Epicentre of the shambolic eyesore that is Minami, the pedestrian thoroughfare of Dotonbori and adjacent canal is the archetypal Osakan scene. The district is best visited at night, by the light of its neon signs: giant crabs with mechanical pincers,..

The extremely modern area around the port boasts many attractions, one of which is the Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan. An armada of uniformed hostesses greets you at the entrance of the aquarium, which is dedicated to the marine world of the Pacific. The co..

Founded in 1982, the Museum of Oriental Ceramics has one of the largest collections of ceramics in the world, with some 2 700 rare pieces exhibited in rotation. Note in particular the marvellous Song-dynasty celadons (960-1279) in the Chinese colle..

As you scan the Osaka skyline, the upturned roofs of Osaka Castle stand out against the backdrop of buildings. Yet everything about this attractive building is new. Nothing remains of the original castle as built by the Shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1..

Officially the entertainment district, visitors flock to Minami for its pleasure district attractions of blaring karaoke bars, fruit machines, pornography bookshops and saunas, which vie for attention against the backdrop of giant screens and neon li..

The puppets used in this traditional style of theatre, bunraku , differ from ours in terms of their large size, the sophistication of their costumes, and the expressive range of their faces, which have eloquent and carefully drawn features. The stor..

Designed by architect Ando Tadao, this impressive building made of glass, steel and plain concrete regularly hosts excellent painting and photography exhibitions. The Suntory Museum's permanent collection includes several thousand lithographs (Toulou..