Osaka - Kita and Minami; 2 points of distinction in western Japan's largest city Map of the Kinki region Osaka has a population of approximately 2.65 million and is the third largest city in Japan with only Tokyo and Yokohama sporting larger populations. Osaka is today the largest city in western Japan and has come a long way from the castle town used by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Many rivers run through and around the city and thus the city has been given the title of "a city of water." The presence of water notwithstanding however, the city today has 2 distinctive 'centers.' In the north, the Kita area around Umeda and to the south of Kita, running along the north-south Mido-suji Street, the Minami area around Namba are always filled with crowds. Kita plays host to many modern shops and various shopping-cum-entertainment complexes while Minami contains both fashionable stores and shops selling local Osakan goods and dishes all wrapped up in a lively, bustling atmosphere. When you talk about Osaka, you can't forget to talk about the food culture of Japan's 3rd largest city and supporting the well known European image that portrays Osaka as the kitchen of Japan is the local saying that people in Osaka will eat themselves out of house and home; the result of the city being host to a wealth of inexpensive restaurants.

• To page top

Urabon-e Manto Kuyo Hoyo - Shitennoji Temple, Tennoji-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture - August 9th (Sat)-16th (Sat), 2008 This is a memorial candle service held for ancestors. About 10,000 candles with the ancestors' names are lit in the evening. Monks, while reading a sutra, stroll around inside the cathedral. http://www.shitennoji.or.jp/ (Japanese version only)

Nara Toukae - Nara Park, Nara City, Nara Prefecture - August 5th (Tue)-14th (Thurs), 2008: 7pm-9.45pm Nara Toukae is held annually at Nara Park. The park is surrounded by a number of World Heritage Sites and some venues are illuminated by more than 10,000 candles at the height of summer to create a fantastic atmosphere not felt in the daylight hours. Visitors can enjoy the scenery and can also light a candle themselves. http://www.toukae.jp/tokae_e/

Sumiyoshi Matsuri - Shumiyoshi Taisha Shrine, Shumiyoshi-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture - July 30th (Wed)-31st (Thurs), 2008 The Nagoshi-harai ritual held on the 31st is the focal point of this festival and sees scenes in which Nagoshime women and children, decked out in costumes of the Middle Ages go through the Chinowa (a large ring made of thatch) to purify themselves and wish for good health in what is aptly known as the Chinowa-kuguri event. Visitors, if interested are more than welcome to stop being onlookers and participate themselves. Following the parade of the portable shrine, the solemn Aranigono-ooharai ritual is held at Shukuin Tongu in Sakai City on August 1st. http://www.sumiyoshitaisha.net/ (Japanese version only)

Tenjin Matsuri Festival - Osaka Tenmangu Shrine, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture - July 24th (Thurs)-25th (Fri), 2008 The Tenjin Matsuri of Osaka's Tenmangu Shrine is one of the annual summer festivals of this shrine that is said to enshrine Sugawarano Michizane, god of learning. As one of the nation's three major festivals, alongside the Gion Matsuri in Kyoto and the Kanda Matsuri in Tokyo, it boasts a 1,000 years of history. Various rituals including Hokonagashi-shinji and Shishimai dancing are held on the 24th. The Rikutogo starts with Moyooshidaiko performances (in which a large drum is used) on the 25th and a procession involving two portable shrines follows the performance. The festival comes to a climax at Funatogyo, held on the local river and surrounded by bonfires as fireworks illuminate the night sky above. http://www.tenjinsan.com/ (Japanese version only)

• To page top