Osaka, Japan - Cruise Line Fans: Cruise Forum, Reviews and Chat From Real Cruisers

PagodaSwan · 11-12-2005, 01:32 PM

The Tumulus Period ( ~ 709) Relations with China and the Korean peninsula grew and Naniwa-zu port was developed as an entryway into ancient Japan for visitors from the Asian continent. Naniwazu served as a base for the arrival and departure of foreign envoys. Various cultures and technology such as ceramics, forging, construction, engineering, and religion were brought in by the Chinese and Koreans and their knowledge spread out all over Japan.

Huge tombs, such as Emperor Nintoku's Imperial Mausoleum, appeared in this age around the Osaka plains and were the symbol of royal authority. Various civil engineering projects were actively carried out such as the excavation of Naniwa Horie canal, so that the Yamato River would flow south to the port, and the preparation of roads to Sakai and Yamato.

Huge warehouses were constructed and Osaka became more and more important as a commercial trading city based on Naniwazu.

Shitennoji Temple,
Built by Prince Shotoku.

Nara and Asuka Periods (710 ~ 793) Buddhism spread and Prince Shotoku constructed the Shitennoji Temple in A.D. 593. At that time, Naniwazu, the port from where Japanese envoys departed for the Asian continent to the courts of both the Sui and Tang Dynaties of China, became the largest base for international exchange.

In A.D. 645, Osaka was the stage for a great historical event, the “Taika-no-kaishin”. The Emperor Kotoku left Asuka, until then the traditional capital-city of Japan and moved the capital to “Naniwa Nagara Toyosaki-no-miya”, now modern-day Osaka, in order to oppose the huge pressure of the Sui and Tang Empires. He quickly consolidated power and built the first phase Palace of “Naniwa-no-miya”.

Though the capital eventually returned to Nara, the second phase Palace of “Naniwano-miya” served as a sub-capital and continued to play a role as a gateway for international exchange.

The Heian and Kamakura Periods (794 ~ 1333)

Kawachi Lake was gradually filled in and became a fertile plain in this period in history. Many faithfuls went on pilgrimages to Kumano starting from Temma Bridge and Watanabezu port on the southern shore of Kitahama.

According to the Buddhist belief that Paradise was in the west, many believers visited Shitennoji Temple to view the sun set into the sea from the western gate. The pilgrimage route from Watanabezu through Shitennoji Temple and Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine to Kumano was developed to attend to the needs of the throngs of believers traveling to and fro.

Rennyo
The Muromachi Period (1334 ~ 1573) Rennyo, a high-ranking priest in the 8th century, started to construct Ishiyama Gobo, which later became Ishiyama Honganji Temple. In 1496, Osaka Castle was erected on this site. The name “Osaka” was derived from the tip of the “Uemachi Daichi”.

After that, the area encompassing Gobo prospered as a temple town and the base of present day Osaka was born. Nobunaga Oda looked upon Uemachi Daichi as an area difficult to attack and had a fine view of the surrounding region and said, "Osaka is the best place in Japan". Because this area is blessed with water from the Yamato and Yodo rivers and has a long history of international exchange, it was believed that to control Uemachi Daichi was to control the rest of Japan and the world.

Hideyoshi Toyotomi
The Azuchi and Momoyama Periods (1574 ~ 1600)

Kennyo, the head priest of Ishiyama Honganji Temple in the 11th century, transferred control of the temple to Nobunaga Oda in 1580. Following in the steps of Nobunaga, Hideyoshi Toyotomi unified Japan from his base in Osaka and built Osaka Castle on the site of Ishiyama Honganji Temple.

The Higashi Yokobori river, Nishi Yokobori river, Awahori river, and other rivers were excavated to make Osaka a base for marine transportation. Many merchants came to Osaka to work in the cotton, oil, medicine, and metalworking industries. Also, overseas trading was emphasized as merchants from Osaka even visited far away ports in South East Asia.

Hideyoshi's castle town of Osaka, however, was burned to the ground in the Osaka Winter and Summer Battles of 1614 and 1615.

PagodaSwan · 11-12-2005, 01:33 PM

The Edo Period (1601 ~ 1867) Osaka was restored from the ashes of war into an economic hub and became known as the “Kitchen of Japan” during the Edo era.

Osaka became an important base for transportation where goods from all over Japan were gathered and shipped. Osaka flourished as the largest economic city in Japan connected with international trading. The price in the Dojima Rice Market was recognized as the standard price for the nation.

Popular arts were also blooming in addition to trading with cultural attractions such as the works of Saikaku Ihara, Akinari Ueda, and the Joruri Puppet shows accompanied by the narrative of Gidayu Takemoto, which was a big hit in combination with the script created by Monzaemon Chikamatsu.

Education also had great successes with the establishment of the Kaitokudo and Tekijuku schools. Nakamoto Tominaga, who studied at Kaitokudo, developed a unique school of philosophy concerning the principles of the world. He discovered many peculiar cultural patterns and had a profound effect on the world of thought at that time. Many citizen scholars, such as Banto Yamagata, who was known as a staunch rationalist, appeared one after the other on the social scene during this period.The Tekijuku, established by Koan Ogata, was a school for studying Western sciences and medicine. Its students included Keisuke Ootori and Yukichi Fukuzawa, active participants in the last days of the Tokugawa regime and the reform of the government. The Tekijuku was located near Doshomachi, the center of medical commerce in Japan, and many talented minds gathered in Osaka from all parts of the country to study sciences freely.

Many people gathered in Osaka, Japan’s kitchen, where merchandise were traded and literary arts, education, and science flourished. The arts and literature characteristic of the Edo period are alive and well today in Osaka.

Shinsekai Luna Park
Amusement park created on the site of the 5thNational Industrial Promotion Exposition in 1903.
From the Meiji to the Taisho Periods (1868 ~ 1926) After the Meiji Restoration, residencies for foreigners were established in Kawaguchi, an area that became the gateway of civilization. The economic policies of the new government, however, made finances and the currency stagnate resulting in the loss of the prosperity enjoyed until that time.

This caused Osaka to go through a transformation from a trade and financial economic base to rapid development as a mainly industrial region. At the end of the 19th century, so much smoke spewed from factory smokestacks into the sky that Osaka was then called the “smoky city”. The 20th century ushered in the era when Osaka would overwhelm the world market in the spinning industry. Osaka was nicknamed the “Manchester of the Orient”.

Osaka City Hall
From the Showa to the Heisei Periods (1927 ~ )

Osaka was restored as a modern commercial and industrial city, but the strict restrictions limiting consumption during World War II had greatly reduced the range of economic activity in the city. Continuous air raids by American bombers leveled some 27% of Osaka and many facilities were seriously damaged.

Restoring the city was a very difficult task indeed, but thanks to the generous efforts of our citizens and the vigorous promotion of city planning, life in Osaka became stable and economic activities exceeded the prewar level. With society and the economy having been changed profoundly after the war, Osaka recreated itself in the new age as the center of Western Japan.

Osaka has come to an age when it must again take its next leap forward as “a city of people contributing to the world” in accordance with the development of modernization and internationalization that has progressed for over a century.

PagodaSwan · 11-12-2005, 01:34 PM

Osaka History Highlights

Feel the History in the Full Bloom of Spring

The national unifier, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, loved viewing the cherry blossoms. During his life, he laid the foundation of the city that would come to be known as Osaka. Many towns, which emerged around the castle, kept the same names to date.
The gardens of Osaka Castle change from plum blossoms in early spring to cherry blossoms as the weather warms. Start your exploration of Osaka’s history at Uemachi Plateau, which is rich in greenery and flowers. Beginning at Uemachi, you are assured to experience the history of Osaka while enjoying the nice spring weather.

The Spirit of International Exchange Found in Osaka

In the 5th century, the oldest cosmopolitan city in Japan, Naniwa, was founded. By the 6th century, Buddhism was introduced in Japan and in 593, Prince Shotoku built Japan’s first state temple, ”Shitennoji,” on Uemachi Plateau. At that time, Naniwazu was the biggest port in Japan. Later, Japanese, Korean and Chinese nobles and high priests arrived and departed at Naniwazu. Gorgeous ships then crowded the harbor, setting the foundation for international exchange in Japan.

Osaka Leads Economic Distribution: From the Medieval to the Modern Period

Soon after Toyotomi Hideyoshi united the entire country and brought an end to the war, the towns surrounding Osaka Castle grew and Osaka entered the age of prosperity. Later, when Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Edo shogunate and the nation enjoyed stability, Osaka became the distribution center for staple domestic goods such as rice. Soon named “the nation’s kitchen,” Osaka saw tremendous progress.

Dojima Rice Market

During the Edo Period, the basis of the Japanese economy was the production and distribution of rice. Domestic food industries and related industries flourished. In 1730, trading in rice futures was conducted at Dojima Rice Market, resulting in the establishment of many kurayashiki (local agencies or business offices of the various Han’s). Wealthy merchants handled goods from all over Japan and circuit ships known as kitamaebune were used for distribution. The waterways were favored for transport and thus canals were built to facilitate trade. The townspeople formed a self-governing organization for building and maintaining canals and bridges. Since then, Osaka has been referred to variously as “the town of abundant water,” “the town with 808 bridges”, and “the town for townsmen.”

Townsmen and Merchants: Education for the Masses

The Osaka economy flourished and merchants became more powerful. Academic interests followed and soon educational facilities emphasizing business and economics were established. There are two particularly famous schools that were established collectively by merchants: “Kaitokudo” and “Tekijuku”. Education at these academies were sophisticated and offered a wide variety of studies - from Confucianism to mathematics, medical science, foreign languages (Dutch), and philosophy. The studies in astronomy surpassed those in Edo.

PagodaSwan · 11-12-2005, 01:34 PM

Meiji Restoration: Wave of the Modern Period Begins from the Ports

Eventually, power shifted from the Edo shogunate to the Meiji government. Osaka port officially opened in 1868, allowing modern industry and culture from foreign countries to enter Japan. In 1889, Osaka was designated as a city, and just nine years later, in 1898, the sewage system was completed. In 1903, the 5th National Industrial Exposition was held in Tennoji, gathering the technological and cultural elite in Osaka while displaying the best of Japan’s industry and arts. In that same year, the long awaited bridge, Osaka Chikko Daisambashi, was constructed. Osaka’s municipal tram also went into service connecting Chikko and Hanazonobashi, and Osaka dramatically developed as construction and industry moved inland and away from the port. Later, around 1910, the site of the Exposition was transformed into two parks, Tennoji Park and Shinsekai Luna Park. The original Tsutenkaku Tower was also constructed in the same area.

“Dai-Osaka” (Great Osaka)

The economic boom invited an active trade in stock. In response to the demand, Kitahama’s stockbroker, Einosuke Iwamoto donated funds for the construction of the Central Public Hall. Urban planning was implemented in an organized way in the city and by 1925, the city was the largest in Japan in terms of population and area, and the sixth largest in the world. The city thus earned the name Dai-Osaka, Great Osaka. The seventh mayor of the city, Hajime Seki, further developed urban planning, started the construction of Midosuji Boulevard in 1926, and began the construction of the subway in 1933. He built the foundation of today’s Osaka. The main tower of Osaka Castle, a symbol of the city, was also reconstructed with the donation from the citizens in 1931.

Restoration and Rapid Growth of Post-World War II

Although much of the city center was burnt to the ground during World War II, the public and private sectors came together to reconstruct the city and its industries, resulting in the high economic growth of the post – World War II era. Osaka originally had large corporations and a number of small/medium-sized enterprises. After the war, light industry and the field of home appliances and electronic products supported rapid economic growth via new and remarkable technologies, becoming a pillar of Osaka’s economy while also gaining international recognition for Osaka.

Urban Growth and Development

By 1962, Senri New Town, a residential area with a comfortable living environment, was developed in the north of Osaka. When Osaka hosted the Japan World Exposition in 1970 (Expo’70), the city came to life and the name Osaka once again gained worldwide fame. Osaka showcased its success in overcoming the challenges facing urbanization with a tree planting campaign and by formulating forward-looking environmental policies at the International Garden and Greenery Exposition (Expo’90) in 1990 at Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park. The park, a place of recreation and relaxation in an energetic urban context, is the centerpiece of Osaka as an international city. In 1994, Kansai International Airport opened and in 1995, Osaka hosted the APEC (Asia and Pacific Economic Cooperation) Meetings. Osaka is now taking its place on the world stage, gaining a prominent position as an attractive destination for visitors.

Fun-Filled City Attracting People from All Over the World

Development progressed on the artificial islands around the Osaka Bay Area, laying the groundwork for three unique waterfront areas, Sakishima, Maishima, and Yumeshima. Universal Studios Japan, a theme park featuring movies, opened in 2001 and is enjoyed not only by Osaka’s citizens but also by a great number of visitors from around the world.
In 2000, the Osaka International Convention Center, with a main hall seating 2,754 people, was completed. The 8th International Energy Forum, which brought participants from around the world to Osaka, was held there.
To create a pleasant urban environment featuring water as an attractive element in the city, various efforts are underway, including formulation of a plan to revive Osaka as a “Water Metropolis” and establishment of committees to study the regeneration of Osaka through the incorporation of flowers, greenery and lighting in combination with water.
The people of Osaka will continue to strive for a better and more attractive Osaka towards the future.

PagodaSwan · 11-12-2005, 01:35 PM

Osaka Culture Highlights

Traditional Culture

The Traditional Performing Arts of Osaka

During the Edo period, as Japan experienced a relatively calm time, various popular cultures flourished in the cities of Edo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Dancing and acting, as well as Noh and Kyogen for the samurai class, were appreciated as colorful entertainment. From these, a large number of masterpieces appeared that remain well known today.

Timeless Works and their Authors

Ihara Saikaku and Chikamatsu Monzaemon, who were both active in Osaka and wrote human dramas that touched many hearts, are often compared to Shakespeare as writers in modern literature.

Ihara Saikaku

Born in 1642, Ihara Saikaku was a contemporary of the haiku poet Matsuo Basho. He studied under Nishiyama Soin, who was the key person in Osaka’s haiku circles at that time. He began his career as a haiku poet, and held the record of writing as many as 20,000 haiku verses in one day. Later on, as a novelist, he wrote books, called Soshi, which focused on various topics that reflected the thoughts and wisdom of the people. His view of the world makes him a pioneer of modern literature.

Chikamatsu Monzaemon

Born in 1653, the Joruri writer Chikamatsu Monzaemon collaborated with Takemoto Gidayu and Takeda Izumo to build the foundation of the Bunraku (Joruri is the dramatic narration and shamisen accompaniment of the Bunraku puppet theater) and, indeed, his works are still widely appreciated today. Chikamatsu wrote many Joruri scripts both for jidaimono, reflecting on the aristocrat and the warrior society before the Edo period, and for sewamono, portraying the emotions of townsmen and tragic love stories. He also worked on kabuki scripts that are still attracting many people in film and stage.

Noh: Transcending the Subtle Beauty of Yugen

A discussion of traditional Japanese performing arts cannot be complete without first mentioning Noh. The precursors of Noh were in Sarugaku (mimicking performance), drawing from Chinese theater, which developed into Noh during the Muromachi Period. The plays and methods of presentation were polished and improved by Kanami and his son Zeami between the middle of 13th and the 14th centuries. Noh expresses the fantastic world and its dramatic performances hold the highest position in Japanese traditional performing arts. Kyogen, performed between Noh performances, is dialogue comedy and are also popular today.

Enjoying Traditional Performing Arts Today, Bunraku can be enjoyed at the National Bunraku Theatre in Nippombashi, and Kabuki can be viewed at Shochikuza Theater in Dotombori. Noh and Kyogen can be seen at the Osaka Nogaku Kaikan in Nakazakinishi in Umeda and at Otsuki Seiinkai Nogakudo on Uemachisuji. From spring to autumn, outdoor Takigi Noh performances by bonfire light can be enjoyed at various places throughout the city.

PagodaSwan · 11-12-2005, 01:36 PM

Modern culture

The Rise of Modern Education In the latter half of the 17th century, Shimokobe Nagaru and Keichu started “Wagaku,” the study of Japanese classics. Goi Jiken, who studied Wagaku in the Shimokobe style, also studied medical science and “Rangaku,“ the study of Dutch or Western Sciences through Dutch. His son, Goi Ranshu, solidified the foundation for private educational facilities. In the city of Osaka, five wealthy men known as the Godoshi funded the school “Kaitokudo”. Miyake Sekian was the first president and Goi Ranshu was the professor. Many outstanding scholars graduated from Kaitokudo, including Nakai Shuan, who studied with Sekian and later became the school’s second president. Shuan’s sons Chikuzan and Riken, and a gifted scholar, Tominaga Nakamoto, also graduated from Kaitokudo. In 1726, Kaitokudo was recognized as a public educational facility, a monument to which can be found today in Yodoyabashi.

Osaka’s Academic Spirit

With the repeated success of research conducted by Kaitokudo graduates, “Yogaku” or Western studies became popular by the end of the 18th century. Takahashi Yoshitomi, Hazama Shigetomi, and Asada Goryu, who excelled in astronomy, all had excellent academic careers in Western studies. In the early 1800s, Yamagata Banto, who studied Confucianism as well as astronomy and invented a calendar. is renowned for subscribing to a heliocentric theory and the existence of a universe other than our own based on thorough, rational scientific principle. Every year, Osaka Prefecture awards a non-Japanese scholar who introduces Japanese culture to the world with the Yamagata Banto Prize.
In 1838, Ogata Koan established another private school, “Tekijuku,” focusing on medical science, Rangaku and astronomy. Among the Tekijuku graduates is Fukuzawa Yukichi, who played an active role in the Meiji government. The spirit of medical research that was conducted at Tekijuku then is well alive today at the medical department of Osaka University and the pharmaceutical companies in the Doshomachi area. Some parts of the original Tekijuku building can be visited today in Kitahama.

Modern Architecture: Also Treasure of Osaka Kitahama, where Tekijuku was located, as well as the Yodoyabashi and Hommachi areas where wealthy merchants worked, are known to be a treasure trove of modern architecture. The Bank of Japan’s Osaka Branch (1903), Nakanoshima Library (1904), Osaka Central Public Hall (1918), Osaka Club (1924), Aijitsu Elementary School (1929) and the Japan Cotton Industry Building (1931), stand prominently, bringing us all a taste of the glorious days of the past.

Present Day Culture

Osakans Active Worldwide

From child prodigy to genius: Much talent is found in Osaka

Osaka has made tremendous achievements in music. There was Koichi Kishi, who studied under Wilhelm Furtwängler before World War II, and then conducted the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. At the height of his worldwide fame, Kishi died of illness at the young age of 28. Maestro Takashi Asahina, who founded and conducted the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra, had an illustrious career and passed away at the age of 93. Other musicians of note include Midori Goto, who studied at Julliard School in New York, and debuted at the age of 10, and Tomomi Nishimoto, the female conductor who is now in the midst of a highly successful career. There is also Eiji Ohue, who brought fame to the Minnesota Orchestra as its music director. Osaka’s classical music scene has various talents who command center stage both nationally and internationally.

PagodaSwan · 11-12-2005, 01:37 PM

The World’s Top Artists

In fine arts, Yuzo Saeki is acclaimed for his portrayal of scenes from pre-war Paris. The contemporary artist Yasumasa Morimura, famous for making appearances in his own artistic works, is known for his unique touch. The talents of Osakan artists vary from the traditional to the progressive. In architecture, the self-taught Tadao Ando is regarded as being at the forefront of the architectural world. In the field of fashion, the three Koshino sisters, Hiroko, Junko, and Michiko, whose mother was also a designer, support the Osaka Collection and the vitality of Osaka’s fashion scene, and are all esteemed for their work.
In sports we can site Kenichi Horie, who sailed across the Atlantic alone on numerous occasions; Hideo Nomo of the American Major Leagues; Junichi Inamoto, a soccer player now in Britain; and marathon runner Naoko Takahashi, who are all Osakans for whom the world is a stage.
Amusement is Osaka’s Specialty Currently, movies can be considered to be the most popular form of entertainment. The first film showing in Japan was at Namba’s Nangai Kaikan Theater in Osaka, which continues to show films today. In the busy streets of Kita (Umeda area) and Minami (Namba area), many people, both young and old, crowd the movie theatres.
Osamu Tezuka, known for his cartoon “Tetsuwan Atom”, or “Astro Boy”, was a medical student in Osaka. April 7, 2003, marks the birthday of Tetsuwan Atom.

Osaka’s Unique Shopping Areas

America-Mura(American Village)
This area grew as young people opened up stores catering to their taste for American fashion. It is now a mecca of young casual fashion. The town expands to the north of America-Mura, to Minami Semba, and to the west to Kita and Minami Horie.

A Town of High-Class Brands
The area around the intersection of Midosuji Boulevard and Nagahoridori is called Shinsaibashi, which in earlier days, used to have a real bridge over the river. Presently, the Nagahori area has been transformed into a gigantic underground shopping center, Crysta Nagahori, with a river running over the ceiling. The sidewalks are lined with old style streetlights that are reminiscent of past days. This area has a concentration of high-class brand shops. People of various ages are seen enjoying window-shopping along the wide sidewalks. Many restaurants and cafes offer a break to weary shoppers and make the Shinsaibashi area a wonderful place for a fun walk.

Unique Shopping Area
To the east of Namba is Sennichimae Doguyasuji (literally, the utensils street). Here, one can find numerous items for the professional cook. One off the appeals of this district is that you can find anything from knives to pots, tableware to signboards and interior goods. The various food samples made of wax are well known and popular, including miniature sushi – key holders.
Just south east of Doguyasuji is Nippombashi Den Den Town, a district specializing in the retail sale of electrical appliances. Here the determined shopper can find a variety of products, from home to electrical appliances, lights and batteries, and even the smallest screws.

Osaka: A Labyrinth of Shopping
In the vicinity of Umeda, there are different underground shopping areas such as Whity Umeda, Dojima Chika Center, Diamor, and Hankyu Sanbangai, all connected so as to form a large-scale underground shopping area. The older areas date back some 30 years.
In Shinsaibashi, Crysta Nagahori holds the premier floor space in Western Japan. In Namba, Namba Walk, Nan Nan Town, and Namba City have gained popularity as a fantastic underground shopping area tying train stations and shopping areas together.

PagodaSwan · 11-12-2005, 01:38 PM

Historical persons of Osaka

<Related Information>
Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine, Closely Connected with Hideyoshi
Toyotomi Hideyoshi Toyotomi Hideyoshi was the creator of what became the foundations of modern Osaka. Hideyoshi, who succeeded Oda Nobunaga upon his assassination at Honnoji Temple in Kyoto, built the vast and spectacular Osaka Castle. Construction, begun in 1583, took some three years to complete. Although national reunification under Hideyoshi lasted only 15 to 16 years, he laid the foundations of Japan's distribution economy by establishing a market in Osaka for dealing in materials from throughout the nation. The town established surrounding Osaka Castle eventually developed into Osaka, the city of commerce.

<Related Information>
The Yamagata Banto Prize YamagataBanto Banto Yamagata (1748 - 1821) is a world-class scholar who was born in Osaka.
More than two centuries ago, when Japan was under the feudal system of the Tokugawa Shogunate, Yamagata set forth an extraordinary theory of market economy, supported the heliocentric theory, and boldly developed his own cosmology based on belief that this universe comprises innumerable systems similar to the solar system. Denying superstition, he persisted in realistic and rational approaches.

Today, nearly two centuries after his death, his originality and rational approaches have won him high evaluation worldwide.
Born as the second son of a farmer, Banto Yamagata was adopted into a merchant family, where he developed his talent in business and revived the family business. Sendai Domain then asked him to help restore its finances, and he successfully did so.
Meanwhile, Yamagata studied Confucianism at Kaitokudo School, which was established and sustained by Osaka merchants; learned astronomy and calendar science from Goryu Asada; and developed his interest in Dutch studies (the only study of Western learning available at that time).
From the Kaitokudo School, Yamagata learned to "seek true knowledge and confirm it through experiments" and to "actively study Western medical and natural sciences," through which he tried to understand the essence of natural and cultural sciences. Although he lost his sight in his later years, Yamagata spent his last 19 years compiling his study results in "Yume-no-shiro (Instead of Dreams)," comprising twelve volumes.

BenK · 03-04-2009, 11:26 PM

Osaka is a beautiful place I heard I would like to go there. I have always dreamed of going somewhere on cruise so this will be a very good idea to go the Japan instead of anywhere.