As Japan's biggest city and the capital of everything from politics to art, Tokyo seems to lead in all manners of modern life in Japan. But don't tell Osakans that no other city in Japan is as dynamic, cultured, lively and proud as Tokyo. Its relative isolation from the capital and a history as the commercial center in medieval times have bred a culture of its own. Osaka is like the second largest cities of many countries in the world.
People here are friendlier and less pretentious than in the more sophisticated and snobbish Tokyo.
The greatest vernacular enjoyment in Osaka, therefore, lies in food. Befitting its unpretentious culture, Osaka specializes in serving popular local dishes economically. The moment Osaka has been waiting for is about to arrive, when Universal Studios Japan, a near replica of its U.S. original, opens its gates on March 31. For nearly two decades, Tokyo basked in all the attention of having the park of the country, Tokyo Disneyland, while the proud Osaka, which harbors a strong sense of rivalry toward the capital, endured in disgrace. The new park has brought the construction of a new train station, roads and hotels, while signs all over the city blare the coming of the big spectacle.