Osaka Bay (大阪湾 Ōsaka-wan) is a bay in western Japan. As an eastern part of the Inland Sea, it is separated from the Pacific Ocean by the Kii Channel and from the neighbor western part of the Inland Sea by the Akashi Strait. Its western shore is formed by Awaji Island, and its northern and eastern shores are part of the Kansai metropolitan area.
Major ports on Osaka Bay include Osaka, Kobe, Nishinomiya, Sakai, Amagasaki, and Hannan.
A number of artificial islands have been created in Osaka Bay in past decades, including Kansai International Airport, Port Island, and Rokko Island.
Several islands at the south end of Osaka Bay are part of the Seto Inland Sea National Park.
Industries locate around Osaka Bay because there is a skilled and plentiful workforce, many port facilities, efficient linkages (from small to medium to large firms). There are good transport links (including the Shinkansen), room for expansion (land reclaimed form the sea), and a large local market (9 million).
There has been a recent economic change in Osaka Bay: The decline of older 'heavy' industries such as Nippon Steel, and the expansion of 'new tech' companies such as ICT. There has been a growth in the quaternary industries — research, development, and information. There has also been a development in the science parks and the building of new motorways; this has meant the loss of the countryside.
The Tempozan Ferris Wheel and Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan are both located in the Tempozan Harbor Village area of Osaka.
Read more about Osaka Bay: Major Ports, Airports
Famous quotes containing the word bay:
“Baltimore lay very near the immense protein factory of Chesapeake Bay, and out of the bay it ate divinely. I well recall the time when prime hard crabs of the channel species, blue in color, at least eight inches in length along the shell, and with snow-white meat almost as firm as soap, were hawked in Hollins Street of Summer mornings at ten cents a dozen.”
—H.L. (Henry Lewis)