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Osaka

Japan

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Crowded Shinsekai District and Tsutenkaku Tower at night.

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Overview

If Kyoto was the city of the courtly nobility and Tokyo the city of the samurai, then Osaka (大阪) was the city of the merchant class. Osakans take pride in shedding the conservatism found elsewhere in Japan, and this spirited city – Japan's third-largest – is a place where people are a bit brasher, and interactions are peppered with playful jabs.

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Japan’s Golden Route: Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto, and Fuji in 14 Days

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  1. 1Savor Uji matcha from the source during a traditional tea ceremony
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