OSAKA
Owing to the inclusion within the city limits, as from April 1st, 1925, of a large number of suburban districts and villages, Osaka is now the largest city in Japan in size, with a population of 2,500,000 according to the census taken on 1st October, 1930. In commercial and industrial importance it also ranks first in the Japanese Empire. During recent years the city has been rapidly assuming a modern and Western aspect. Broad well-paved streets intersect it in all directions, large buildings of the sky-scraper type are springing up throughout the business centre, and motor traffic is increasing rapidly. The city is situated in the province of Settsu and is built on the banks and at the mouth of the river Aji. From the point of view of the foreign tourist, the most interesting and imposing sight is Osaka Castle, erected in 1583 by the famous warrior Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Though less extensive than that of Tokyo, it is a much grander and more striking edifice, and is, indeed, next to that of Nagoya, the finest example of the ancient feudal castles of Japan. It is now occupied by the Osaka garrison, and forms the headquarters of one of the 18 great military districts. It has also within its enclosure an extensive military arsenal. Osaka, like Tokyo and Kyoto, is the capital of the Prefecture to which the city gives its name. It is the seat of numerous industries, including cotton-spinning mills, shipbuilding yards, iron-works and sugar refineries. Cotton-spinning and weaving are the most important industries and there are a large number of big mills in the city and neighbourhood. The Imperial Mint also is established here. From the outset the street Electric Tramway within the city limits was a municipal undertaking and at present 112 miles are open to traffic.
Extensive harbour improvements have been in progress for a number of years, and the whole work was completed in April 1929 after 33 years work, the total cost involved aggregating Y. 45 millions. The harbour is embraced by two breakwaters and a reclamation is capable of taking in 41 steamers of 5,000 tons capacity or 8 steamers of 10,000 tons capacity at one time.
The trade statistics of Osaka since the war have shown great growth. The Osaka trade returns, however, do not afford a reliable index of the foreign trade, a great part of which passes through the Kobe Customs.
In 1909 a third of the city was destroyed by fire, the total damage being estimated at Yen 25,000,000. A much better class of house has taken the place of those destroyed, and the thoroughfares have been widened.
DIRECTORY
AALL & CO., LTD., Manufacturers' Repre-
S
9 and 10, Koraibashi, 4- sentatives chome, Higashi-ku; Teleph. 2574 (Hon.)
J. Brandt
Miss A. C. Remedios
AGFA (GOMEI KAISHA), Agents for Agfa Products Nomura Building, Bingo- machi
AIR LIQUIDE, Manufacturers of Oxygen, Acetylene and Oxy-Acetylene Welding Apparatus - Umetatechi, Sakurajima- cho, Konohana-ku
AKAMATSU ICHIJI, Manufacturer and Importer of Cork-258, Kushin-machi, 2-chome, Kita-ku
ALLEN & Co., LTD., EDGAR, Steel Castings Harada & Co., agents (Itachibori,
Kita-dori, 6-chome, Nishi-ku)
AMANO SHOTEN, Importers and Exporters of Sundry Goods-23, Bakuro-machi, 2- chome, Higashi-ku; P.O. Box Cent. 26
AMERICAN-JAPANESE COMMERCIAL Co., Importers of Aluminium Ware and Builders' Hardware, Machine Tools, &c. -26, Edobori Kita-dori, 1-chome, Nishi-
ku