The powerhouse centre of the Kansai metropolis, Osaka is both bustling and brash - proud of its good humour, cuisine and lack of pretensions.

Check out What to Eat in Osaka as the local cuisine is one of the city’s proudest assets. Osaka’s unofficial slogan is Kuidaore - ‘eat until you drop!’ Make sure to try takoyaki (octopus balls) and okonomiyaki (savoury pancakes).

Central Osaka is split into Kita (North) and Minami (South).

The Kita district, also known as Umeda, is based around the huge Osaka and Umeda station complex. It’s a busy business area, with plenty of shopping, dining, accommodation and entertainment. There are big department stores, arcades and a whole network of underground shopping malls.