Osaka
General Information
Osaka is Japan's third largest and second most important city, with 2.5 million inhabitants. It has been the main economic power of the Kansai region for many centuries.
Osaka was formerly known as Naniwa. Before the Nara Period the capital of Japan was moved with the reign of each new emperor, and Naniwa was once Japan's capital city; the first one ever known.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi built the famous Osaka in the 16th century. The city might have become Japan's capital were it not for Tokugawa Ieyasu, who terminated the Toyotomi lineage after Hideyoshi's death and moved his government to Edo (Tokyo).
Osaka is especially famous for its cuisine, which explains the nickname "nation's kitchen". For the best regional dishes, like sushi, Osaka is the place to be! The most important touristic attractions are the Osaka castle and the Osaka aquarium.
Images
Program
The progam below is still preliminary. The final program can found in the travelguide which will be handed out to the participants on the 11th of Februari at the meeting with BCE.
Sunday, March 13th
Umeda & Minami
Umeda is the main commercial and central business district in Osaka, best known as the city’s main northern railway terminal. During our visit we will also have a look at the Umeda Sky Building, which is the seventh-tallest building in Osaka City and a must see for its very futuristic look. Namba is the old center of trading of Osaka and houses the best restaurants and bars of Osaka. Just like Dotontori street, a street full of karaoke bars, pachinko halls and cheap restaurants, it is part of the southern district of Osaka (Minami).Sumo tournament
Today happens to be the first day of the grand sumo March tournament in Osaka and this can of course not pass without us dropping by.
Monday, March 14th
Excursion to Mitsubishi Electric
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation is a Japanese company that manufactures electrical and architectural equipment, and is a major worldwide producer of photovoltaic panels. It is one of the Mitsubishi Group core companies. Eco Changes is the Mitsubishi Electric Group’s commitment to continuously strive for a greener tomorrow through cuttingedge global environmental technologies and outstanding strength in manufacturing.
Tuesday, March 15th
Excursion to Otowa Denki
We will visit Otowa electric company that has specialized itself in lightning protection. Hopefully we will also get a view at their lightning technology center, where the nature of lightning is studied thoroughly.Excursion to Kansai Electric Power Company
The Kansai Electric Power Company, also known as Kanden is an electric utility with its operational area in Kansai region, Japan. The company is regarded as one of the leading companies in Kansai, as well as a leader of the Japanese electric power industry. We hope our visit will be just as interesting as the visit our predecessors had in 1992, when they visited this company during the EAST study-tour to Japan.
Wednesday, March 16th
Osaka Aquarium
The group will visit the Osaka Aquarium, where they will see a variety of sharks, rays and other fish. The Osaka aquarium is one of the largest public aquariums in the world and is one of three places on the globe where you can see whale sharks.
