Osaka — Gateway to Kansai & Street Food Capital

Osaka’s metro area of 17.5 million makes it Japan’s second-largest urban center, with a city population of 2.7 million that is 80% larger than #2 Kyoto’s 1.5 million. Renowned for casual street food like takoyaki and okonomiyaki, it draws 19 million annual visitors—more than #4 Hiroshima’s 8 million but less than #1 Tokyo’s estimated 50 million. Osaka Castle, built in 1583, and its role as a transportation hub to Kyoto, Kobe, and Nara cement its reputation as the Kansai gateway. The city’s GDP contributes significantly to the region, though its visitor numbers trail Kyoto’s 46 million by 59%.