Osaka is Japan's third largest city, and it is the heart of the country's largest metropolitan region, which consists of Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto and has a population of around 20 million people.

Osaka, then known as Naniwa, was twice the imperial capital of Japan, in the seventh and eighth centuries, but only for short periods, and the city has throughout its history been more famous for its economic than its political power.

Osaka was historically Japan's commercial capital, and it is still a powerful business centre with a large working population. In fact, the city's population increases with more than a million, from 2.6 to 3.7 million during the day thanks to the vast number of commuters working in the city.

Located at the mouth of the Yodo River on Osaka Bay, Osaka has excellent sea, air and land communications and remains the economic powerhouse of the Kansai region.

While Osaka's history goes back well over 1,000 years, the city is today better known for its future-oriented cityscape, architecture and industry than for its past. A distinctly modern city with a skyscraper-studded skyline and vast underground shopping complexes, Osaka is busy, bustling, commercial, creative, energetic, versatile and friendly.

The city has two main centres, Kita to the north, which is the main business and retail district, and Minima to the south, which includes the main shopping, food and entertainment areas.

Osaka is just as busy after dark as during the daytime. The city's nightlife is legendary, with thousands of bars, restaurants and amusement venues. The most famous of the night spots is the Dotonbori area, a hectic neon jungle along the Dotonbori canal lined with food, drink and entertainment establishments and a giant moving crab billboard at its heart - a symbol of both the area and the city.

Osaka is regarded as the country's gourmet food capital, the culinary heart (or indeed belly) of Japan. It is the place to go whether you want top-notch kaiseki food or more hearty and generous fare like okonomiyaki, the local speciality.

Another local favourite is takoyaki, flavoursome dumplings made of batter and diced octopus. The motto that more than any other sums up Osaka and the mentality of its people is kuidaore, which quite simply means ‘Eat until you drop'.