Osaka

"And than there was Osaka."

- Pacific Rim

Osaka (Japanese: 大阪市) is a designated city in the Kansai region of Japan. It is the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and the largest component of the Keihanshin Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Japan and among the largest in the world with more than 31 million inhabitants. Osaka is the city for up-coming Rocker and Media talent. Most of the comedians popular today are from the Kansai area (Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto). The second biggest sprawl in Japan is the source of Japan's biggest cultural conflict, the Kansai-Kanto (Tokyo sprawl) conflict. While Kyoto is the "History City" and has very refined manners, they and the Osakans are similar to Americans. They say what's on their mind, and will haggle gleefully for the smallest amount. They despise the quiet, haughty Kant-jin. Kansai people tend to be brash, loud, joyful people, even in this day and age.

Tokyo people. since they must use tatamae, use their mind-reading skills (actually, Human Perception) to know what's going on. They dislike the Osakans, who talk everything out, and Tokyo-jin hate bargain; it's unstylish, and very prole. They do want things cheaply however, so Tokyo shops tend to be lower-priced to begin with, and discount shops get plenty of customers.

Osaka is the business capital of Kansai. Most Japanese corps that aren't HQed here have their secondary office here. This is also the Yakuza homeland. Everything goes in Osaka, and the many comedy clubs turn out popular 'Rockers. Osaka is full of the skyscrapers that Kyoto won't allow.

The Kansai International Airport, on an artificial island in the bay, is a major source of smuggling, as is the Osaka bay terminal. The guards here are extra careful, but like the Tokyo AeroSpace Port, there's just so much coming in, and so much Yakuza pressure, that a lot of contraband slips by. Also, much of the security that would be checking for smuggling is used to guard against angry residents who want to sleep at night.

One of the best places for shopping and night life is America Village (Amerika-mura) in South Osaka. This is a big gaijin area, and most "imported" goods can be found here.

History
The city of Osaka has its beginnings far in the past. The first signs of human life and habitation in the area around Osaka were buried skeletons that are dated back to the 5-6th century before Christ. During the Yayoi period, the city experienced an increase of population as the rice farming grew and the port became a greater point of trade. Because of a larger amount of bigger, richer tombs, scientists came to the conclusion that the city also was a centre for politic actions. In 645, Emperor Kōtoku built the Naniwa Nagara-Toyosaki Palace, making Naniwa – the former Name of Osaka by that time that today is still used for certain districts – the new capital of Japan. Shortly after another city became capital but Naniwa kept being a centre and connection for trade with near prefectures and countries like China and Korea.

In 1496, a Buddhist sect set its new headquarters in the strong and well fortified Ishiyama Hongan-ji temple. The government set up a siege for nearly ten years until the sect was driven out and the temple was destroyed. Instead to rebuild it, the famous Osaka Castle was built in its place. Throughout the years, Osaka grew to an economic centre and a major Japanese city. Besides economy and trade, it developed a rich art culture, bringing up ukiyo-e pictures and Kabuki theaters for example. In 1837, a samurai called Ōshio Heihachirō started a rebellion supported by the locals because the government refused to help the many poor families. It violently put the rebellion down and Ōshio committed suicide after his defeat. Thus, can be seen that even such a modern city had its problems with poverty, hunger and more. In 1888, then, Osaka was opened up for foreign trade which led to another increase of area and population.

During the 19th century, Osaka was expanded massively. The promising situation there brought in many immigrants from Korea. Since the politics were strong in the direction of industrialization and economy, the city continued to grow at fast speed and became one of the most modern cities in Japan. During the World War II, Osaka was hit several times by American air raids and suffered the destruction of wide urban areas. Since the war, the city is building itself up.

During the 21th century, Osaka expanded through the Fourth Corporate War which the city saw no loss from while the rest of the country struggled. During this time Osaka was a peaceful city with lots of new cyberware and breakthroughs being made. In 2045 Osaka became the third largest metropolis on Earth, Tokyo being number one.

CHUO-KU
The beating heart of downtown Osaka. It’s relatively clean and safe, and the gangs here are powerful, but subtle. Expect plenty of salarymen working in banks, telcos and the media, thriving restaurants and moderately expensive nightclubs. Drug dealers sell knock-off designer highs to the wannabe cool crowd.

FUKUSHIMA-KU
The deadly epicenter of the crumbling inner ring of Osaka. It encompasses the old train station complex at Umeda and its warren of tunnels and back alleyways. Life here is fast, short and cheap. Drunks and hooligans roam the streets, packs of local gang kids looking for a quick fix or an easy mark.

SHINSEKAI
The old pleasure district, filled with thundering Pachinko parlors and dim streets lined with the pale glow lights of the brothels. Rundown three-seat sake bars lurk in covered alleyways, and cheap cafes turn into garish karaoke bars at night. Pay-by-the-hour hotels are run by the owners behind bulletproof glass windows.

OSAKA-JO
The castle and its surroundings. The metropolitan police central office is here, as well as the national and military police headquarters for the region. It’s a fortress surrounded by swirling spotlights and buzzing AVs.

ASHIYA INDUSTRIAL ZONE
Ashiya was established in 1871 as a township in Hyōgo Prefecture. In the early 1900s, it was designated as an urban planning area. This led to the building of large single-family homes with tennis courts, swimming pools, and tea houses, etc. along the hills overlooking Osaka Bay. In 1945, the City of Ashiya prohibited the operation of pachinko parlors, gambling and entertainment facilities as well as small factories. Those laws still stand and there is no other municipal government with similar regulations in Japan.

YODOGAWA BRIDGE
A bridge reclaimed from the expressway by the homeless and the dangerous. It’s a limited space outside the law but with its own rules.

SAKAI CONTAINER MARKET
This is where shipping containers go to die, stacked up between rickety scaffolding and filled with everything you could think of for sale, from single screws to consignments of millions.

IKOMA AND SHIJI ARCOLOGY ZONES
These exclusive and well-protected districts are where tens of thousands of employees of the huge Japanese megacorporations, live, work, and play. Each archaeology is a totally self-contained city. Arasaka patrols can be seen here. The local Yakuza families also reside in this area.

Weather
Osaka is located in the humid subtropical climate zone (Köppen Cfa), with four distinct seasons. Its winters are generally mild, with January being the coldest month having an average high of 9.3 °C (49 °F). The city rarely sees snowfall during the winter. Spring in Osaka starts off mild, but ends up being hot and humid. It also tends to be Osaka's wettest season, with the tsuyu (梅雨 tsuyu, "plum rain") — the rainy season — occurring between early June (average:Jun.7) to late July (average:Jul.21). Summers are very hot and humid. In August, the hottest month, the average daily high temperature reaches 33.5 °C (92 °F), while average nighttime low temperatures typically hover around 25.5 °C (78 °F). Fall in Osaka sees a cooling trend, with the early part of the season resembling summer while the latter part of fall resembles winter. Precipitation is abundant, with winter being the driest season, while monthly rainfall peaks in June with the "tsuyu" rainy season, which typically ends in mid to late July. From late July through the end of August, summer's heat and humidity peaks, and rainfall decreases some. Osaka experiences a second rainy period in September and early October, when tropical weather systems, including tsunamis, coming from the south or southwest are possible.

Osaka Universal City
On Monday, 29 October 2020, Universal City Japan greeted its 100 millionth visitor since its opening in 2001. The crime in Osaka is very low and security in Universal City is not as tights as Disney City, security drones can be spotted around the park however the entrance is very light. It's a very popular destination for Americans to visit while in the city. There's an event that can be found for a limited time of Johnny Silverhand concert in holographic form.

Economy
The gross city product of Osaka in fiscal year 2045 was ¥31.3 trillion, an increase of 1.2% over the previous year. The figure accounts for about 55% of the total output in the Osaka Prefecture and 26.5% in the Kinki region. In 2045, commerce, services, and manufacturing have been the three major industries, accounting for 30%, 26%, and 11% of the total, respectively. The per capita income in the city was about ¥5.3 million, 10% higher than that of the Osaka Prefecture. Osaka ranks 14th among the world's leading cities and plays an important role in the global economy.

Asao Koremoh is the CEO of the regional Arasaka office.

Trivia

 * Osaka's nickname -- Tenka no Daidokoro (the nation's kitchen) -- originally referred to its Edo Period status as Japan's rice-trade hub. Nowadays, it refers to its reputation as a gourmand's paradise. And okonomiyaki is arguably Osaka's most famous dish. Somewhere between an omelette and a pancake, okonomiyaki is customized with a choice of meat, seafood or noodles to create an infinitely variable classic. Other Osaka staples include kitsune udon (thick noodle soup blanketed by fried tofu) and hakozushi (sushi pressed flat in a bamboo box; an edible tapestry). Osaka's quintessential street snack? Takoyaki -- ball-shaped octopus fritters. More adventurous diners may try tessa -- sashimi made from poisonous fugu, or globefish. Certified chefs are trained to leave just enough poison to numb the lips, not stop the heart.
 * The working-class district of Tsuruhashi is home to Osaka's Korea Town. The area clustered underneath the train tracks forms a labyrinth of Korean food and goods vendors. Find all things Korean here, from hats plastered with Korean pop idols to pungent vats of kimchi or Korean wedding gowns. Locals instantly know they've arrived in Tsuruhashi when the train door opens and in floods the glorious smell of yakiniku, Japanese-style Korean barbecue.
 * Osaka's reputation as a mercantile city goes even further back than its reign as the nation's kitchen; the port city has been Japan's commercial center for over a thousand years. So, what better way to Celebrate Osaka's economic prowess than by hitting its many excellent shopping districts. DenDen Town (also known as Nipponbashi) is electronics heaven, while luxury-brand boutiques can be found in Shinsaibashi and Midosuji. Amerikamura is a trendy spot for hip vintage wear, and massive shopping centers can be found in Tennoji and Namba. All fun and much less crowded than their Tokyo equivalents.
 * Osakans are renowned for being open, brash and, above all, funny (Osaka produces a good chunk of Japan's comedians). But they have a nutty streak, too. In 1985, Hanshin Tiger baseball fans tossed a KFC Colonel Sanders statue into the Dotonbori River, partly to celebrate winning the Japan Series and partly because they thought the statue resembled American Randy Bass, their star player. When the Tigers suffered a long losing streak following the drowning of the Colonel, the Legend of the Curse of the Colonel was born. Tigers fans took the curse so seriously, numerous attempts were made to recover the statue by divers and through dredging the river, before finally succeeding in 2009.

Reference

 * Pacific Rim Sourcebook
 * Nippon Sourcebook