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is a district in the Chūō-ku ward of
Like many place names in Osaka, the Shinsaibashi shopping district gets its name from one of the many "Machi-bashi" (town bridges) that were built and managed by the local merchants. Shinsaibashi was a much-loved landmark bridge that spanned the Nagahori-gawa canal.
In 1622, at the time of the excavation of the Nagahori-gawa canal, the original 35 metres-long and 4 metres-wide wooden bridge was built by Shinsai Okada, one of the four merchants who dug the Nagahori-gawa canal. The bridge was named after its builder.
As the popularity of Shinmachi to the north and the Dōtonbori theatre district to the south increased, so did the popularity of the shops lining the streets connected by the bridge, establishing the area as Osaka's main shopping district.
The well-used wooden bridge required considerable maintenance and repairs by the townspeople who owned it. In 1873, the wooden bridge was replaced with a 37.1 metres-long and 5.2 metres-wide arched truss iron bridge that had been imported from Germany. The arched bridge was considered to be quite unusual, and became a popular topic of conversation amongst Osakans.
In 1909, accompanying the construction of a street car along the Nagahori-dori road, the iron bridge was replaced with Osaka's first stone bridge. It was a Western-styled, elegant double arched bridge with a row of four-leafed clovers carved into the railings. At night the bridge was illuminated by eight gas lamps. The bridge was affectionately nicknamed "Eyeglasses bridge" by the townspeople because, with the reflection of its two stone arches in the water, it looked like a pair of glasses.
In 1964, the Nagahori-gawa canal was reclaimed to become a road, the bridge taken down, and the carved railings and the lamps from the stone bridge were used in the construction of a pedestrian overpass. This bridge was used in one of the scenes in the 1989 Hollywood movie '' Black Rain''.
The overpass was removed as a part of the construction of the Crysta Nagahori, an underground shopping mall beneath the Nagahori-dori road. The mall opened in 1997, and the lamps and part of the carved stone railing of the overpass were used for a sidewalk bridge above the mall. Water in the ceiling of the mall flows under the bridge.
In 1973, to commemorate its 100th anniversary, the German-made iron bridge was reconstructed; it is now a pedestrian overpass in Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park.
* Daimaru
*Shinsaibashi-suji
File:Shinsaibashisuji Gate Night View 201407.jpg, Shinsaibashisuji Gate night view
File:Shinsaibashi-street-2017-Luka-Peternel.jpg, Shinsaibashi street (facing south)
File:Shinsaibashi-street-2019-Luka-Peternel.jpg, Shinsaibashi street (facing north)
File:Soemoncho-facing-east-2017-Luka-Peternel.jpg, Border between Shinsaibashi and Sōemonchō
Osaka City Tourism official Shinsaibashi page (map)
{{Shopping districts and streets in Japan Chūō-ku, Osaka Tourist attractions in Osaka Shopping districts and streets in Japan Entertainment districts in Japan Geography of Osaka Bridges in Osaka
Osaka
is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...
, Japan and the city's main shopping area. At its center is , a covered shopping street, that is north of Dōtonbori and Sōemonchō, and parallel and east of Mido-suji street. Associated with Shinsaibashi, and west of Mido-suji street, is Amerika-mura, an American-themed shopping area and center of Osaka's youth culture. Major stores and boutiques concentrates are found around the area. Shinsaibashi is easily accessed via the subway.
History
Like many place names in Osaka, the Shinsaibashi shopping district gets its name from one of the many "Machi-bashi" (town bridges) that were built and managed by the local merchants. Shinsaibashi was a much-loved landmark bridge that spanned the Nagahori-gawa canal.
In 1622, at the time of the excavation of the Nagahori-gawa canal, the original 35 metres-long and 4 metres-wide wooden bridge was built by Shinsai Okada, one of the four merchants who dug the Nagahori-gawa canal. The bridge was named after its builder.
As the popularity of Shinmachi to the north and the Dōtonbori theatre district to the south increased, so did the popularity of the shops lining the streets connected by the bridge, establishing the area as Osaka's main shopping district.
The well-used wooden bridge required considerable maintenance and repairs by the townspeople who owned it. In 1873, the wooden bridge was replaced with a 37.1 metres-long and 5.2 metres-wide arched truss iron bridge that had been imported from Germany. The arched bridge was considered to be quite unusual, and became a popular topic of conversation amongst Osakans.
In 1909, accompanying the construction of a street car along the Nagahori-dori road, the iron bridge was replaced with Osaka's first stone bridge. It was a Western-styled, elegant double arched bridge with a row of four-leafed clovers carved into the railings. At night the bridge was illuminated by eight gas lamps. The bridge was affectionately nicknamed "Eyeglasses bridge" by the townspeople because, with the reflection of its two stone arches in the water, it looked like a pair of glasses.
In 1964, the Nagahori-gawa canal was reclaimed to become a road, the bridge taken down, and the carved railings and the lamps from the stone bridge were used in the construction of a pedestrian overpass. This bridge was used in one of the scenes in the 1989 Hollywood movie '' Black Rain''.
The overpass was removed as a part of the construction of the Crysta Nagahori, an underground shopping mall beneath the Nagahori-dori road. The mall opened in 1997, and the lamps and part of the carved stone railing of the overpass were used for a sidewalk bridge above the mall. Water in the ceiling of the mall flows under the bridge.
In 1973, to commemorate its 100th anniversary, the German-made iron bridge was reconstructed; it is now a pedestrian overpass in Tsurumi Ryokuchi Park.
Retail establishments
* Daimaru
*Shinsaibashi-suji shopping arcade
An arcade is a succession of contiguous arches, with each arch supported by a colonnade of columns or piers. Exterior arcades are designed to provide a sheltered walkway for pedestrians; they include many loggias, but here arches are not an esse ...
*OPA
* Tokyu Hands
*Apple Store
The Apple Store is a chain of Retail, retail stores owned and operated by Apple Inc. The stores sell, service and repair various Apple products, including Macintosh, Mac desktop and MacBook laptop personal computers, iPhone smartphones, iPad ta ...
*Camera Naniwa
*Crysta Nagahori
*Shinsaibashi ZERO GATE
* Coach
* Dior
*Chanel
Chanel ( , ) is a French luxury fashion house founded in 1910 by Coco Chanel in Paris. It is privately owned by French brothers, Alain and Gérard Wertheimer, through the holding company Chanel Limited, established in 2018 and headquarte ...
*Gucci
Guccio Gucci S.p.A., doing business as Gucci ( , ), is an Italian Luxury goods, luxury fashion house based in Florence. Its product lines include handbags, ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories, and home decoration; and it licenses its name and ...
*Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton Malletier SAS, commonly known as Louis Vuitton (, ), is a French Luxury goods, luxury fashion house and company founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton (designer), Louis Vuitton. The label's LV monogram appears on most of its products, ...
* Diesel
* Cartier
* Harry Winston
*Versace
Gianni Versace S.r.l. (), usually referred to as Versace ( ), is an Italian luxury elite fashion company founded by Gianni Versace in 1978. The company produces Italian-made ready-to-wear and accessories, as well as '' haute couture'' under it ...
* Armani
* Dolce & Gabbana
*Giorgio Armani
Giorgio Armani (; born 11 July 1934) is an Italian fashion designer and a billionaire. He first gained renown working for Cerruti 1881. He formed his company, Armani, in 1975, which eventually expanded into music, sport, and luxury hotels. By 200 ...
*Rolex
Rolex () is a Swiss watch brand and manufacturer based in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1905 as ''Wilsdorf and Davis'' by German businessman Hans Wilsdorf and his eventual brother-in-law Alfred Davis in London, the company registered ''Rolex ...
* Beams
*Hermès
Hermès International S.A. ( , ) is a French Luxury goods, luxury fashion house established in 1837. It specializes in leather goods, silk goods, lifestyle accessories, home furnishings, perfumery, jewelry, watches and ready-to-wear. Since the ...
*Omega
Omega (, ; uppercase Ω, lowercase ω; Ancient Greek ὦ, later ὦ μέγα, Modern Greek ωμέγα) is the twenty-fourth and last letter in the Greek alphabet. In the Greek numerals, Greek numeric system/isopsephy (gematria), it has a value ...
* Givenchy
* Yves Saint-Laurent
* Dunhill
* BVLGARI
*Fendi
Fendi Srl () is an Culture of Italy, Italian luxury goods, luxury fashion house producing fur, ready-to-wear, leather goods, shoes, fragrances, eyewear, timepieces and accessories. Founded in Rome in 1925 by fashion designers Edoardo Fendi and ...
* Samantha Thavasa
*Franck Muller
Franck Muller is a Switzerland, Swiss luxury watch manufacturer named after its founder. The company's estimated total sales (in 2010/2011) were 20000 pkr in watches with an average unit price of 679000 pkr Franck Muller's watches are worn by va ...
* Benetton
* Uniqlo
* Gap
*Ships
* United Arrows
* H&M
* Vivienne Westwood
Osaka Metro stations
* Shinsaibashi Station - Midosuji Line (M19), Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line (N15) * Yotsubashi Station - Yotsubashi Line (Y14)Gallery
See also
* List of upscale shopping districtsReferences
External links
Osaka City Tourism official Shinsaibashi page (map)
{{Shopping districts and streets in Japan Chūō-ku, Osaka Tourist attractions in Osaka Shopping districts and streets in Japan Entertainment districts in Japan Geography of Osaka Bridges in Osaka