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| Kimi and Elchi in front of Ôsaka Castle |
大阪
Some history
Ôsaka, located in the Kinki area, is
Japan’s second largest metropolitan area after Tôkyô
with over 19 million inhabitants. Ôsaka is a merchant city, which was formerly
known as Naniwa. In the 16th century, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣 秀吉, 1537-1598) built
Ôsaka castle here.
Ôsaka also has been known as the "country’s kitchen" (tenka no daidokoro, 天下の台所). This is not due to its rich cuisine; rather it refers to the fact that it was the center for rice trading during the Edo period (1603-1868). Many new businesses were first established in Ôsaka and spread from here across the nation. They include department stores, retail markets, and supermarkets. Still, Ôsaka retains a merchant lifestyle with an emphasis on practicality, informality, and pragmatism. Ôsaka was and is famous for its popular culture such as Kabuki, Bunraku or Karaoke, which originated here and became popular even overseas. On national television, comedians who speak the Ôsaka dialect – the only one which challenges the monopoly of the Tôkyô dialect – dominate entertainment programs.
Ôsaka also has been known as the "country’s kitchen" (tenka no daidokoro, 天下の台所). This is not due to its rich cuisine; rather it refers to the fact that it was the center for rice trading during the Edo period (1603-1868). Many new businesses were first established in Ôsaka and spread from here across the nation. They include department stores, retail markets, and supermarkets. Still, Ôsaka retains a merchant lifestyle with an emphasis on practicality, informality, and pragmatism. Ôsaka was and is famous for its popular culture such as Kabuki, Bunraku or Karaoke, which originated here and became popular even overseas. On national television, comedians who speak the Ôsaka dialect – the only one which challenges the monopoly of the Tôkyô dialect – dominate entertainment programs.
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| Ôsaka Castle |
The Kansai area differs even in food and taste. Kansai residents prefer Udon
noodles, while Tôkyôties prefer Sushi. After the colonialization of Korea in 1910, many Koreans came or were
brought, to Japan as a cheap laborer for the flourishing
industries in the Kinki area. Even though many of them turned home after the
end of WW II, some 600,000 chose to settle in Japan. Today, Ôsaka is the population
center of permanent Korean residents in Japan, with about one-quarter of them
residing here. In Ôsaka Tsuruhashi there is a traditional Korean market and Japan’s largest Korean Town.
In the air raids of WW II, Ôsaka was severely damaged. Today, Ôsaka is a modern city with few old houses but it contains numerous urban canals and bridges, many of which are prime examples of the latest bridge-building technologies. Thus, Ôsaka has a unique atmosphere, which explains why it is also dubbed “Ôsaka Aquapolis”.
In the air raids of WW II, Ôsaka was severely damaged. Today, Ôsaka is a modern city with few old houses but it contains numerous urban canals and bridges, many of which are prime examples of the latest bridge-building technologies. Thus, Ôsaka has a unique atmosphere, which explains why it is also dubbed “Ôsaka Aquapolis”.
In Ôsaka there
are five major tourist areas. (1) In the north, you will find Ôsaka and
Umeda Station area including Sonezaki
Kitashinchi Nightlife Area, Nakanoshima, and Tenjinbashi. (2) In the middle of
Ôsaka you will find the Ôsaka castle park area including Korean town;
(3) Further to the south located is Shinsaibashi shopping district
and the neighboring Nanba area, including Dôtonburi, the famous
markets of Ôsaka and Denten town with its numerous shops selling electronic
goods. Not far away is (4) the Shitnennôji area including Shinseikai. Finally,
far to the south is (5) Sumijoshi taisha shrine, the most important
shrine in Ôsaka.
Transport in Ôsaka
Ôsaka’s main station is Umeda Station. Umeda
Station is served by the following railways: Hankyû Railway (Kôbe Line, Kyôtô
Line, Takarazuka Line) Hanshin Electric Railway (Main Line) and the Ôsaka
Municipal Subway (Midôsuji Line). Umeda is connected to the North with Shin
Ôsaka Station (Shinkansen) via the municipal Midôsuji Line. It runs further
North to Senri Chûô, where you can change to the Ôsaka Monorail. One important
stop on the Monorail is Itami Airport. The last stations before Senri
Chûô are operated privately by the Kita Ôsaka Kyûkô Railway Line. To the South, the
Midôsuji Line connects Umeda with Shinsaibashi and Nanba Stations. The neighboring
Ôsaka Station, which is within walking distance, is the JR Station, where you
can board the Loop Line that circles 19 stations in central Ôsaka city. There are two tracks: an
inner one that runs counter-clockwise and an outer one that runs clockwise. On
the outer, clockwise track are several important stations such as Sakuranomiya,
Ôsakajô kôen (Castle), Tsuruhashi (Korean Market) or Tennôji.
The complete railway network map can be found here....(1) The north of Ôsaka: Ôsaka and Umeda Station area
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| View from Hankyû Office Building |
Umeda station (梅田駅) in northern Ôsaka is the busiest station in Ôsaka. Nearby Ôsaka Station (大阪駅) is within walking distance and connected by a
large complex of underground shopping malls. In fact, there are three stations
with the name Umeda Station, including Hankyû, Hanshin, and Ôsaka Municipal
Subway. The stations are also connected by underground tunnels, which are lined
with shops, restaurants, department stores or hotels above them. Here you can
wander around for hours, which is a good choice for a rainy day.
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| View from Umeda Sky Building |
Worth for
visiting is the Hankyû Office Building (梅田阪急ビル オフィスタワー) within Umeda Station. Take the elevator to the Sky Lobby, located
on the 15th floor of the building. Here you can enjoy a fine view of
Ôsaka. Since there is also a convenience store located on this floor, it is a
perfect place for a having a coffee with a view.
You can enjoy a beautiful view
also from Umeda Sky Building (Umeda sukai biru, 梅田スカイビル), which is
one of the tallest buildings in Ôsaka. The building features a rooftop observatory, The Floating Garden
Observatory, with stunning views of Ôsaka (entrance fee). At the base of the building
is an urban garden with walking trails and water features. It is located some
minutes walk away from both stations.
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| Sonezaki Ohatsu tenjin dori |
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| Ohatsu Tenjin, Ôsaka |
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| Ôsaka Tenmangu |
Tenjinbashi suji shopping street (天神橋筋) is the longest straight shopping street in
Japan, which stretches approx. 2.6 km from the north to the south. Here you
will find more than 600 shops and restaurants. Do not expect luxury shops,
since here it is where the locals shop. Everything is down to earth here – a
great difference to Shinsaibashi shopping street (see below). Since the
shopping arcade is covered, you can enjoy wandering around even on a rainy day. Located just steps away from Tenjinbashi shopping street is Ôsaka tenmangu shrine (大阪天満宮). It was founded in the 10th century and is one
of the most important of shrines across Japan that is devoted to the Shintô deity
of scholarship, Sugawara no Michizane. Tenjin
matsuri, which is held annually July 24 and 25, is ranked as one of Japan’s top three festivals, besides
Kyôto’s Gion matsuri and Tôkyô’s Kanda matsuri.
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| Ôsaka Museum of Housing and Living |
The Ôsaka Museum of Housing and Living (Ôsaka
kurashi no konjaku kan, 大阪くらしの今昔館), situated
along the shopping street, presents a glimpse of the streets of Ôsaka during
the Edo period through recreated houses, which visitors can enter. Here you can take a walk through
time and experience the history of Ôsaka.
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| Taiyûji, Ôsaka |
The temple Taiyûji
(太融寺) is located in the middle of downtown Umeda. It
belongs to the Shingon Sect of Buddhism and was found by Kôbô Daishi (弘法大師, 774-835) in 821. After several
destructions and rebuilding it burned down in the massive air raids on Ôsaka
during World War II. After the war, temple buildings were reconstructed once
more, as seen today. The statue of the goddess Kannon (the temple's principal
image) and a stone statue of the deity Fudô myôô are still enshrined in the temple after escaping damage in many
fires. In one corner of the precincts is the tomb of Lady Yodo (Yodo dono, 淀殿, 1567-1615), the
most favored concubine and second wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and mother of
his successor Hideyori (豊臣 秀頼, 1593-1615). In 1880, an
alliance was concluded at the temple to require that the National Diet be
inaugurated in Japan, which is said to have triggered
the nationwide spread of the Freedom and People's Rights
Movement (Jiyû minken undô) in Japan.
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| Nakanoshima, Ôsaka |
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| Kimi and Elchi in Nakanoshima |
From here it is just a 5 min walk
to Ogata Kôan’s Residence and Academy (Ogata Kôan tekijuku, 緒方 洪庵適塾), the former residence and
academy of Ogata Kôan (1810 -1863), a preeminent
scholar of rangaku, or Dutch, studies, which
he established in downtown Ôsaka to
teach medicine, natural history, chemistry, and physics.
This academy later developed into Ôsaka University. Famous alumni were amongst others renewed
philosopher Fukuzawa Yukichi (福澤 諭吉, 1835-1901), founder of Keiô
University. The house still exists and can be visited. Address: Ôsaka,
Nakanoshima ku, Kitahama 3 chôme (大阪市中央区北浜3丁目)
(2) In the middle of Ôsaka: Ôsaka castle park area and its surroundings
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| Ôsaka caste |
The construction of Ôsaka castle (Ôsakajô, 大阪城) was started in 1582 by Toyotomi
Hideyoshi, a
preeminent daimyô, who is regarded as one of Japan's "great unifiers" who ended the "Age of Warring States" (Sengoku
jidai), marked by social upheavals and political unrest. By
that time it was the largest castle in Japan. After being destroyed, rebuild
and burned down, it was reconstructed in ferroconcrete in 1931. It
miraculously survived the air raids of the Second World War. Major repair works
were carried out in 1997, which is why its interior is entirely modern. Nevertheless,
it is a very impressing castle. Don’t miss to see it.
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| Plum blossoms at Ôsaka Castle Park |
The castle tower
is surrounded by secondary citadels, gates, turrets, impressive stone walls, and
moats. It also has a very popular plum garden, which is very worth visiting in
February. The entire Ôsaka Castle Park covers about two square kilometers
with lots of green space. Nishinomaru teien garden (西の丸庭園), encompassing the former "western
citadel", is a lawn garden with 600 cherry trees, a tea house, and the
former Ôsaka Guest House. Surrounded by greenery, the garden commands a
beautiful view of the castle tower and the stone walls of a moat. Unlike most
of the rest of the castle grounds, the garden requires a small admission fee.
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| Japanese garden, Taikôen, Ôsaka |
North of Ôsaka castle park lies Taikôen (太閤園 ), which was part of the
former residence of Baron Fujita Denzaburo, a heavyweight of the Kansai
economic community. On the premises is spread a wonderful Japanese-style garden,
which is as large as about 26500 m2. Water is drawn from the nearby river
Okawa, and the stream, pond and monolithic stone bridge give elegance together
with blooming trees and flowers, oddly-shaped rocks, a venerable stone pagoda,
stone lanterns and many others. Here you can appreciate history and national
beauty. Today it is a famous place for the wedding and has some excellent
restaurants on its premises; however, the Japanese garden is open to the public
and can be freely visited.
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| Kimi and Elchi in the Fujita tei ato kôen |
Also, a part of Baron Fujita’s former residence is the Fujitatei
ato kôen (藤田邸跡公園), It is a nice park for having picknick, especially in spring when the peach flowers are in full bloom. The Fujita
Museum of Arts (Fujita bijutsukan, 藤田美術館) owns the oriental antiquity collection of Baron Fujita and his
descendants. Opened in 1954, its collection numbers approximately 5,000
articles, including paintings, calligraphy, ceramics, sculptures, lacquerware,
gold ware, dyed textile, and archaeological materials ranging from the ancient
times to the Meiji Period.
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| Kyôbashi and castle moat, Ôsaka |
Kema
Sakuranomiya kôen (毛馬桜之宮公園) is around 600m from Taikôen, on the banks of
Okawa River. It is the most beautiful spot to admire the cherry blossoms
in Ôsaka. Around 5.000 cherry trees are planted here. Even without cherry
blossoms it is a good place for strolling along the riverside. Kyôbashi (京橋) is Ôsakas largest business district,
very close to Ôsaka castle. It is known for its nightlife, especially its
numerous Izakayas and tachinomi, or standing bars. It also has a shopping
arcade with old-fashioned shops. The narrow streets give you a distinctive historic feeling. It is specifically
crowded at night.
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| Tsuruhashi, Korean Market, Ôsaka |
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| Ikuno Korea Town |
(3) Shinsaibashi shopping district and Nanba area
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| Shinsaibashi, Ôsaka |
Shinsaibashi (心斎橋) is Ôsaka’s largest
shopping district with many boutiques and specialty shops. The heart of the
area is the 600 meters arcaded Shinsaibashi Shopping Street, which was
established as a shopping area in the Edo period.
The Western area is called Amerikamura
(アメリカ村), the birthplace of the
latest shopping trends. Amerikamura is specifically popular among the young
ones and is always crowded with people. It is also famous for its vibrant nightlife with many bars and clubs.
Orange street, some 900m to the West from
Americamura has an uncountable number of select fashion shops and unique cafes.
Nearly every shop is different from the next and all of them have distinct and
special architecture and design. If fashion is not your thing, Orange Street is also home to a large number of
traditional furniture shops.
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| Dôtonbori, Ôsaka |
Dôtonbori (道頓堀)
in the Nanba (難波) district, is one of Ôsaka’s
principal tourist attractions. It is known as the gastronomists' town, and thus
the entire area of Dôtonbori is thronged with an unbelievable number of restaurants
and amusement facilities. Running from Dôtonboribashi Bridge to Nipponbashi Bridge, the Dôtonbori Canal is right at the end of Shinsaibashi
shopping arcade. Have a walk along the promenades on both sides of the canal or
stopover in one of the cafes and restaurants. Specifically at night, when the
signboards and neon light are lit, a walk along the Canal is amazing.
Kuromon ichiba market (黒門市場) or „black gate market“ is one of the main food
markets in Ôsaka and probably the most well known. The market has a total
length of close to 600 meters with nearly 200 shops, the vast majority of which
specialize in the freshest and best quality meat, vegetables, eggs and other
ingredients from around the country and abroad. Even though the market is very
busy, it is an excellent place to get started eating in Ôsaka.
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| Fudô myôô, Hôzenji, Ôsaka |
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| Hôzenji yokochô, Ôsaka |
Dôguyasuji Shopping Arcade (道具屋筋) is a one hundred and fifteen meters long shopping arcade, where you can buy everything associated with kitchen utensils. The arcade is lined with shops, selling exclusively kitchenware and there are several good shops where you can buy Japanese ceramics such as tea bowls or dishes.
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| Nanba Yasaka Jinja |
Nanba yasaka jinja (難波八阪神社) has long been worshipped as the
tutelary deity of the Nanba district. The shrine buildings were burned down in the 1945 air raids. The present buildings are
reconstructions built after the war. Also called the “lion
shrine“, it is famous for its giant lion’s head on the central square of the
temple complex. The stone image featuring a stage in its mouth is over
12 meters high and 11 wide and is particularly eye-catching.
Nipponbashi denden town (日本橋でんでんタウン) is one
of the largest commercial districts in Ôsaka, packed with electrical equipment
discount stores.
It is also known for its many shops which specialize in furniture, tools, and shops
for "otaku"(オタク), people with obsessive interests, commonly the anime and manga fandom.
Nipponbashi is often compared to Akihabara Electric Town, its equivalent in Tôkyô, however
only in terms of scope not in terms of size.
(4) Shitennôji area
Shitennôji (四天王寺) was founded in 593 by Prince Shotoku (574-622),
who promoted the introduction of Buddhism into Japan. It is regarded as the
first Buddhist temple in Japan. Since its founding, it has been
associated with health and welfare. The five-story pagoda can be entered and
climbed. The Gokuraku jôdo Garden ( 極楽浄土庭園), which dates back to the early Edo
Period, is based on an idea of the Western Paradise of Amida with pleasant ponds, rock
waterfalls and, stone lanterns. Within the main complex, the Kamenoike pond is
famous for its turtles. The shrine is under construction till 2022, however, it
is still open for visitors. On the 21st and 22nd of every month, a large flea
market is held on the temple grounds where you can buy sculptures, kimonos or
ceramics. There are also food stalls where you can try regional specialites
like takoyaki (octopus dumplings) or okonomiyaki, a Japanese
savury pancake.
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| Shinseikai, Tsutenkaku, ôsaka |
Shinsekai (新世界), the „New World“ is a district not
far from Shitennôji that developed before WW II, in the wake of the 1903 National
Industrial Exposition. While the southern part was built to imitate Cony Island, New York, the northern part, was modeled
after Paris. At the beginning of the 20th century, the neighborhood flourished as a
local tourist attraction showcasing the city's modern image. At the district’s
center stands Tsutenkaku tower (通天閣), literally, building leading to
heaven, which was built in 1912, to imitate Paris’ Eiffel Tower. This steel
structure is a symbol of Ôsaka, representing the “New World” (shinseikai).
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| Kimi, Elchi and Billiken san |
At this
time, it was the tallest structure in East Asia. It has an observation platform
on the 5th floor and a theatre in the basement. In Shinseikai you
will find a lot of small restaurants, offering kushikatsu (串カツ). This well known specialty
of Ôsaka. is a dish of deep-fried skewered meat and vegetables. Further, there
are a lot of shops, offering cheap clothes and other goods. Here is the heart
of the Billiken cult (jap.: ビリケンさん). The Billiken is a good luck charm doll,
created by female US artist Florence Pretz. It appeared as
a figurine in May 1908 and became tremendously popular worldwide since then. It
made its Japanese debut in the same year when a statue of Billiken was
installed in the uppermost level of the original Tsutenkaku tower. Today you will find statutes
everywhere in Shinseikai. Rub the soles of his feet and your wishes come true.
Imamiya Ebisu Shrine (今宮戎神社), which is known by the local
people as “Ebessan”, was founded in 600 by the order of Prince Shotoku, to
prevent nearby Shitennôji by warding off evil spirits. Here, people pray to
Ebisu, the god of good business and commercial prosperity, which is why it is
very popular among the people of Ôsaka. The Tôka Ebisu Festival,
which takes place for three days around 10 January, attracts up to a million
spectators annually. Imamiya Ebisu shrine is located right next to Imamiyaebisu
Stn. or a 5-minute walk from Nanba Stn.
(5) In the South: Sumiyoshi taisha
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| Sumiyoshi Taisha, Ôsaka |
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| Sumiyoshi Taisha, Ôsaka |
You can take the Hankai Tramway from Tennôji
Stn. to Sumiyoshi Stn. It is the oldest tramway in Ôsaka, which opened in 1910.
There are vintage trams running, dating back from as long ago as 1928. The tram runs
slowly so you will get to see the way of living in Ôsaka as you experience the oldest tram
ride.
Around Ôsaka
West of Ôsaka
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| View from Tenpôsan Harbour Village |
If you like to enjoy a maritime atmosphere, you
can visit Tenpôzan Harbour Village (天保山ーバービレッジ), is a leisure spot located in the bay area, which is just 20 minutes
from the center of Ôsaka. Featuring the Ôsaka Aquarium, numerous restaurants,
serving Ôsaka specialties, a food court, extensive retail outlets and a small
park, the village is where the waterfront comes alive. It further hosts Naniwa
Kuishinbo Yokochô (なにわ食いしんぼ横丁), a food theme park recreating the
nostalgic 1960s streets of Ôsaka. Here, visitors can enjoy original Ôsaka
cuisine.
Access: Osakako
Sta. of Subway Chuo Line (exit No.1)
North of Ôsaka
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| Minoo Waterfall |
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| Minoo kôen |
Access: Take the Hankyû Takarazuka Line from Hankyû Umeda Station to Ishibashi Stn. (15 minutes) and transfer to the Hankyû Minoo Line to Minoo Stn. (5 minutes)
Since you have to change the train in Ishibashi (石橋) to the Minoo line, you can visit the shopping arcade in front of Ishibashi Station. It has some very nice traditional shops where you can try delicious Japanese sweets or other delicacies.
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| Ikeda shiro ato kôen |
On the way to Minoo (or on your way back), you
can stop over at Ikeda (池田), one of the popular suburbs in Ôsaka. Ikeda
has many things to offer. Besides featuring beautiful Mt. Satsukiyama and many significant temples and
shrines, it is the birthplace of the Japanese instant noodles. If you are
noodles lover, you can visit the Cup Noodle Museum (カップヌードルミュージアム大阪池田).
In the Edo period, Ikeda had a castle occupied
by a daimyō. Still, a tower of the castle remains in the Ikeda
Castle Park (Ikedashiro ato kôen, 池田城跡公園), which is very worth visiting. Besides you can find some old houses of
the Edo period and a shopping arcade with many traditional
shops.
Access: Ikeda Stn, one station from Ishibashi on the Hanyû Takarazuka Line
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| Kimi and Elchi at Nakayamadera |
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| Plum garden, Nakayama dera |
Access: Yamamoto Stn, four stations from Ishibashi on the Hanyû Takarazuka Line
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| Open Air Museum of Old Farmhouses |
The Open Air Museum of Old Japanese Farmhouses (Nihon kokka shûraku hakubutsukan, 日本国家集落博物館) in Toyonaka features a collection of traditional Japanese
country houses, transported here and painstakingly reconstructed. Many of the
houses, which you can enter, have displays inside on traditional rural life.
The whole place comes alive with fiery red maple leaves during November.
Access: Ryokuchi
Koen Sta. of Kita Ôsaka Kyûkô Railway Line (connected with Ôsaka Subway Midôsuji
Line) or Sone Sta. of Hankyu Line.
Not far from here is the Expo ’70 Commemoration Park (Banpaku kinen kôen, 万博記念公園), the former site of the Japan World Exposition 1970. The park is known as a cultural park embracing natural environment. You can relax in the park which has a Japanese Garden, Natural and Cultural Gardens, cultural institution area and a sports and recreation area.
Access: Subway Midôsuji Line
to Senri chûô. Change her to ôsaka Monorail and get off at Banpaku kinen kôen
Stn.
South of Ôsaka
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| Kishiwada castle |
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| Gofuso teien, Kishiwada |
Next to the
Castle is the Gofusô teien (五風荘庭園), a very beautiful traditional
Japanese garden, which is also the setting for a traditional building which now
houses a restaurant. This is a great place to stop for lunch.
The old town, on foot of the castle, features
many old houses, perfect for a peaceful stroll through history.
Access: Nakai Main Line to Kishiwada Stn.
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| Wakayama castle |
Wakayama (和歌) as a city is not much worth visiting. However, it has a wonderful castle,
which is a must for old castle lovers. It was built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who ruled Japan in the latter half
of the 16th century. Even though the original castle burned to the ground in a bombing
raid in 1945, the rebuilt castle and its long corridors and small towers are worth the
steep climb up to the heights on which the castle stands. The main tower itself
displays several artifacts and has the typical far-reaching views of the city
from the observation deck on its highest floor.
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| Kuroe |
From here
it is only a short ride with the train to Kuroe (黒江), the home of
Kishû shikki (紀州漆器), or Kishû
lacquerware, which is produced here.
There are many showrooms, displaying lacquerware goods, including the shop
of the Kishu Lacquerware Cooperative (Kishû shikki kyôdô kumiai, 紀州漆器協同組合...). Nearby you will find a row of old
merchant houses.
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| Negoronuri lacquerware |
Access: Kisei main line from Wakayama to Kainan Stn.
©Kimi and
Elchi 2017-2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without
express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly
prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit
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