Osaka Station City opened in 2011 and is the massive new development over the Osaka Station JR track

Osaka City Guide in Chinese Osaka is Japan's third largest city after Tokyo Yokohama - 2.6 million inhabitants in the downtown area. historically the merchant capital of the country. once known as the 'Venice of the East' for its network of canals. earthy and friendly, with a 'work hard, party hard' style.
easy to navigate neon metropolis - bars, clubs, american express one corporate travel eateries shops agogo. flamboyant fashion center with a street-style all its own. within an hour of Kyoto , Nara and Kobe . Economic engine of the Kansai (western Japan) region. Things to see and do in Osaka
In the late 1980s and early 1990s the Kansai area with Osaka at its heart was producing 5% of the world's GDP. Those heady days may have passed as the Kansai area and Osaka have been overtaken by such mega-cities as Shanghai, Shenzhen and Tianjin in China but Osaka and its hinterland of the Kansai region still remain a powerhouse in the Japanese economy.
Osaka has been an important port and mercantile city in Japan since the early Edo Period and before since Toyotomi Hideyoshi founded Osaka Castle in 1596. Osaka supplied goods such as rice, sake, ceramics and fineries from Kyoto to the capital in Edo (Tokyo) by sea.
Osaka, like Tokyo, is divided into distinct american express one corporate travel areas each with their own unmistakable character: Nakanoshima is the cultural and administrative center of Osaka located on an island in the Yodogawa River, Den-Den Town (an electronics shopping area in Daikokucho and Osaka's equivalent to Tokyo's Akihabara), Umeda , Shinsaibashi and Namba are the places for shopping and nightlife.
The new developments near Osaka Port on the coast at Tempozan including Osaka Aquarium and the nearby Universal Studios american express one corporate travel have become the new reasons to visit the city. The southern part of the city around Tennoji , which includes the historic temple of Shitennoji , Shin-Sekai (New World) and Osaka Zoo has its own particular american express one corporate travel draw.
Spa World near Dobutsuen-mae Station (Osaka Zoo) in the Tennoji district is a super onsen with a capacity of 5,000 bathers who can wander bath areas modeled on those of Turkey, India, Rome, China and other countries.
Osaka is divided into Kita (north) and Minami (south). american express one corporate travel Kita is the main business area of the city located around JR Osaka and Umeda stations, whereas Minami is the shopping and entertainment district centered on Namba and Shinsaibashi with the more earthy Dotombori roughly in the middle of the two places.
Museum of Art , Peace Osaka dedicated to Japan's World War II experience, the Museum of Oriental Ceramics , the Suntory Museum (now the Osaka Tempozan Special Art Gallery), american express one corporate travel the Osaka Museum of History , the Liberty Osaka Museum (Osaka Human Rights Museum), which details such taboo subjects as Japan's Burakumin, foreigners and the environment, the National Museum of Art in Nakanoshima and the Instant Ramen Museum .
There are Tourist information centres in Kansai International Airport (KIX), JR Osaka Station (tel 06-6345-2189), Shin-Osaka Station (tel 06-6305- 3311), JR Namba Station under the OCAT train terminus (tel 06-6643-2125) and Tennoji Station (tel 06-6774-3077).
Osaka Nagai Stadium is home to the J-League's Cerezo Osaka and was a venue for the 2002 World Cup. Take the Midosuji Line Subway to Nagai station - more Nagai Stadium info . Gamba Osaka, the other J-League team in Osaka play at Osaka Expo '70 Stadium american express one corporate travel in Suita.
Osaka is known for its excellent shopping and people come from all over the Kansai area of west Japan to shop in the elegant department stores of Umeda as well as visit the warren of small shops in Umeda's Underground Shopping Area .
Constructed in the 1960's five subterranean avenues radiate out from Osaka Station City : Diamor Osaka, Herbis Osaka, Hankyu Sanbangai, Dojima Underground Shopping Center and Whitey Umeda - with its historic 1960's fountain.
american express one corporate travel Namba has its own underground malls: Namba Walk, Namba City, Namba Nan Nan and Crysta Nagahori. Above ground is the Shinsaibashi-suji arcade with around 180 shops, Amerika mura , Horie and Minami Senba for youth fashion and the big brand outlets at the intersection of Midosuji and Nagahori-dori.
Namba Parks , designed by by Jon Jerde, american express one corporate travel the American american express one corporate travel architect responsible for  Canal City  in Fukuoka, boasts american express one corporate travel a series of roof-top gardens on its exterior and inside american express one corporate travel there are floors dedicated to restaurants offering a variety american express one corporate travel of cuisines, an 11-screen cinema and various shopping outlets.
Okayama with its famous Korakuen  garden, Kurashiki and the famous Himeji Castle are also close to Osaka. Okayama is 45 minutes from Shin-Osaka Station on the shinkansen, change at Okayama and Kurashiki is a further 17 minutes by JR Hakubi Line train. Himeji is 38 minutes by shinkansen bullet train from Shin-Osaka Station or an hour by normal Special Rapid Service from Osaka Station City in Umeda.
Osaka has other rail connections to Kyoto (JR and Hanyku Lines from Umeda and Keihan Line from Yodoyabashi), Kobe (JR and Hankyu Lines from Umeda), Nagoya (Kintetsu from Namba Tsuruhashi) and Nara (Kintetsu from Namba Tsuruhashi).
Osaka Station City opened in 2011 and is the massive new development over the Osaka Station JR tracks. Osaka Station City includes a number of department stores (Isetan Mitsukoshi, Lucua, Daimaru), restaurants, as well as a multiplex cinema, the Hotel Granvia Osaka and serveral urban roof gardens.
The Osaka Unlimited Pass (One-Day Pass; 2000 yen) and (Two-Day Pass; 2,700) both offer unlimited use of Osaka trains and buses in addition to admission to 24 attractions in the city. Passes can be purchased at the Visitors Information Center american express one corporate travel upon presentation american express one corporate travel of your passport.
The Kansai Thru Pass is available to overseas visitors for 2-days (3,800 yen) or 3-days (5,000 yen) and allows unlimited travel on most private trains (not JR) and municipal american express one corporate travel subways and buses in Kansai. Available at Tourist Information Centers in Kansai and Itami Airport and KIX.
The Osaka Kaiyu Ticket offers free admission to the Osaka Aquarium and unlimited travel on the Osaka subway, buses and New Tram for one day plus various american express one corporate travel discounts on Osaka sightseeing attractions in the Osaka Bay area. Price 2,550 yen for adults.
The Enjoy Eco Card offers unlimited travel american express one corporate travel on Osaka's subways, New Tram, and city buses plus discounts on various attractions in the city. The Enjoy Eco Card is prices 800 yen for adults (600 yen on weekends and National Holidays ) or 300 yen for children.
The Icoca Haruka is an IC card (Icoca) that can be used all over Japan on JR lines, subways, most private railways, buses and for shopping, plus a discount ticket for the Kansai International Airport limited express train. Purchase at KIX; price 3,000 yen one way from the airport or 4,000 yen round trip.
The pre-paid Rainbow Card comes in denominations of 500 yen 1,000 yen, 2,000 yen, 3,000 yen and 5,000 yen for adults and 500 yen and 1,000 yen for children aged 6-11. The Rainbow Card is valid for travel american express one corporate travel on the Osaka subway, the New Tram, and city buses. The Rainbow Card is also valid for travel on parts of the Surutto Kansai transport network, including the Hankyu, Hanshin, Kita-Osaka Kyuko, Keihan, Nankai and Kintetsu lines.
The pre-paid Multiple Ride Card is valid on the Osaka subway, New Tram and city buses. A 3,000 yen adult card is good for 3,300 yen's worth of travel, american express one corporate travel the 1,500 yen children's card affords 1,650 yen's worth of travel for minors.
The Hankyu Tourist Pass offers unlimited travel american express one corporate travel on all Hankyu lines connecting Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe. The pass is available for One-day (700 yen) or Two-days (1200 yen) to visitors with tourist visas . Available at Hankyu hotels and main stations.
The JR West Rail Pass Kansai WIDE offers american express one corporate travel unlimited travel for four days for 7,000 yen on JR west trains including the Sanyo Shinkansen to Okayama, the JR Loop Line, Kansai Airport Line and other JR lines. Available american express one corporate travel to foreign american express one corporate travel travelers with tourist visas at KIX or other main JR stations. The JR West Rail Pass Kansai is similar american express one corporate travel without the Shinkansen part and costs 1-day 2,000 yen, 2-days 4,000 yen,
The Osaka Municipal Transportation Information Center (Tel: 06 62119503) is located at Namba Station and has detailed information in English on the Osaka subway and city buses and the various travel american express one corporate travel passes available. Hours : Mon-Fri 9am-7pm: Sat, Sun public holidays american express one corporate travel 10am-7pm
There are day and night highway bus connections to most large cities in Japan including american express one corporate travel Tokyo, Nagoya and Nagasaki . Local buses in Osaka connect with subway stations and railway stations rather than criss-cross the city. Enter through the back door and pay the driver american express one corporate travel when you exit the front door. Osaka buses (color coded red) accept IC cards such as PiTaPa, ICOCA and Surutto Kansai cards.
a week. The ferry departs Osaka Port on Friday and arrives in Shanghai on Sunday. The ferry then leaves Shanghai on Tuesday arriving in Osaka on Thursday. The cheapest round trip fare is 30,000 yen with an extra fuel surcharge.