Though second smallest in size among the 47 prefectures of Japan, Osaka is the third most populated, with about 8.67 million people. Over a long swathe of land stretching from north to south, the Osaka Plains occupy the central part, with Osaka Bay to the west, Hokusetsu Mountains to the north, the Kongo-Ikoma Mountains to the east and the Izumi-Katsuragi Mountains to the south. This prefecture also enjoys a generally mild climate.

In the 7th century, Japan’s oldest capital Naniwanomiya was built in Osaka, enabling it to prosper as a major political and economic center. Later, the country’s political center moved to Nara, Kyoto and then Tokyo, but Osaka’s role as a major cultural and commercial gateway remained unchanged. In the 17th to 19th century, Osaka came to be known as the “nation’s kitchen,” leading the country’s economic development and nurturing its original culture and scholarship. Osaka is also the birthplace of the traditional Bunraku puppet theater.

Osaka is internationally known as a major economic center, boasting a gross regional product second highest in the country after that of Tokyo. It also attracts major global companies, and a high concentration of small and medium businesses with high levels of expertise. At present, bio-industrial projects and next-generation robot developments are particularly active. Kansai International Airport is also situated in Osaka Bay, and operates as a 24-hour offshore airport.

Osaka hosts numerous international conferences and large-scale international events, supported by the urban infrastructure composed of Universal Studios JapanTM, Osaka International Convention Center and INTEX Osaka, among others. It is also an ideal place to enjoy shopping, fine and casual dining, visits to museums and art galleries, and music and traditional performing arts.