From Wikitravel

If Tokyo is Japan's capital, Ōsaka (大阪) might be called its anti-capital. The central metropolis of the Kansai region and the capital of Osaka prefecture. Osaka is the largest of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto trio, and its inhabitants exhibit a friendly rivalry towards the Kanto region, from baseball, food, popular culture, even to which side they ride escalators (on the left in Tokyo, but on the right in Osaka).

Contents 1 Districts 2 Understand 3 Get in 3.1 By plane 3.2 By train 3.3 By car 3.4 By bus 3.4.1 Daytime buses from Tokyo 3.4.2 Nighttime buses from Tokyo 3.4.3 Premium nighttime buses from Tokyo 3.5 By boat 4 Get around 4.1 By subway 4.2 By train 5 See 6 Do 7 Learn 8 Work 9 Buy 10 Eat 11 Drink 11.1 Nightclubs 12 Sleep 12.1 Budget 12.2 Mid-range 12.3 Splurge 13 Contact 14 Stay safe 15 Get out

Districts

"Osaka" can mean either the larger Osaka prefecture (大阪府 Ōsaka-fu), covered in a separate guide, or central Osaka city (大阪市 Ōsaka-shi), the topic of this guide. The city is administratively divided into 24 wards (区 ku), but in common usage the following divisions are more important:

• Kita (キタ, "north") — the newer center of the city, corresponding to Kita ward (北区). Umeda (梅田) is the main terminal. Department Stores are around the Osaka Station of JR and the Umeda Stations of subway and private railways.
• Minami (ミナミ, "south") — the traditional commercial and cultural center, composed of the Chuo (中央区) and Naniwa（浪速区) wards. Namba (なんば, 難波) is the main railway station, and the surrounding area has the department store and showy shopping. Shinsaibashi (心斎橋) is the fashion area, which contains many upscale brand shops. Dōtonbori (道頓堀) is famous for food.
• Semba (船場) straddles the line between Kita and Minami, and contains the business districts of Yodoyabashi (淀屋橋), Kitahama (北浜) and Hommachi (本町).

Other important wards include:

• Tennōji (天王寺) — built around and named after the Shitennoji temple. Tennoji Park and Zoo.
• Kyōbashi (京橋) — northeast of Osaka Castle, home to Osaka Business Park (OBP).
• Shin-Osaka(新大阪) — Shin-Osaka Station (Shinkansen), Office buildings, Hotels

Understand

Although older than either Kyoto or Tokyo (it dates back to Nara times), Osaka is in some ways the Japanese counterpart to Chicago in the U.S., a centrally located hub of commerce and industry for the country as a whole. Whereas Chicago served as a central processing point for meat and grain, Osaka served as the collection and distribution point for rice, the most important measure of wealth during the Tokugawa era, while Edo (now Tokyo) served as the austere seat of military power and Kyoto remained the home of the Imperial court and its effete courtiers.

Osaka was where merchants made and lost fortunes and received repeated warnings from the shogunate to reduce their conspicuous consumption. During Meiji times, Osaka's fearless entrepreneurs took the lead in industrial development, making it the equivalent of Manchester in the U.K. To this day, while unappealing and gruff on the surface, Osaka remains Japan's best place to eat, drink and party, and Osakans still greet each other with mōkarimakka?, "are you making money?".

Get in

By plane

The main international gateway to Osaka is Kansai International Airport, covered in a separate article. Domestic flights, however, mostly arrive at Osaka International Airport, more commonly called Itami Airport (ITM). Itami is connected to the Osaka Monorail, but the monorail is expensive and traces an arc around the northern suburbs, so to get to the centre of the city you will need to transfer to a suburban Hankyu railway line. A more convenient option for most are the Airport Limousine Buses [1], which run frequently from Itami to various locations within Osaka and elsewhere in the region (including Kansai Airport), with fares starting around ¥500-600.

By train

Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen (新幹線） trains arrive at Shin-Osaka station, to the north of the city center. From Shin-Osaka, you can connect to the city center by using the Midosuji subway line, or connect to the local JR network for other destinations.

• From Tokyo, Nozomi (のぞみ) trains cover the one way ride in about 2 1/4 hours (¥14050); Hikari (ひかり) trains take about 3 hours (¥13750). With the Japan Rail Pass, there is no charge to take the Shinkansen if you use the Hikari service.
• From points west of Osaka, Nozomi trains run from Okayama (¥6060, 45 mins), Hiroshima (¥10150, 80 mins) and Hakata station in Fukuoka (¥14890, 2 1/4 hours). Japan Rail Pass holders can use the Hikari Rail Star (ひかりレールスター) service instead, which runs at a comparable speed to the Nozomi and makes a few more stops, but its trains are shorter (8 car trains, compared to 16 cars on the Nozomi).
• Slower Kodama (こだま) trains connect the rest of the stations on the Shinkansen route.

Several overnight trains make runs to and from the main Osaka Station. Of note are the Ginga (銀河) which runs daily to Tokyo, the Twilight Express (トワイライトエクスプレス) which runs into Hokkaido and terminates at Sapporo, and the Nihonkai (日本海) trains which run to Aomori in northern Tohoku.

During University holidays there are some additional overnight services to Matsuyama, Kochi and Fukuoka. As these are considered local services they can be very economical to use if you use a Seshun 18 Kippu - a 5 day pass for local services only.

There are many regional railway lines connecting Osaka to nearby cities:

• From Kyoto, JR offers fast, but slightly more expensive, shin-kaisoku (special rapid) trains to Osaka Station. The cheaper but slower alternative is the Hankyu Railway's limited express service. Both lines terminate in the Umeda area of Osaka. Keihan Railway offers Kyoto-Osaka trains. The Yodoyobashi terminal in Osaka does not connect directly with JR, but it is possible to transfer to the JR Osaka Loop Line at Kyobashi.

In Kyoto Keihan and Hankyu trains do not connect with JR Kyoto station but both travel to stations which are more convenient for reaching the centre of the city.

• From Kobe, JR again offers faster but more expensive service than Hankyu. The third choice is Hanshin Railway, which is even more expensive than JR and mainly useful for getting to Koshien Stadium to see Hanshin Tigers games. All three lines go to Umeda.
• From Nara, JR offers trains to Kyobashi, Tennoji, and Namba, and Kintetsu offers trains to Tennoji and Namba. Kintetsu station in Nara is much closer to Todaiji temple.
• From Nagoya, an alternative to the Shinkansen is Kintetsu's premium limited express service, the Urban Liner (アーバンライナー) which goes directly to Namba. Trip times are as little as two hours each way, with departures at 0 and 30 minutes past the hour at a cost of ¥4150. In comparison, the shinkansen takes just under an hour for ¥5670.

Stations with the same name but belonging to different railway companies are sometimes very far apart. For example the Nakatsu stations on the Hankyu and subway networks are about an hours walk from each other even though they look close on the railway map. Alow up to half an hour for walking between the various Umeda stations and about the same for the various Namba stations. In Kobe the Sannomiya stations belonging to JR and Hankyu are connected but Hanshin Sannomiya is some distance away.

By car

By bus

As Osaka is a major city, there are many daytime and overnight buses which run between Osaka and other locations throughout Japan, which can result in significant savings when compared to shinkansen fares.

The JR Bus Group (Japanese Website) is a major operator of the routes from the Tokyo area to Kansai. Buses operate via the Tomei Expressway (to/from Tokyo Station) or the Chuo Expressway (to/from Shinjuku Station). You can receive a discount of between 10 and 35 percent off the cost of the ticket if reservations are made at least 21 days in advance on most routes.

Other bus companies offer trips between Tokyo and Osaka, but it should be pointed out that seat reservations for JR Buses can be made in train stations at the same "Midori-no-Madoguchi" ticket windows used to reserve seats on trains. Moreover, the Japan Rail Pass is valid on all JR Buses running between Tokyo and Osaka.

From Tokyo, buses run to and from Osaka in approximately 8 1/2 hours. The following services are available: (Current as of July 2006)

Daytime buses from Tokyo

There are between six and eight daily departures on the Tomei Expressway in each direction. Buses from Tokyo Station depart at 7:10, 8:10, 9:10, 13:10 and 14:10. Return buses from Osaka Station depart hourly at 10 minutes past the hour from 6:10 to 9:10, and again at 14:10. There is also a 12:10 departure in either direction on Fridays, weekends and holidays.

Premium Buses, with added amenities described later in this article, depart from Tokyo and Osaka at 11:10 in either direction, with an additional 10:10 departure on Fridays, weekends and holidays.

There are two daily departures on the Chuo Expressway, departing at 9:40 and 11:40 in either direction.

The runs cost ¥6000 one-way and ¥10000 round-trip. Premium buses incur an additional surcharge of ¥300 in either direction for second floor seating and ¥1300 in either direction for first floor seating. All buses are double-level and make rest stops en route.

Nighttime buses from Tokyo

The nighttime bus service from Tokyo to Kansai is called Dream. This route name has several variants.

• The Dream Osaka is a bus that runs from Tokyo Station to Osaka Station via the Tomei Expressway. There are two nightly departures from Tokyo at 22:10 and 23:50, with a third departure at 23:30 on Fridays, weekends and holidays. Returning buses leave from Osaka Station at 22:10 (Fridays, weekends and holidays only), 23:00 and 23:50. One bus continues to/from JR Namba station, and starting in August of 2006, JR Tennoji station.

• The Ladies Dream Osaka is a special bus for women only, running from Tokyo Station to Osaka Station. The bus departs from Tokyo at 22:10, and departs from Osaka at 23:00.

• The New Dream Osaka runs from Shinjuku Station to Osaka Station via the Chuo Expressway. The bus departs from Shinjuku at 23:40, and departs from Osaka at 23:50.

• The Seishun Dream Osaka runs from Tokyo Station to Osaka Station and JR Namba Station via the Tomei Expressway. There is one nightly departure from Tokyo at 22:00, and one departure from JR Namba at 22:55 (leaving Osaka Station at 23:20). On Fridays, weekends and holidays, there is an additional departure in each direction, departing Tokyo at 23:00 and departing Namba at 21:55 (leaving Osaka Station at 22:20). One bus will be extended to/from JR Tennoji station as of August, 2006.

• The Seishun New Dream Osaka runs from Shinjuku Station to Osaka Station and JR Namba Station via the Chuo Expressway. It departs from Shinjuku at 22:10, with the return run leaving from Namba at 22:55 (Osaka Station at 23:20).

The ride costs ¥8610 one-way and ¥15190 round-trip, except for the Seishun buses, which cost only ¥5000 one-way and ¥9500 round-trip. The notable difference is that Seishun buses use four-across seating found in standard buses, while the others use more comfortable and wider three-across seating.

If you are absolutely sure that you can empty your bladder in advance, you can take advantage of the Super Seishun. This bus runs daily between Shinjuku and Osaka, departing at 21:40 in either direction. Meriting the cost of ¥4200 each way, seats are five-across: Four adult seats, and one child seat which is sold at half-price. Child seats are placed directly in the aisles (which means the aisles are blocked during travel) and there is no bathroom on board. If this does not sound like the best trip to you, go for the regular Seishun buses for ¥5000.

BUT, for the extremely brave, there's the newly-introduced Seishun Mega Dream service, now the cheapest route operating between the two cities. No more than 84 seats in a four-across seating configuration (2x2) with no recline are crammed into the double-level, four-axle bus, with a bathroom located on the first floor. As the service is new, it remains to be seen whether or not the public will have a high opinion of it. Buses leave Tokyo every night at 22:50, with the return service leaving Osaka at 22:40. On Fridays, weekends and holidays, there are additional buses departs Tokyo at 21:40 and Osaka at 22:00. The fare is cheaper if you book at least one day in advance, costing ¥4000 for departures on Fridays, weekends and holidays, and ¥3500 for departures on all other days. Purchasing a ticket on the day of departure costs ¥4300 in all instances.

Premium nighttime buses from Tokyo

Premium Buses have been recently introduced on the Tokyo to Osaka overnight route. These buses provide upgraded amenities including more plush recliners, more legroom, air filtration and toiletries.

• The Premium Dream departs Tokyo station daily at 23:20, with the return trip leaving from Osaka daily at 23:40. On Fridays, weekends and holidays, an extra round-trip operates, leaving Tokyo at 22:20 and Osaka at 22:50. The ride costs ¥8910 one-way and ¥15790 round-trip for second floor seating, which features FM radios at every seat. More expansive first floor seating (of which there is only four seats) incurs an additional ¥1000 surcharge each way... but you do get your own television.

• The Super New Dream runs from Shinjuku Station to Osaka Station. It departs at 23:10 in both directions and costs ¥8910 one-way, ¥15790 round-trip.

By boat

There are ferry services from Osaka to Busan (South Korea) three times a week and Shanghai (China) twice weekly.

Osaka International Ferry Terminal [2] is located at Nankō (南港) in the Osaka Bay Area. To reach the port, take the New Tram from Suminoe-koen station to Nankōguchi (南港口).

Get around

The convenient Kansai Thru Card can be used on just about anything that moves in Osaka (as well as the rest of the Kansai region), with the notable exception of JR trains.

By subway

Osaka has Japan's second-most extensive subway network after Tokyo, which makes the underground the natural way to get around. The Midosuji Line is Osaka's main artery, linking up the massive train stations and shopping complexes of Shin-Osaka, Umeda, Shinsaibashi, Namba and Tennoji.

The signage, ticketing and operation of the Osaka subway is identical to its larger counterpart in Tokyo, therefore it makes an ideal training ground for travellers new to Japan, or subways in general. However, Osaka subway is more expensive than Tokyo one.

By train

True to its name, the JR Osaka Loop Line (環状線 Kanjō-sen) runs in a loop around Osaka. It's not quite as convenient or heavily-used as Tokyo's Yamanote Line, but it stops in Umeda and Tennoji, and by Osaka Castle. Namba and Universal Studios Japan are connected to the Loop Line by short spurs.

See

• Osaka Castle (大阪城 Osaka-jō) [3]. Osaka's best known sight, although it's a concrete reconstruction that pales in comparison with, say, Himeji. Still, it's pretty enough from the outside, especially in the cherry blossom season when Osakans flock to the castle park to picnic and make merry. Open 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM daily, adult admission ¥600 (Children up to middle school free). Closed at the end and beginning of the year. The park can be accessed on a number of lines, but the castle is closest to Osaka-jo Koen station on the JR Osaka Loop Line.

• Umeda Sky Building (梅田スカイビル). 1-1-20 Oyodonaka, Kita-ku (10 min on foot from JR Osaka or Hankyu Umeda), [4]. Built in an attempt to upgrade Osaka's somewhat downbeat Kita district, the project wasn't quite the hoped-for commercial success but this bizarrely shaped 40-story, 173-meter building is still a city landmark. Take the escalator through midair to the rooftop observatory for an open-air view of Osaka, which is particularly impressive on a clear night. Observatory admission ¥700, open 10 AM to 10:30 PM daily (entry until 10 PM, varies by season).

• Osaka Expo Park in north Osaka, Suita. Has a memorial park of the Osaka '70 International Exposition, a Japanese Garden and the interesting Museum of Ethnology. The park is popular among Japanese people viewing hanami (cherry blossom) in spring and momiji (the color changing of maple leaves) in autumn. The landmark for this park is the Tower of Sun by famous Japanese sculptor Okamoto Taro. From here you can take a taxi to Tadao Ando's world famous Church of Light (Ibaraki Kasugaoka Kyokai Church).

• The National Bunraku Theater in Nippombashi [5] is one of the last places in the world where bunraku, a form of intricate puppet theater from the Edo period, can be seen live. The large puppets, which require three operators each, are accompanied by traditional music and narration, and act out great Japanese plays of the 1600s and 1700s. Transcripts in Japanese and synopses in English are provided.

• Sumiyoshi Taisha (住吉大社) is one of Japan's oldest Shinto shrines, with a history stretching back 1800 years. Its traditional architecture is unusual amongst Japan's shrines, and its parklike surroundings with the sacred bridge arching over a tranquil pond make it a restful break from the busy environment of Osaka. Best of all, it's free! Access is from the Nankai line station of the same name; local trains run from Namba station in central Osaka.

• Farmhouse Museum in Hattori Ryokuchi Park. An open air museum with 9 traditional Japanese farmhouses from various parts of Japan. 0930-1700. ¥410. Esaka underground station.

Do

• Universal Studios Japan, at Universal-City Station (JR Yumesaki Line, 10 min from Osaka), [6]. Japan's second-largest theme park after Tokyo Disneyland. One-day tickets for adults/children ¥5500/3700.

• Kaiyukan (Osakako, Chuo Line) [7] is one of the world's largest aquariums, with 11,000 tons of water and plenty of sharks, dolphins, otters, seals, and other creatures of the sea. On the weekend, musicians and street performers offer additional entertainment to people outside the aquarium. ¥2,000 for adults, ¥900 for children.

• Tenpozan Ferris Wheel, next to Kaiyukan. Open 10am to 10pm.

• Expoland, next to Osaka Expo Park. One of Osaka's large amusement parks. There are 3-4 roller coasters and a haunted house with human actors.

• Umeda Joypolis Sega, next to Umeda (Osaka) station. A very tall building with arcades and a Ferris wheel at the top. From 11am to 11pm; ¥500-¥600 attractions.

• Spa World Just near Tennoji Tower. Gender-separated European and Asian themed spas and saunas as well as a pool for the family with slides and fun. Open 24hrs. Watch out for the special ¥1000 deals. You can stay as long as you want (buy the slightly more expensive ticket).

• National Museum of Ethnology (Minpaku, 民博) (take the Osaka Monorail to Banpaku Kinen Koen) [8]. Open Th-Tu (closed W) 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. This superb, modern museum displays 12,000 artifacts (with 250,000 in its collection) on 9,000 square meters that stretch over 5 km in the Expo Memorial Park in Senri. Admission ¥420.

• Osaka Science Museum Big interactive activity center on several floors. Great for kids. Planetarium and cinema (with science films) downstairs. ¥600/300.

• Imax Osaka is home to the largest Imax screen in the world located in the Suntory Museum (next to Kaiyukan). English headphones are available for no extra cost. If you plan on going to Kaiyukan aquarium and Imax, you can purchase a discount ticket for both at either ticket office.

• Minoh Koen 箕面公園 (take the Hankyu Takarazuka line to Ishibashi and change to the Minoh line, then follow the signposts and hikers). Quiet, secluded, heavily wooded Minoh Park is a great place to get away from the concrete and bustle of the big city. Easy walking paths follow a burbling brook up to a waterfall. The park features cedars and momiji (Japanese red maple), and the local snack and souvenir specialty is small maple leaves slowly deep fried in batter. There's also a small insect museum. The park used to be a getaway for the well-to-do, and the Minoh line was among the first pieces of the Hankyu railway system. Minoh has a large run-down and expensive onsen (hot-spring) resort.

Learn

There are a number of Japanese language schools in and around Osaka.

Osaka has many universities, although its schools generally have less of an international reputation than those in Tokyo. Note that universities in Kyoto and Kobe are also close to Osaka.

• Kansai Foreign Language University (関西外国語大学 Kansai Gaikokugo Daigaku), better known as Kansai Gaidai, is located east of Osaka City and has exchange programs with a number of universities overseas.
• Kansai University (関西大学 Kansai Daigaku) in northern Osaka Prefecture.
• Osaka University (大阪大学 Osaka Daigaku) is the city's most prestigious university, dating back to the formation of the national university system in the late 1800s. It has two campuses in Suita and Toyonaka cities, north of Umeda.

Work

The occupation of most resident Americans, Europeans and Australians is teaching English (as is the case in most of Japan). In recent years, the economy in the Osaka region has been relatively stagnant compared to Tokyo's: although there are jobs in law, finance, accounting, engineering and other professional fields in Osaka, demand for foreign professionals tends to be much higher in Tokyo (as is pay).

Buy

• Osaka's most famous shopping district is Shinsaibashi (心斎橋), which offers a mix of huge department stores, high-end Western designer stores, and independent boutiques ranging from very cheap to very expensive. Within Shinsaibashi, the Amerika-mura (アメリカ村, often shortened to "Amemura") or "American Village" area is particularly popular among young people, and is often said to be the source of most youth fashion trends in Japan. The many shops in Umeda are also popular among trendy locals, particularly in the Hep Five and Hep Navio buildings adjacent to Hankyu Umeda Station, although these shops tend to be too expensive to captivate most tourists' interest. In this area, new shopping buildings have been constructed recently. For example, the“E-ma” buildings next to Hanshin department store, and “Nu-Chayamachi” (Nu 茶屋町), opened in October 2005 near Hankyu Umeda station.
• For electronics, the Nippombashi (日本橋) area southeast of Namba, and particularly the "Den-Den Town" shopping street, was once regarded as the Akihabara of western Japan; nowadays, most people from northern Osaka would rather shop at the new, enormous Yodobashi Camera in Umeda or BicCamera in Nanba, although Nippombashi still offers good deals on many gadgets.
• For Japanese and foreign books, try Kinokuniya in Hankyu Umeda Station, or Junkudo south of Osaka Station.
• If you are a fan of Shochu you can buy it in the Shochu Authority shop in Nanba Parks. Hundreds of Shochu from all over Japan in crazy bottles. There usually is a selection of bottles to taste from (help yourself). Also sells Shochu pottery and glass as well as traditional snacks.

Eat

In a nation of obsessive gourmands Osaka is known as an excellent place to eat, exemplified by the Osakan maxim kuidaore, "eat until you burst". The best place for this is Dōtonbori (道頓堀), a street that contains nearly nothing but one restaurant after another. Some of the more famous establishments here include:

• Kuidaore (食い倒れ), featuring a mechanical clown beating a drum, is one of the contenders for the title of the largest restaurant in the world. Each floor specializes in a type of food. Affordable, but more fun in a group.
• Kani Dōraku (かに道楽), easily identifiable by the giant mechanical crab waving its pincers about, specializes in crab. Good but moderately expensive.

While in Osaka, be sure to try Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き), fried cabbage cakes that some describe as a cross between a pancake, pizza, and omelette. Also try takoyaki (たこ焼き), bits of octopus inside fried dumplings. Okonomiyaki is best eaten in hole-in-the-wall restaurants; takoyaki is best eaten from street vendors' carts, which can be found all over the major districts around nightfall.

• Tsuruhashi Fūgetsu (鶴橋風月), Hankyu Building 29F (next to Hankyu Umeda station), [9]. Good okonomiyaki as well yakisoba, with extra toppings (egg, cheese, etc.), all for a cheap price of ¥700-800, plus English menu and a nice view overlooking Umeda. Perfect!

• Saizeria is a very cheap Italian eatery chain with many restaurants in Osaka. The food is simple but decent. Glass of wine ¥100. Typical meal ¥400. The cheaper dishes are actually better than the pricier ones.

Drink

Nightclubs

• Clube Joule[10] 2-11-30 Nishi-shinsaibashi, next to Sankaku (Triangle) Park in American Mura. Packed with trance lovers. An absolute must see in Osaka.
• Underlounge[11] 2-7-11 Nishi-shinsaibashi. House. The guest list is not very seriously maintained and saying 'Ken No Tomodachi' at the entrance should help getting a 500-1500¥ discount.

Sleep

Budget

The cheapest option is capsule hotels, found near the major train stations .

• Capsule Inn Osaka, 9-5 Doyamamachi, Kita-ku (in the Higashi-Hankyu shopping arcade off Umeda station). Tel. 06-6314-2100, Fax 06-6314-1281, [12]. This is Japan's first capsule hotel, designed by noted architect Kisho Kurokawa and opened in 1979. Still open for business, happy to accommodate foreigners with some semblance of a clue and a steal at ¥1600 for a night (or ¥3300 with entry to the spa).

Also, backpackers have recently begun to use economy hotels around Shin-Imamiya Station（Doubutsuen-mae Station). Room quality varies widely and prices vary from 800 yen to 3000+ yen.

• Hotel Chuo. 1-1-12 Taishi Nishinari-ku Osaka-shi.

Last but not least, Osaka has its fair share of love hotels.

• Hotel Adnis, Tennoji 5-5-15 (5 min from Kintetsu Uehonmachi stn), tel. +61-6-6761-0168, [13]. Love hotel with an S&M twist: check out rooms 303, done up like a commuter train, and room 501, the infamous Hello Kitty bondage room. Overnight stay from ¥6,500 (depending on room).

Mid-range

Typical Japanese business hotels are step up from a capsule and can be found everywhere. Examples include:

• Hotel Nankai Namba, 17-11 Namba-naka 1-chome, Naniwa-ku (Exit 5 from the Midosuji subway line, walk south, and turn right at the McDonald's), TEL 06-6649-1521 (namba@hotel-nankai.co.jp, FAX 06-6632-5061). This is a clean and well-run hotel convenient to transport: 20 minutes from Shin-Osaka, good access to Nara on the Kintetsu Line. Rooms have LAN access at no additional cost- some rooms with WiFi, so ask when making a reservation or checking in. 8,400 JPY-18,375 JPY (single-triple). http://www.hotel-nankai.co.jp/

• Hotel Reimeien, Osaka Ko station , Kaiyukan, TEL 06-6571-1746 . Reimeien is a family run hotel located only a few minutes away from the city center, Osaka . Several tourist attractions including the famous Universal Studios Japan, Japan`s biggest Aquarium, and the World`s 3 rd biggest Ferris Wheel are only 3min walk from our Hotel. 4,500 yen per person (including breakfast). Only 5 stops from the central Honmachi station, one of the best places to stay in Osaka. http://www.reimeien.com

• Park Hotel Rinkai, Near Honmachi Station (Exit 28 from the Yotsubashi subway line, walk east for 5 minutes.) TEL 06-6444-0809. A business hotel located in the center of the business district. Near Honmachi station offering access to 3 subway lines. Room prices are around 6000 JPY for a single and 10,000 for a twin. Unfortunately, most of the staff can't speak English. http://www.jin.ne.jp/park/

Splurge

• The Hotel New Otani Osaka 1-4-1 Shiromi, Chuo-ku [14].

• Hyatt Regency Osaka, 1-13-11 Nanko-Kita, Suminoe-Ku [15].

• Imperial Hotel, Osaka 8-50, Temmabashi 1-chome,Kita-ku [16]. At riverside.

• RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka, 5-3-68, Nakanoshima, Kita-ku [17]. Opened as the New Osaka Hotel in 1935, this landmark hotel proudly offers one of the best hotel services in town.

• The Ritz-Carlton Osaka, 2-5-25 Umeda, Kita-ku (just down the street from the Sakurabashi exit of Osaka Station, behind the Central Post Office) [18] Japan's only Ritz-Carlton, pending the 2007 opening of a high-rise monster in Tokyo's Roppongi. This particular outlet was voted the best hotel in Japan several times, and has become known as one of the city's swankiest dining and meeting points. Rates start around ¥30,000 a night and rise skyward from there.

• The Westin Osaka 1-1-20 Oyodo Naka, Kita-ku [19].

Contact

• Opti Café is a surprisingly cheap internet café in Umeda. ¥100/30min. Yodobashi Camera department store's groundfloor, next to Excelsior Café. You are requested to register for membership but it doesn't cost anything.

• Y-net Cafe, Labi 1 Namba GF, Nambanaka 2-11-35, Naniwa-ku. First hour of use is free and no registration needed.

Stay safe

Osaka has a dangerous reputation (by Japanese standards), but is still remarkably safe for a city of its size, and the overall level of crime is as low as in Tokyo or other Japanese cities. Unless you're dealing drugs you're unlikely to get involved with the local mafia, but some districts, particularly Shinsekai, may be a little dodgy at night.

Incidentally, despite the movie stereotype of gangsters speaking in Osakan dialect, the actual base of Japan's biggest yakuza families is neighboring Kobe — and the most gang violence occurs in Tokyo.

Get out

• Its location makes Osaka a perfect base for doing one-day trips to nearby cities like Kyoto (45 minutes), Kobe (30 minutes), Nara (1 hour) or Himeji (1 hour by train).

• The temples and lush greenery of Mount Koya, 90 minutes away by train, are an entirely different world and the perfect getaway when all the concrete starts to get to you.

• Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, the world's longest suspension bridge is located near Kobe, about 40 minutes away by train.

This is a usable article. It has information for getting in as well as some complete entries for restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!