Relocating to Osaka?

Osaka Destination Guide

Here is some useful information for expats moving to Osaka, including information about schools, housing, hospitals, communities, and more.

The city of Osaka plays a central role geographically and economically in the Kansai area. Since long ago, Osaka has prospered as the commerce and financial center of Japan, and also as a town full of small and medium-sized manufacturing businesses. Today it has many companies in a wide variety of industry fields making active operations. It also has many universities and specialized institutions engaged in high-level studies and technology development. In the manufacturing field, it is home to world-famous major companies as well as a number of small and medium-sized manufacturers that are proud of their own technologies in their specific fields and of having the world's highest market share.

Based on the aforementioned background, Osaka is actively attracting foreign companies and is well-prepared for supporting foreign expats as well as providing living information. Especially in the bay area of Osaka (Yumeshima and Sakishima Islands District) around Cosmosquare Station, which is designated as Kansai Innovation International Strategic Comprehensive Special Zone, the plan for attracting foreign companies is in progress. As a result, Osaka's ability to provide life support services for the foreign expats will continue improving more and more in the future.

Although Osaka has the 2nd largest market, next to the Tokyo metropolitan area, and a high concentration of various industries, the greatest asset Osaka has to offer over Tokyo is a lower cost of living. According to the statistics in 2015, by Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, assuming Tokyo is rated as 100, the land price of the residential area in Osaka is 45.9 and the housing rent in Osaka is 67.7. Most foreign expats live in apartments in Chuo-ku and Kita-ku, which is in the center areas of Osaka. There is also a high concentration of foreign expats in Naniwa-ku, Yodogawa-ku, and Minato-ku, which are neighboring areas with easy commuting access to the center of Osaka. A good environment for children's education, including various international schools in the city, only lends to the attractiveness of Osaka. There are a number of medical facilities that offer services in foreign languages as well.

Osaka is dotted with recreation and relaxation areas in and around the city such as; Osaka Castle Park, Utsubo Park, Expo'70 Commemorative Park, Nakanoshima Park and its riverside. On the weekend you can experience various forms of entertainment; you can enjoy the latest fashion, eat in Osaka Station City or Grand Front Osaka in the city, as well as take a trip to Kyoto, Nara, or Wakayama, which are major tourist destinations in the Kansai area close enough for a one-day trip.