Osaka
大阪
Osaka: The City Where Laughter Meets Compassion
Osaka is the city where laughter and deep human warmth (Ninjō) intersect.
Dōtonbori’s neon lights shimmer on the water, and the aroma of takoyaki (octopus balls) drifts on the wind. The kuidaore (eat-till-you-drop) culture is more than just gourmet food; it’s like a magic spell that shrinks the distance between people.
There is an atmosphere in Osaka where strangers quickly become fast friends, laughing together and shouting, “Nandeyanen!” (“Why is that?!”).
The history is rich, too. Osaka Castle tells the story of the Warring States period, while quiet prayers breathe at Shitennōji Temple and Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine.
In this city, which flourished as a merchant town, ingenuity and tenacity took root, and new cultures and businesses continue to be born.
The splendor of Shinsaibashi and the serenity of Tennoji. The futuristic skyline of Umeda and the nostalgia of the downtown areas. Osaka is like a polyhedron, possessing many different faces.
And above all, the people are warm.
There is compassion hidden within every joke, and a glance of genuine care even amid the rush of the day.
In Osaka, the “unspoken mutual support” that Japanese people have always cherished lives naturally within daily life.
It is a kindness conveyed without words—
the warmth of a heart that quietly offers a shoulder to lean on.
Osaka’s Ninjō is one form of the “supporting spirit” that underlies this entire country.
To experience that warmth is to feel a comforting sense of nostalgia.
Osaka is the city that reflects the gentleness of the Japanese spirit, accompanied by a laugh.