Banks
Banks are open from Monday to Friday, 9:00-15:00 (Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays). Automatic teller machines (ATMs) are available for withdrawing by credit card everyday (except national holidays) from 9:00 to 19:00 at almost all of the major banks.
Business Center
The Business Center is located on the 11th floor in the Convention Center. Xerox & FAX machines, and Printers are available. Express delivery service is also available. Open hours are 9:30am -7:00pm. Charges will be made directly to each user for the amount used.
Climate and Clothing
The temperature in Osaka in October typically ranges between 20-24 Celsius high during the day. The weather, however, is often unpredictable during this season. Usually nice weather with sunshine.
Credit cards
American Express, Diners Club, Visa, and MasterCard are widely accepted at hotels, department stores, shops, and restaurants as well as at the major train station.
Electricity
100 volts alternating current at a frequency of 60 Hz. in Western Japan.
Insurance
The Organizing Committee can accept no responsibility for accidents or damage to the private property of participants. Please make your own arrangements for health insurance and any other necessary insurance.
Medical Assistance
Contact security personnel or come to the Information desk. The secretariat will provide first aid to any participants in case of sickness.
Passport and Visa Requirements
A valid Passport is required to enter Japan. Participants from certain countries may be required to obtain a visa to enter Japan. If you are uncertain to your requirement please consult your nearest Japanese Embassy/ Consulate or visit the website of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (http://www.mofa.go.jp/index.html). If you need an individual invitation letter to IPA 2007 Osaka Silver Congress, please contact IPA secretariat office at
IPACongress@ipa-online.org
Postal Services
Hotels often provide simple postage services. Post offices are open from Monday to Friday, 9:00-17:00.
Public transportation
For general transport, taxis are plentiful but cost most. Subways provide inexpensive cost but the covering area is limited. JR railroad has easy access to and from Osaka station and covers wide range of area such as to Kyoto or to Kobe.
Time
Japan Standard Time is 9 hours ahead of UTC (Coordinated Universal Time).
Tipping and Consumption Tax
Tipping is not customary in Japan. However, major restaurants or hotels may add a 10% to 15% service charge to your bill. A 5% sales tax is already included in the prices shown. |
For the last 1,400 years or so, Osaka has been a lively city and a center of social interchange. Dubbed the ‘‘water city'' because of its accessibility by river and by sea, it has played an important role as a trading and cultural hub since ancient times. Later, it became established as a way-station for medieval religious pilgrims and other travellers, and in more recent times, as it took on its current role as an economic base, it developed the gastronomic culture that earned it the soubriquet ‘‘Kitchen of Japan''. Nowadays, Osaka is known as a city of commerce, offering a vast range of goods in its various unique and specialised shopping districts. These include Nipponbashi's Denden Town, famous for consumer electronics and computer-related products, the Honmachi district, with its many textile shops, and Shinsaibashi, with its shopping arcades dating from the Edo period. Even today, commerce, retains plenty of historical atmosphere to delight the visitor's heart.
Kyoto
