Osaka, here we come!

Many of us are gearing up for this year’s SIBOS – the big
SWIFT jamboree that gathers all those involved in payments worldwide … whoops,
involved in transaction processing worldwide. 

This year it’s in Osaka, Japan, and I’m on my way over there
at the weekend.  As a result, the next week of blogging will bore some of
you numb, as it will all be about Japan, innotribe, payments, regulations, SWIFT’s
future etc … the usual stuff! 

For those who are going to be there, I thought it might
be useful to post a little planner to enjoy the place.

Osaka is Japan's second-biggest
city, located in the Kansai region of Honshu island and the capital of the
vast Osaka Prefecture.

The city sits next to the Yodo River and alongside Osaka Bay,
and is divided into two main areas: the northern Kita region and, to the south,
the Minami area separated by the Tosabori-gawa and the Dojimagawa rivers. 

Osaka's Minami district is where most tourists go, with
plenty of entertainment, shopping and nightclubs in Shinsaibashi and Namba.

South of Minami, around the prominent Tenno-ji Station, are
the more historic parts of Osaka.  Much
of the City was bombed in World War II, and so most of Osaka is  a modern and vibrant new place, but the
historical remanents fournd here include the Shiten-no-ji Temple, Sumiyoshi
Shrine and Osaka-jo Castle being
the main sights.

As mentioned, Osaka is mainly known as a modern and vibrant City and, to give you true sense of the City, I enjoyed this video by
Holger Mette:

The video has a quote that goes with it from Toru Hashimoto,
Mayor of Osaka:

“There is no other city as vulgar and obscene as Osaka. We
should celebrate the image and welcome the development of casinos and red-light
districts to attract people.”

Sounds like the perfect place for SIBOS!

See you there.

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