User:Mantokun/Improving Osaka city/Phase 1

Shopping and Culinary
Osaka has a vast number of shopping areas, ranging from malls to conventional type of shōtengai shopping arcades, both above and underground. Shōtengai are seen across Japan, but Osaka has the longest one in the country. The Tenjinbashi-suji arcade stretches from the road approaching the Temmangu shrine and continues for 2.6 km going north to south. The type of stores along the arcade includes commodities, clothing, and catering outlets.

Other shopping areas are Den Den Town, the electronic and manga/anime district, which is comparable to Akihabara; and the Umeda district, which has the Hankyu Sanbangai shopping mall and Yodobashi Camera, which is a huge electrical appliance store that offers a vast range of fashion stores, restaurants, and a Shonen Jump store.

Osaka is also known for its food, as supported by the saying "Dress (in kimonos) 'til you drop in Kyoto, eat 'til you drop in Osaka" (京の着倒れ、大阪の食い倒れ). Regional cuisine includes okonomiyaki (pan-fried batter cake), takoyaki (octopus dumplings), udon (a noodle dish), as well as the traditional battera (バッテラ) sushi.

Other shopping districts includes:
 * American Village (Amerika-mura or "Ame-mura") – fashion for young people
 * Dōtonbori – part of Namba district and considered heart of the city
 * Namba – main shopping, sightseeing, and restaurant area
 * Shinsaibashi – luxury goods and department stores
 * Umeda – theaters, boutiques, and department stores near the train station

Entertainment and perfoming arts
Osaka is home to the National Bunraku Theatre, where traditional puppet theatres, bunraku, are performed. At Osaka Shouchiku-za located close to Namba station, kabuki can be enjoyed as well as manzai. Also nearby is the Shin-kabuki-za, where enka concerts and Japanese dramas are on. Yoshimoto, a Japanese entertainment conglomarate operates two halls in the city, for mainzai and other comedy shows: the Namba Grand Kagetsu and the Kyōbashi Kagetsu halls. The Hanjō-tei is a newly opened theatre in 2006, dedicated to rakugo. The theatre is in the Temmangū area.

Umeda Arts Theater was newly opened in 2005, relocating from its former 46-years old Umeda Koma Theater. The theater has a main hall with 1,905 seats, and a smaller theater-drama hall with 898 seats. Umeda Arts Theatre stages various type of performances including musicals, music concerts, dramas, rakugo and others. The Symphony Hall, built in 1982, is the first hall in Japan designed specially for classical music concerts. The Hall was opened with a concert by the Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra, who is based in the city. Orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic and Vienna Philharmonic have played here during their world tours as well.

Other halls:
 * Festival Hall
 * Osaka Central Public Hall
 * Osaka-jō Hall
 * The Osaka Shiki Theater - Shiki Theatre Company.

Museum and galleries
See also: Museums in Osaka

The National Museum of Art (NMAO) is a subterranean Japanese art museum, housing mainly collections from the post-war era. Osaka Science Museum is in a five storied building next to the National Museum of Art, with a planetarium and an omnimax theatre. The Museum of Oriental Ceramics holds more than 2,000 pieces of Ceramics, from China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam, featuring displays of some of their Korean celadon under natural light. Osaka Municipal Museum of Art is located inside Tennōji park, housing over 8,000 pieces of Japanese and Chinese paintings and sculptures. The Osaka Museum of History is a museum opened in 2001, located in a thirteen-storied modern building providing a viewing spot over Osaka castle from inside. Its exhibits cover the history of Osaka from pre-history to present days. Osaka Museum of Natural History houses collection related to natural history and life.

Media
new

Sports
new except for lists of stadiums (list)

Temples, shrines and other historical sites
(Tourism) (list)

Parks and Amusement parks
(list)

"Entertainment" (Night Entertainment?)
-- As of Feb 19th

Osaka * 1 History o 1.1 Prehistory to the Kofun period o 1.2 Asuka and Nara periods o 1.3 Heian – Edo period o 1.4 Modern Osaka o 1.5 Derivation of name * 2 Geography o 2.1 Shopping districts o 2.2 Wards + 2.2.1 Climate * 3 Cityscape * 4 Demographics * 5 Economy o 5.1 Major companies based in Osaka o 5.2 Major factories and research institutes * 6 Transport o 6.1 Air o 6.2 Rail * 7 Culture o 7.1 Museums and galleries + 7.1.1 National museums + 7.1.2 Municipal museums + 7.1.3 Other museums o 7.2 Theatres and multi-purpose halls o 7.3 Culinary * 8 Places of interest o 8.1 Amusement parks o 8.2 Parks o 8.3 Temples, shrines, and other historical sites o 8.4 Sports stadiums o 8.5 Entertainment o 8.6 Shopping * 9 Education o 9.1 Libraries * 10 Sister cities * 11 Osaka in popular culture * 12 See also * 13 References * 14 External links

Gifu * 1 History o 1.1 Sengoku period o 1.2 Edo and Meiji periods o 1.3 World War II         o 1.4 Modern history * 2 Geography * 3 Demographics * 4 Local government * 5 Lifestyle * 6 Industry * 7 Tourism o 7.1 Cormorant fishing o 7.2 Museums o 7.3 Festivals and events o 7.4 Athletics o 7.5 Other attractions * 8 Historical areas o 8.1 Castles o 8.2 Major shrines o 8.3 Major temples * 9 Education * 10 Transportation * 11 Sister/friendship cities * 12 References * 13 External links

Seattle * 1 History o 1.1 Founding o 1.2 Timber town o 1.3 Gold Rush, war and Depression o 1.4 The post-war years: aircraft and software * 2 Geography o 2.1 Topography o 2.2 Climate o 2.3 Neighborhoods * 3 Cityscape o 3.1 Landmarks * 4 Culture o 4.1 Performing Arts o 4.2 Media o 4.3 Tourism o 4.4 Sports o 4.5 Outdoor activities * 5 Economy * 6 Demographics * 7 Government and politics * 8 Education * 9 Infrastructure o 9.1 Health systems o 9.2 Transportation o 9.3 Utilities * 10 See also * 11 Notes * 12 Bibliography * 13 Further reading * 14 External links

San Francisco * 1 History * 2 Geography o 2.1 Climate * 3 Cityscape o 3.1 Neighborhoods o 3.2 Beaches and parks * 4 Culture and contemporary life o 4.1 Entertainment and performing arts o 4.2 Museums o 4.3 Media o 4.4 Sports * 5 Economy * 6 Government * 7 Demographics * 8 Education o 8.1 Colleges and universities o 8.2 Primary and secondary schools * 9 Transportation o 9.1 Roads and highways o 9.2 Public transportation o 9.3 Airports o 9.4 Seaports * 10 See also * 11 Notes * 12 References * 13 Further reading * 14 External links

Boston * 1 History * 2 Geography o 2.1 Climate * 3 Demographics o 3.1 Dialect o 3.2 Crime * 4 Economy * 5 Culture * 6 Media * 7 Sports * 8 Government * 9 Education * 10 Healthcare and utilities * 11 Transportation * 12 Sister cities * 13 See also * 14 Notes * 15 References * 16 External links