Osaka, Japan Travel guide and tips

Osaka is located on the main island of Honshu, roughly in the center of Japan. Osaka City, which was incorporated in 1889, has a population of 2.6 million and an area of 221 square kilometers. Osaka Prefecture, which includes Osaka City (its capital) and 42 other municipalities, has a population of 8.8 million and a total land mass of about 1,890 square kilometers. Although Osaka is Japan's second smallest prefecture by size, its population represents 7% of the entire nation, making it the second most populous prefecture after Tokyo. Furthermore, 15.6% of all non-Japanese residents live in Osaka.

The greater Osaka Metropolitan Area covers a total of 7,800 square kilometers within a radius of 50 to 60 km from the center of Osaka. The population exceeds 17 million, making it one of the biggest metropolitan areas in the world.

Osaka represents 18.9% of Japan's gross domestic product, the second largest in Japan. The scale of Osaka City's economy alone exceeds that of Hong Kong and Thailand.