No city likes to be second. But by quirks of history, geography and fate, many countries have a runner-up city, an almost-but-not-quite city, a city forever in the shadow of its preeminent rival. In Japan, that dubious honor goes to Osaka.

It wasn’t always so. For centuries, the capital of Japan was Kyoto, 35 miles from Osaka. Kyoto held the seat of power while Osaka was the economic hub. The center of gravity began to shift to Tokyo (then known as Edo) in the 18th century, and in 1868 Tokyo formally became the nation’s official capital.

Osaka’s rivalry with Tokyo has simmered ever since, fueled further by differences in temperament, dialect and general outlook on life. Osakans think of themselves as outgoing and passionate while Tokyoites are regarded as reserved and disciplined. The Osaka dialect is lilting and harsh, whereas Tokyoites tend to speak with more refinement and consider their dialect standard Japanese.

The rivalry gave rise to stereotypes. Osakans are reputed to be bad drivers, perhaps overstating it, but the traffic certainly seems more chaotic in Osaka. Also, Osakans are regarded as obsessed by food, encapsulated by the popular local phrase kuidaore: “Eat until you pass out.”

Downtown Osaka divides into two main areas: Kita (meaning north) and Minami (south). The iconic Umeda Sky Building stands in Kita, the main business and administrative district. Minami is renowned for its restaurants, shopping and nightlife.

At the heart of Kita sits Osaka Railway Station, the fourth-busiest in the world. The station and the surrounding area have seen huge redevelopment since 2009. Shiny new commercial buildings tower above the platforms, and the former rail yards to the north of the station transformed into a new high-rise district, Grand Front Osaka.