OSAKA, or OZAKA, Oak, contraction of OTc-saku, the great estuary hill, in allusion to the rising ground on which the castle stands). An important manufacturing and trading centre of Japan, and one of the three Imperial cities. It is situated on the island of Hondo, on both banks of the Yodo River, the outlet of Lake Biwa, and on the shores of ()saka Bay, in latitude 34 • 42' N., and longi tude 135 31' E., 2U miles by rail from Kob6, and 27 from Kioto. It is built for the most part on low-lying level land. The city is intersected by the Yodo and numerous canals spanned by 1300 bridges. and has in consequence been styled the 'Venice of the East: The streets are laid out with great regularity at right angles to each other, and are in the main narrow. The town has an average annual temperature of about 59° and a rather unhealthful climate.
Osaka has ninny industries. its principal manu factures being those of cotton, glass. and iron and steel products. Other important manufac tures are boots and shoes, matches, tobacco prod ucts, clocks, etc. There is also considerable ship building. A fine Government mint, for which 40 acres are used. was established here under foreign superintendence in 1s71. In connection with it are a refinery and sulphuric acid works, which are a source of great profit to the Govern ment. Osaka was opened in 186S for foreign residence and trade, and a foreign settlement was laid out on the river island of Kawaguchi. The harbor, however, is poor and unsuited for large vessels, and has attracted most of the foreign trade, especially since the opening of the railway. The foreign settlement is. therefore,
occupied for the most part by missionaries. Com mercially Osaka is important chiefly in the inter nal trade, while in regard to foreign commerce it is only of slight importance in comparison with Yokohama and Kobe. The total foreign commerce of the port in 1901 amounted to over $11,000,000, the hulk of the trade being in cotton goods. Small steamers ply regularly between Osaka and the ports of Shikoku and the inland Sea.
There are many temples and places of interest in the city and vicinity. The chief is the castle. which is one of the most famous in Japan. It stands on high ground in that part of the city known as the Upper Town. At the end of the fifteenth century its site was occupied by the monastery and temples of the Shin-shu .eet of Buddhists, and was so strongly fortified by them that it defied the repeated attack. of the great general Nolmnage. In 1583 Ilidevoshi HA.) made it the seat of his power and erected within the citadel a palace. which was, as some authorities believe. the most magnificent building the world ever saw. It survived the attack of Ise va su Iq.v.1 against Hideyori. Iliiloyoshi'c son. hut was burned by Tokugawa retainers in the civil war of ISGS. It now contains the headquarters of the Osaka military district. Population of city, in 1898. 821.235; of the fu. 1.311.909.