Osaka: History, Former Names & Timeline
Merchant city at the eastern end of the Inland Sea, site of Hideyoshi's Osaka Castle and the "kitchen of the nation" in the Edo period.
OsakaExplore Osaka in the interactive map
Former names of Osaka
| From | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| AD 645 | Naniwa | |
| 1583 | Ōsaka |
Timeline of Osaka
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| AD 645 | Emperor Kōtoku moves the capital to Naniwa |
| 1583 | Toyotomi Hideyoshi builds Osaka Castle |
| 1615 | The Summer Siege of Osaka ends the Toyotomi line |
| 1868 | Osaka is opened to foreign trade |
| 1970 | Osaka hosts Expo ’70 |
Who ruled Osaka
Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.
| Period | State |
|---|---|
| 500 BC–401 BC | Late Jomon culture |
| 400 BC–324 BC | Yayoi |
| 323 BC–99 | Unclaimed / no data |
| 100–199 | Yayoi |
| 200–499 | Unclaimed / no data |
| 500–799 | Yamato |
| 800–899 | Japan |
| 900–999 | Yamato |
| 1000–1299 | Imperial Japan (Fujiwara) |
| 1300–1399 | Shogun Japan (Kamakura) |
| 1400–1491 | Ashikaga Shogunate |
| 1492–1599 | Japan |
| 1600–1649 | Japan (Warring States) |
| 1650–1782 | Tokugawa shogunate |
| 1783–1879 | Japan |
| 1880–1913 | Imperial Japan |
| 1914–1944 | Empire of Japan |
| 1945–1959 | Japan (USA) |
| 1960–today | Japan |
Battles and sites near Osaka
- Battle of Sekigahara · 1600
Landmarks in and around Osaka
Tōdai-jiStanding · AD 752
Famous people of Osaka
| Lived | Person | |
|---|---|---|
| 1537 – 1598 | Toyotomi Hideyoshi | Unifier of Japan |
| 1543 – 1616 | Tokugawa Ieyasu | First Tokugawa shogun |
Nearby cities
Further reading
Questions about Osaka
What was Osaka called in the past?
Osaka has been known as Naniwa (from AD 645); Ōsaka (from 1583). Its present name dates from 1583.
Which states have ruled Osaka?
On the historical border maps from 500 BC to today, Osaka lies within 12 different states: Late Jomon culture, Yayoi, Yamato, Japan, Imperial Japan (Fujiwara), Shogun Japan (Kamakura), Ashikaga Shogunate, Japan (Warring States), Tokugawa shogunate, Imperial Japan and others.
What are the key dates in the history of Osaka?
AD 645: Emperor Kōtoku moves the capital to Naniwa. 1583: Toyotomi Hideyoshi builds Osaka Castle. 1615: The Summer Siege of Osaka ends the Toyotomi line. 1868: Osaka is opened to foreign trade. 1970: Osaka hosts Expo ’70.
Which famous people are connected with Osaka?
Toyotomi Hideyoshi (unifier of japan, 1537 – 1598); Tokugawa Ieyasu (first tokugawa shogun, 1543 – 1616).
Last updated 9 November 2026. Sources: border data from historical-basemaps, land and rivers from Natural Earth; texts written for Chronica Maps from standard reference works. How we make the maps.