Nakanoshima Audio Guide

Nakanoshima: what does the audio guide cover?

1. 01

   Welcome to Nakanoshima

   Welcome to Nakanoshima, written 中之島 in Japanese, a long, narrow island in the heart of Osaka. One note before we begin: this guide tells the story of the island as a whole, its rivers, its buildings and its history, rather than focusing on a single spot along it. On a map, Nakanoshima looks like a thin green and gray ribbon in Kita Ward. It is a sandbank about 3 kilometers long and roughly 50 hectares in area, and it divides the old Yodo River into two channels: the Tosabori River on one side and the Dojima River on the other. Water surrounds you wherever you stand, and that shapes everything you will see here. This is also one of the most unusual districts in Osaka. Government offices, businesses, museums and cultural facilities all sit side by side, with riverside promenades running along both banks. Many visitors say the place feels more European than typically Japanese. Over the next few minutes, we will look at how it got that way.

2. 02

   Nakanoshima and the Nation's Kitchen

   To understand Nakanoshima, go back to the Edo period, which ran from 1603 to 1867. In those days, feudal lords called daimyo collected taxes from their domains in rice. They needed somewhere to store that rice and sell it, and Nakanoshima was ideal. It sat in the middle of the city, surrounded by water, and boats could reach it easily. So the lords set up warehouses along the banks of the island to hold their rice and other goods. Food and products from all over Japan flowed into this one spot. That is how Osaka earned its famous nickname, Tenka no Daidokoro, which means the Nation's Kitchen. The island has stayed at the center of civic life ever since. It has served as the administrative and cultural core of Osaka since the Edo period. When you walk along it today, you are standing on what was once the trading heart of a rice economy, and the rivers that carried the barges are still right beside you.

3. 03

   Grand Civic Buildings of Nakanoshima

   Now look at the buildings. Nakanoshima is known for its grand civic architecture, and much of it comes from the Meiji and Taisho eras. The Osaka City Central Public Hall and the Osaka Prefectural Nakanoshima Library are among the historic buildings that give the island its elegant, retro character. The library was completed in 1904 and is considered one of the most beautiful library buildings in Japan. Its Greek Revival facade of columns faces the Tosabori River, and it is one of the most photographed architectural views on the island. Anchoring the middle of the island is Osaka City Hall, a Renaissance-style structure completed in 1918. It carries real architectural authority, and it is a reminder that Nakanoshima has long been the administrative center of the city. Old and new stand together here. The same island is also known for soaring skyscrapers and modern architecture, and it is a major business district in its own right.

4. 04

   Bridges, Willows and Waterside Walks in Nakanoshima

   The island's setting is as important as its buildings. Promenades line both the northern and southern banks of Nakanoshima, and they offer some of the most pleasant waterside walking in central Osaka. The scene is made of simple things: weeping willows, old bridges and the reflections of grand civic buildings shimmering on the water. Several of the most historic and architecturally significant bridges in Osaka span the rivers on either side of the island, and many of them carry retro designs that match the buildings nearby. This is the quality that gives the island its European atmosphere. The island is also a cultural address. Museums, hotels and an international conference center share the space, and in 2008 the Nakanoshima Line opened, bringing new rail access to the island. As you stroll, notice how the bridges frame the views. Each crossing gives you a slightly different angle on the buildings and the water.

5. 05

   Before You Head Off

   Nakanoshima is easy to enjoy at an unhurried pace, and it rewards the curious walker. It began as a rice-trading island in the Nation's Kitchen, and it grew into a place where government, business and culture share a few kilometers of riverbank. As you wander, try tracing the island from one end to the other. Notice how the mood shifts from the stately civic buildings in the middle to the museums and modern towers elsewhere along its length. Pause on a bridge and look back at the whole island rising from the water. Every building you pass has its own story, from the library with its columns to the city hall with its Renaissance style. Keep your eyes open, and the island will keep offering you something new to discover.