Osaka

Osaka | Himeji | Kyoto | Nara

For years I had been convinced that Blade Runner was filmed in Osaka; I am now reliably informed that no part of the movie was filmed anywhere in Japan. Still you would never guess; it is like walking onto the movie set, particularly at night and when it is raining. Osaka is a monstrous concrete jungle with towering mirror-clad office blocks, multi-level expressways ploughing between buildings, over rivers...but the usual excellent food, cold beer, cool bars... Most non-Osaka Japanese will tell you that Osaka is all about money, and the greeting between two locals is an exchange concerning how much they have made that day. It is certainly an overwhelming hive of industry, though out in the suburbs, Ryokuchi Koen (Park) hosts another of Japan's outdoor museums of traditional buildings, brought together from throughout the region so allowing you to quickly get a flavour of vernacular architecture if your time is limited. Very beautiful and rather tranquil.

Osaka Images	Ryokuchi Koen	Umeda Sky Tower	Kansai airport

Osaka Castle	Osaka Station