Osaka is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan.
Osaka is known for its easygoing atmosphere and its hospitality towards non-natives.
Visitors often speak kindly of Osaka, and the general sentiment agrees that people in Osaka are entertaining, friendly, and easygoing.
In this article, I will offer some commentary on why Osaka is considered a very hospitable city for travellers.
Communication skills | Honed through commerce
Throughout Japanese history, Osaka came in to prominence as a commercial city, managing a great portion of finance and logistics out of the entire country.
All kinds of ships and boats from all around the country come and go through the Osaka ports everyday, bringing along all sorts of goods and people in and out of town. Because of this, people in Osaka generally aren't defensive from outsiders, and approach strangers as if they are friends.
Japanese people are often characterized as being shy, but people from Osaka are outgoing, not afraid of meeting new people, and many might be categorized as attention seekers.
If you are looking for communicating with local people, just looking for Japanese friends, or just seeking to have a fun time in a welcoming atmosphere, I'd suggest visiting Osaka.
"Konamon" | A global favorite
One big reason why Osaka is a favorite among visitors, is the food.
When the New York Times listed Osaka in their "52 Places to Go in 2017" feature, they wrote: "Osaka is the country’s insatiable appetite."
Okonomiyaki and takoyaki are some of the most well known dishes from Osaka that fall under the "konamon" genre (粉もん＝konamon lit. "flour things").
The main ingredient of "konamon" foods is flour, which may contribute to the fact that these foods are well received to Western people alike, since Westerners are already familiar with flour through its wide usage in foods like bread and pasta.
When I guided one of my friends from the West, I took them into a takoyaki place, and they were more than happy.
In addition to being tasty, konamon foods are known for its affordability, as they are priced very competitively in foodstands.
"Owarai" culture | Made to entertain
The entertaining & hospitable nature of Osaka stems from its famous "owarai" culture. ("Owarai" (お笑い lit. "to laugh") roughly translates to "comedy").
Osaka is known as the mecca of Japanese comedy. Many theaters are filled with comedians and fans, laughing along with manzai duos.
Osaka is the comedy center of Japan—many Osakans live and breathe comedy everyday.
People here have been regularly exposed to comedy from TVs and radios from a very young age, and the appetite to be entertained & to entertain has been passed on to many Osakan's daily lives.
No matter the language barriers, people in Osaka will be happy to talk or to assist a person, even by just using gestures. This type of outgoing personalities has built a reputation for Osaka as being hospitable.
Osakans speak "kansai-ben", a western regional dialect of Japanese. Words and phrases are a little different from the ones in Tokyo.
Osakans are proud of their heritage, and have pretty strict views on what kinds of people can use their direlect. However, they love it when foreignors use "o-kini", the kansei-ben version of "thank you", so try to remember using "o-kini" instead of "arigato" when you're in Osaka.
That should be a great conversation starter.
If you are visiting Osaka, learning one or two kansai-ben phrases can help you go a long way.
Have a great time in the hospitable city of Osaka!
As I have written in this article, people in Osaka are generally friendly and are easy to communicate.
Osaka is known for its comedy culture and many locals are happy to entertain anyone, so if you want the best of what the people has to offer, go and have a chat with the locals. The vibe is different from the ones in Tokyo and Kyoto.
One of my western friends has fallen in love with Osaka so much, that she even bought a kansai-ben textbook to study the language.
Osaka is the city where the people are full with hospitability, and where the food is great.
Please come and visit Osaka, where you can visit the energetic Osakan people!
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