prefecture. (Naniwa), the name by which the region was known at the time, has blossomed into a metropolis only rivalled in its importance by major capitals over the years. It was the starting point for ships carrying Japanese missions during the two imperial periods of the Sui and Tang dynasties of China, and for nine years from 645 and 744, it was the capital of the Japanese Empire.

Although the name (Naniwa) itself was written in various letters throughout the ages, it has always been adopted with letters that bring to mind an area flooded with the flowing waters running beside the sea.

Osaka is a charming city, suitable for relaxation, famous for food, fun and nightlife, and it is also not without historical and cultural attractions.

Although Osaka has located a short distance from Tokyo when travelling on the Shinkansen high-speed train, it is completely different from the Japanese capital. Take the bullet train and drop off to an area full of fun nightlife, delicious food, and simple, welcoming locals. Osaka is also famous for its historical destinations, the most prominent of which is Osaka Castle, along with plenty of shopping centres and modern attractions. The castle is a great attraction to discover more about Japan’s history and wander around the charming surroundings, especially during the cherry blossom season in April when the sakura blossoms are in bloom and the weather is at its best.

The ancient temple (Sumiyoshi Taisha) still brings to mind the marine roots of the city. Where located within its corridors is a group of three sacred halls facing the west, extending towards the sea as a fleet of ships, each symbolizing either the gods of water or the protectors of the seas.

How to get there

To reach Shin-Osaka Station, you can depart from Tokyo on the Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen high-speed train; The journey takes about two and a half hours. From Shin-Osaka Station, transfer to the local JR line, then take a train to Osaka Station. From Kansai International Airport (KIX), take the Nankai Train or JR Train and head to Tennoji Station or Namba Station.

An economic and cultural centre

Since the fifteenth century, Naniwa has become known as Osaka. Its importance increased militarily and as a centre for transportation, and over the ages, leaders sought to control the region and the reins of affairs in it. In 1532, the Buddhist priest (Renyo) founded the fortified temple city (Ishiyama Honganji) there. After the temple complex was destroyed in a battle a half-century later, a prominent military commander (Toyotomi Hideyoshi) built Osaka Castle on the temple site in 1583.

In 1615, the military ruler of Tokugawa wrested the remaining power of the Toyotomi clan by winning their victory by blocking Osaka Castle before seizing control of the city. Then he set out to dig a network of waterways, which made Osaka a fortress city in every sense of the word. Engineers worked to strengthen the soft, moist soil, and turned trenches dug to drain water into channels to serve the transportation movement, and merchants and craftsmen moved to the city in large numbers, which effectively contributed to the development and prosperity that the city continues to witness to this day.

Osaka rapidly developed into a commercial centre and became known as “Japanese national cuisine” (a metaphor for the place in which commercial transactions are conducted). Markets around the city sold goods brought in via the Seto Inland Sea along with overseas merchandise from the booming Pacific trade. Osaka was also connected to the imperial capital, Kyoto, along the Yodo River, and was a major stop along with the newly built road network at the time.

Water storage warehouses in Osaka, which were under the control of the old feudal rulers, played a pivotal role in supporting the economic activities of the city. The river in Osaka was exchanged for money, and during monitoring the market price it was put up for trading when the opportunity was ripe, which allowed for the emergence of the idea of futures trading for the first time in the world in the Dojima rice trading and trading market that was established in the city of ( Dojimahama).

Osaka also became a centre of culture and the arts that flourished from the second half of the seventeenth century to the early eighteenth century. The increasing fortunes of the townspeople during the Edo period (1603-1868) allowed many residents to dedicate time to scholarships and appreciation of art, literature, theatre performances of kabuki art, and the traditional puppet theatre (Minggu jurors). The star of great writers of the period included (Ihara Saikako), born in Osaka, known for his novels depicting the lives of merchants and other locals, and the playwright (Chikamatsu Munzimun) who was very popular in the city. During this period, the Dotonbori district witnessed great development and turned into an entertainment district lined with theatres.

Industrial growth

In the mid-nineteenth century, early foreign arrivals to Osaka noticed its parallels with European cities such as Paris and Venice. With the modernity that Japan witnessed in the Meiji era (1868-1912) and the industrialization movement that flourished in the city, it was nicknamed “Manchester of the East” (similar to the English city of Manchester). The Meiji government built various facilities, such as the Osaka Mint House and the Osaka Armed Arsenal Factory, along the waterways, while private enterprises promoted the machinery industry and shipbuilding. The textile industry also grew, including spinning cotton, which made comparisons more specific to the British city.

Thanks to industrial development, the population of the city of Osaka has grown. This was helped by the influx of immigrants from Tokyo after the Great Kant earthquake in 1923. In 1925, the city listed 44 neighbouring towns and villages to provide new areas and lands for homes and various industries, which led to an increase in its geographical area to reach 181 square kilometres with a population It reaches 2.1 million people. For a while, it overtook Tokyo to become one of Asia’s largest commercial cities, occupying a strong place alongside New York, London, Paris and Berlin on the world stage.

During this period, improvements were made to infrastructures such as roads, railways, water supply facilities and sanitation services. The early twentieth century also saw the construction of important cultural facilities such as the central Osaka City Hall, the Osaka Science Museum, and the Tennoji Zoo, and the Osaka Castle Tower was rebuilt, which houses a museum on the history of the castle.

Osaka followed Western models to modernize facilities in Nakanoshima Park and its central wholesale markets. On Medusuji Main Street, the authorities buried electrical wires and installed streetlights to create an attractive appearance that matches international standards and designs, and added rows of ginkgo trees of Asian origin to show pride in being a major Asian city.

The city witnessed a cultural development in urban and modern terms, marked by the luxury shops along the streets such as (Shinsaibashi Sugi Street) and (Sakai Sugi Street), and the Western-style cafes were crowded with customers. Railroads extended to the suburbs to serve new residential areas inspired by British garden cities. Railroad companies also began to manage sports facilities, beaches, and parks. On weekdays, trains to transport workers to the heart of the city, and on weekends, the same locomotives transport families on recreational trips. Umeda and Nanba stations became centres of entertainment and shopping, as the terminal buildings housed multi-purpose stores in addition to cinemas and theatres near them.

Osaka remained an important port in Japan before the World War, and US automakers built factories in the port area, and sea routes filled back and forth movement of gigantic passenger ships, creating a link between the city and the Korean Peninsula, China and Southeast Asia.

the future vision for the 2025 Osaka International Fair

Central Osaka was reduced to rubble during World War II, but the city significantly recovered in the postwar period.

Entitled “Progress and Harmony of Mankind”, the Osaka International Exposition, which was held in 1970 at the foot of the hills in the Senri region to the north of Osaka, became a symbol of Japan’s period of growth and prosperity. It was the first international fair to be held on Asian soil, and it attracted about 64 million visitors. In 1990, it was followed by the International Exhibition of Gardens and Greening, which in turn encouraged the importance of vegetation and vegetation in urban areas.

Osaka has always been a cosmopolitan city throughout its history. It has grown and flourished as a transportation and trade centre and is fully aware of the strength of its relationships with the whole world. This strengthened her open attitudes among the city’s citizens and her willingness to accept different values and new forms of culture. Today, Osaka is a city rich in diversity with a tendency for residents to affirm and show interest in people with fresh ideas and seekers of exclusivity.

In 2018, Osaka was chosen again to host the 2025 International Exposition. This time, the location of the event will be on Yumishima Island, an area of reclaimed land in Osaka Bay. The exhibition will be under the slogan “Designing the Future Society for Our Lives”, with a focus on international cooperation and contribution to achieving the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations. Planners hope the exhibition will send a new message to the international community about the future.